The word ‘highbrow’ might be a bit of a stretch, but, let’s be real, we can do better than mystery meat hot dogs and stale potato chips. Tailgate food doesn’t have to be complicated and difficult to be better. In fact these recipes only have a few ingredients and can even be prepared the day before. So sleep in on game day then impress all your friends with some seriously delicious tailgate cuisine.

Abita Root Beer Pulled Pork

This is just about the most delicious, easiest, cheapest dish out there. If you don’t already own a slow cooker, I suggest investing in one immediately. Throw a handful of ingredients in before you leave for class, come home to a finished meal that night. It’s the ideal college cooking situation.

Anyway, you can throw this pulled pork together on Friday during class and bust it out Saturday afternoon. It’s even more delicious the second day!

Ingredients:

• Tony Chachere’s
• 2 bottles Abita Root Beer
• 1 4 to 5 pound pork tenderloin or shoulder roast
• 1 yellow onion, quartered
• BBQ sauce

Instructions:

• Place the onion quarters at the bottom of the slow cooker.
• Rub the pork loin down with the Tony Chachere’s. I mean, really rub it down. This should feel inappropriate and icky. And when you think you have enough Tony’s on there, rub some more on there. Place the well-rubbed pork on top of the onions.
• Pour the root beer over the meat and onions.
• Cover with a lid and cook on high for 1 hour, then turn down the heat to low and cook for an additional 6-8 hours.
• Drain and excess liquid and shred the now tender pork with 2 forks. Serve on warm buns with BBQ sauce and little else. It doesn’t need it!

Blackberry Pie Bars

These are my signature dessert. I bring them to every tailgate, every party, every potluck. They are embarrassingly easy to make. I don’t even like to give people the recipe, because then they’ll know what a cheat these things are. And bonus! They’re purple and gold.

Dough Ingredients:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 t baking powder
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cold butter (2 sticks, cubed)
• 1 egg
• ¼ t salt

Filling Ingredients:

• Juice of 1 lemon
• 18 ozs blackberries (about 3 cups)
• ½ cup white sugar
• 4 t cornstarch

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375, grease 9×13” pan.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, baking powder, flour, salt.
• Using a fork or pastry cutter, mix in cubed butter and egg into dry ingredients. The dough should be crumbly, but not too crumbly. It shouldn’t look too fine. I don’t know. This texture is hard to explain. Just use your chef’s intuition.
• In a separate bowl, combine lemon juice, cornstarch, sugar, and blackberries.
• Press half dough into the bottom of the pan. Top with blackberries. Then, crumble the rest of the dough over the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Try to refrain from eating these straight out of the oven. They are much much much better cold. I don’t know why, but I promise you. Put them in the fridge if you’re feeling impatient.

Rosemary Lemonade

Now, I’m not suggesting that we replace beer at tailgates. But an additional beverage choice won’t hurt anyone.

Ingredients:

• 5-6 lemons
• 3-4 sprigs of rosemary
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 cups water
• Optional: gin

Instructions:

• In a small saucepan combine 1.5 cups water with the cup of sugar. Cook over low heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn off the heat and add a sprig of rosemary.
• Juice your lemons. We’re aiming for 1 cup of lemon juice. Then, in a pitcher, combine lemon juice, sweet water, and remaining cold water. Drop in some ice, lemon slices, and leftover rosemary. Add some gin, if you feel so inclined. (You should definitely add gin).