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So today is my day off and I decided that I was going to make my first batch of chili since spring. I have been slow cooking it since 8 this morning. I can’t wait!

My other favorite tailgate meals chopped ribs, as I call them. They are St. Louis style ribs slow cooked for hours then cut and put in a roaster pan to be an easy finger food over a small Weber grill to keep them warm.

Here is how I do them up.

First I take and soak ¾ bag of hickory chips in water. Then I boil the ribs for 30 min. Then I put them on a cookie sheet on tin foil. Then you have to have a rub. I use Season salt, cinnamon, black pepper, then I bake them at 225 deg for 2 hours. The last 45 min you first cover them in bbq. I like sweet baby rays. YOu may need to keep them in a little longer. the bbq should carmelize.

Lastly, and this is the key, I make 5 smoke packets. You take your hickory chips and you use 3 parts wet to one part dry and put them in a pocket you made out of tin foil. You poke holes in the top. Make 5 of these.

Take your grill and put these on the lowest rack. On the rack above these put your ribs. Ever 15 minutes replace the smoker packs. This will give your ribs the smoky flavor like you have slow smoked these ribs for 12 hours.

Then cut them along one side of the bone and put them in a metal dish.

Lots of prep work, but a great addition to any tailgate.


What are some of yours?

Start grill. Throw package of brats on. Pop open Miller Lite. Repeat.

LUKE23 wrote:Start grill. Throw package of brats on. Pop open Miller Lite. Repeat.

Come on....

Next time you're at a game, stop by and see what some of the big tailgaters are going. Sure, Brats are important, but even the specific brats are key.

My old neighbor was the Packalope. He is the one with the deer antlers on a helmet, and his van has a huge piece of cheese on the top. He is in the pro football hof as our greatest fan, or something like that.

To me, chili is a staple of a great tailgate. As well as all the side dishes.

Neusch23,

Do you have a Weber? You should try cooking your ribs with indirect heat on a webber. Put a tin pan in the middle of the lower rack of your grill. Place charcoal on either side. Light charcoal and wait about 20-30 min til they are white. Sprinkle your rib rub on the ribs and place over the tin pan. Put your soaked hickory wood chips on the charcoal. Smoke for about 2-3 hours until you can see the tip of the bones. Turning the ribs and adding wood chips/charcoal as needed every 30 minutes. When you can see the tip of the bones on each side, place in another tin pan with 1 cup of cold water and cover with tin foil, bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from the pan and add your favorite sauce.

James1980 wrote:Neusch23,

Do you have a Weber? You should try cooking your ribs with indirect heat on a webber. Put a tin pan in the middle of the lower rack of your grill. Place charcoal on either side. Light charcoal and wait about 20-30 min til they are white. Sprinkle your rib rub on the ribs and place over the tin pan. Put your soaked hickory wood chips on the charcoal. Smoke for about 2-3 hours until you can see the tip of the bones. Turning the ribs and adding wood chips/charcoal as needed every 30 minutes. When you can see the tip of the bones on each side, place in another tin pan with 1 cup of cold water and cover with tin foil, bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from the pan and add your favorite sauce.

I have seen similar done before, and work great! To me, both end up with a fall off the bone, great flavor with that great smoke.

My favorite will always be a slow smoke for half a day or more, but some times you just want ribs, and you want as close the the same quality, only quicker. Both would work great!

I usually do the brats/dogs/burger thing but sometimes I do steak or something like that at Miller Park. For Packer games, especially when it's cold, I love chilli and anything else that you can make ahead of time or doesn't take much work.

DB or whoever it was, can you post that recipe for that crazy drink? What was it called again? The Force?