Kap and Mina's Sunday Afternoon Tailgate: Labor Day Spectacular (Season 2 Opener)

It's that time of the year again--the summer is winding down, college and NFL teams everywhere are wrapping up their pre-season training, and fans are gearing up for another season of gridiron madness. Of course, where there is football there is tailgating, and after the success and popularity of last year's Sunday Afternoon Tailgate series, we're excited to announce that this year promises to be better than ever.

I'm happy to announce that my good friend and tailgating partner Dominique Bruno is back for another round of taste-bud pleasing, waist-line busting epicurean adventures. Those who remember last year's Draft Finale, will recall that Mina is a force to be reckoned with in the kitchen, and I'm excited that this year she will be taking a larger role in the planning, cooking, and writing of this series (hence the name change!).

While the draft special, pitting me and Mina in a head-to-head cooking contest, was fun, the majority of this season is going to be about fun and creativity. Each week, we will pick a "theme" for our tailgate, and we will each prepare a unique recipe based around that theme. It's not about competition; it's about seeing how two different amateur tailgaters interpret an idea. As always, the goal here is to create the kind of no-frills guilty pleasure food that men and women can enjoy sitting on the couch or standing in the parking lot with a beer in hand. This week, we've decided to start with a cook-out favorite: the slider. Is there anything more fun than these tiny sandwiches? We think not.

So welcome back to the tailgate! I think I speak for both of us when I say, this is going to be exciting! 

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"End-of-Summer Sliders"

MAPLE-BRAISED COUNTRY RIB SLIDERS WITH SWEET ONION MARMALADE AND CREAMY COLE SLAW

"Rumor has it the term slider comes from the way greasy burgers used to slide across the galley grilles on U.S. Navy ships as they pitched and rolled in rough seas. You won't have to worry about that with this unique take on pulled pork (or with the lean buffalo sliders that Mina is making!). What's the only way to make a slider more fun? Use sweet potato waffle fries as a bun, of course!"

- Kap

• 1-2 lb. Maple-Braised Country Ribs (recipe below)
  
• Onion Marmalade (recipe below)
• Gouda, sliced (you can also use Feta, if you prefer a goat cheese)
• Creamy Cole Slaw (I actually cheated and got my slaw from Kentucky Fried Chicken. What can I say? They have great slaw!)
• 1 Bag of Frozen Sweet Potato Waffle Fries
• 1 Jar of Dill Gherkins

Bake the sweet potato fries according to the directions on the packet. Top half of the sweet potato fries with some of the pulled country rib. Top with a small slice of cheese and broil until the cheese begins to melt. Top with marmalade and coleslaw. Use the remaining fries as the "top bun" of the slider.

Spear slice of pickle with a toothpick and then use that toothpick to secure the sliders. They are a bit sloppy, but they are delicious!

Maple-Braised Country Ribs:

• 2 TBSP Olive Oil
• Cooking Spray
• 1-2 lb. Boneless Country  Pork Ribs
• 2 tsp. Sea Salt
  
• 1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
• 1/4 c. Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp. Paprika
• 1 c. Ale
• 1/2 c. Maple Syrup
• 1/8 c. Bourbon
• 1 TBSP Spicy Mustard
• 2 TBSP Tomato Paste
• 1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
• 1 Bay Leaf

Heat oil on medium-high heat in a cast-iron pan. Rub the country ribs on both sides with salt and pepper. Sear the country ribs on both sides.

Spray crock pot with cooking spray. Place ribs in crock pot. In a medium bowl, mix all remaining ingredients, and pour them over the ribs.

Cook on low for about 8 hours until fully cooked and fork-tender.

Sweet Onion Marmalade:

• 1 TBSP Butter
• 3 TBSP Brown Sugar
• 1 Thinly Sliced Sweet Onion (you can use other onions, or a mix of onions and shallots, if you want to complexify the flavors)
• 2 cloves Garlic 
• 1 TBSP Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 TBSP Cooking Sherry
• 1/2 tsp. Onion Salt
• 1/4 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
• Parsley, for garnish

Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sugar and let it dissolve. Add onion and garlic. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, until the onions are very tender.

Uncover and add vinegar, salt, and pepper. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes until golden brown. Garnish with parsley. Let cool.

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SEVEN-LAYER BUFFALO SLIDERS

"While Kap is moving and shaking things up with a slider that re-imagines pulled pork and buns, this tall slider takes Tex-Mex dip (a favorite on football game-day) and translates it into a lean, mean, flavorful grilling option for you to enjoy this Labor Day! I used bison meat in this recipe, but any beef (or combination of ground red meats) can be used to reinvent this slider and make it your own."

- Mina

• 1 8 oz. can of Refried Beans
  
• 1 lbs. Ground Bison 
  
• 1/2 c. Beer
  
• 1/8 c. Grated Onion
  
• 1 1/2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
  
• 1 TBSP of Grilling Seasoning
  
• 1/2 TBSP Chili Powder
  
• 1/2 TBSP Smoked Paprika
  
• Some extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
  
• 1 c. Guacamole
  
• 1 c. Salsa (Kap and I made our own, a throwback to last year's opening night, see the recipe below)
  
• 1/2 c. Sour Cream
  
• 1 TBSP Hot Sauce
  
• 1 tsp. Ground Cumin
  
• 4 slices pepper jack cheese, quartered
  
• 6 mini hamburger buns, split 
  
• Arugula, shredded
  
• 1/4 cup Green Olives with Pimentos, sliced
  

In a small skillet, heat the beans over medium-low heat (stir in a splash of water or hot sauce, if necessary)

In a large bowl, combine the meat, beer, onion, two-thirds of the garlic, the grill seasoning, chili powder and paprika. Divide into 2 equal portions, then form each portion into three 3-inch patties. Drizzle with the olive oil.

In another bowl, stir together the sour cream, hot sauce and cumin.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook, turning once (6 minutes for medium). During the last minute of cooking, top each patty with 2 cheese slices and tent with foil to melt.

Top each bun bottom with a small spoonful of refried beans, a beef patty, some arugula, guacamole, salsa, spicy sour cream, and a sprinkling of olives; cover with the bun tops. Serve the sliders with any remaining toppings, and enjoy!

Caramelized Onion Salsa:

• 2 Anaheim Chiles (or other mild chiles)
• 1 large Sweet Onion, roughly diced
• 1 TBSP Olive Oil
• 1 TBSP Butter
• 1 can Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Chiles (14.5 oz.)
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, finely chopped
• 1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 3 TBSP Lime Juice
• Fresh or dried Cilantro, to taste
• Coarse Sea Salt, to taste

First, set your broiler to high and line a baking sheet with nonstick foil. Brush both sides of the mild chile peppers with oil or cooking spray. Place under broiler until their skin blackens and begins to crack (about 8 min. per side).

While the chilies are baking, brown the onions in a mixture of the olive oil and butter. (By the time the chiles are done, the onions should be soft and caramelized.)

While the above ingredients cool  down, you can combine the rest of the ingredients. After the chiles have cooled completely, you should peel the skin from the peppers, remove the stems and seeds (don't worry about tearing the peppers themselves, you're going to chop them up anyway), and combine them with the cooked onions. Add these cooked vegetables to the salsa, and mix well.

Add salt to taste.

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DRINK RECOMMENDATION: "THE BEER'S KNEES"

"A classic gin cocktail is the Bee's Knees--featuring lemon juice and honey syrup. Of course, we are switching it up by making this a Beer's Knees cocktail. Beer cocktails are refreshing, fun, and surprisingly tasty. They have a longer history than most people assume. Plus they mean not having to choose between a beer and a cocktail for this opening-day tailgate. This cocktail does not disappoint--it's a great way to end summer!"

- Kap

1.5 oz. Gin
1 oz. Lemon Juice
1 oz. Honey Syrup (that's 1 part honey, one part water, heated to combine and then allowed to cool)
4 oz. Radler Beer (Amstel Radler is my favorite)


Combine the gin, lemon juice, and honey syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a glass. Top with beer.

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PREDICTIONS

As with last year, Kap will be making weekly Eagles predictions. He fared pretty well last season, coming away with a regular season record of 10-5. Not too shabby! Maybe he can do even better this time around.

Oh, and for those who are wondering, Kap and Mina have both made their preseason Super Bowl predictions. Of course, we all know preseason predictions aren't worth anything. They're just for fun. 


Kap: AFC -- Denver Broncos
         NFC -- New Orleans Saints


Mina: AFC -- New England Patriots
           NFC -- Seattle Seahawks


For Labor Day, the prediction is a simple one: everyone will eat, drink, and have fun!

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All recipes listed above come from our own imaginations unless otherwise indicated. If you try one of these recipes in your own kitchen, leave a comment below and tell us how it goes. And, of course, share your modifications, enhancements, improvements, etc.