Go-to tailgating treats: Meats

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)–Getting you ready for Sunday’s Bills season opener News 4’s Dave Greber has prepared some go-to tailgating treats that you can make too!

Cocktail Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1 bag frozen beef or pork meatballs
• 3 TBSP butter
• 1 small jar of grape jelly
• 2 jars Heinz chili sauce
• 3 TBSP dijon or whole grain mustard
• 1/2 onion
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped

Optional: Cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce

Directions:

1. In a medium pot on the stovetop, saute the onions and garlic in butter over medium heat.
2. Add and heat the chili sauce and grape jelly over medium heat until jelly is dissolved, stirring occasionally.
3. Add mustard and any of the optional hot sauces or spices.
4. Pour mixture over meatballs and cook until warmed through in a crockpot or dutch oven. (If cooking in the oven, set it at 325 so you don’t scorch the sauce, stirring occasionally.)

Easy Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

• 1 pork butt, or Boston butt, weighing 12-14 lbs
• 1 onion sliced
• 1-2 TBSP liquid smoke
• 1 1/2 cups beef stock
• Enough pork or rib rub to coat
• Your favorite BBQ sauce

Directions:

1. Dry off the pork butt and coat with your favorite rub.
2. Add pork — fat cap side up — to a dutch oven or crockpot on top of a bed of sliced onions.
3. Pouring from the sides, add the stock and liquid smoke.
4. Cover and cook until pork is fork-tender and the bone comes out cleanly without resistance, 6-8 hours, depending on your weight.
5. Lift pork from pot and set on a platter to rest (about 10 minutes).
6. Pour reserved stock and other juices into a small pot and boil until reduced, about 10 minutes.
7. Keep aside to help moisten the pork as you shred it.
8. Shred pork using two forks, discarding fatty pieces and any onions that didn’t disintegrate, and adding juices to moisten.
9. Toss with your favorite BBQ sauce, and serve warm.

Easy Ribs

Ingredients:

• 2 racks Baby Back ribs
• 1/2 cup yellow mustard
• Your favorite rib rub (I make my own or use Stubbs)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
2. Remove membrane from rib-side of ribs (underside).
3. Coat with mustard and rub.
4. Wrap with two layers of foil.
5. Cook 2-2 1/2 hours.
6. Take out of the oven and allow to rest 10 minutes.
7. Unwrap and slather on your favorite BBQ sauce.
8. Place on a hot grill or medium broiler until sauce is heated through, sticky and glossy, about 6-8 minutes, recoating as necessary.

Tip: To remove the membrane, start at the short end section, using a paring knife to separate membrane from back of meat and bone. Use a napkin or towel to prevent slipping.

Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Chorizo or smoked sausage, removed from casing
• 1.5 lb ground Chuck, browned
• .5 lb Hickory-smoked bacon (reserve drippings)
• 3 jalepeno peppers, roasted/broiled and diced
• 1 large onion, diced1 red pepper, diced
• 5 cloves of garlic, smashed, diced
• 2-3 bottles/cans Negro Modelo (especial or dark/original)
• 1-2 tbls. sparingly add tomato paste
• 1 15oz can tomato sauce splash(es) of balsamic vinegar splash(es) of Worcestershire sauce chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano – all to taste (but add chili powder when browning meat)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Optional:

• 1 cans chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (This makes it super hot, so add sparingly).
• 2 cans or 3 cups soaked and cooked beans (kidney or cannellini)

Directions:

1. Cook bacon; drain, but reserve drippings.
2. Chop bacon.
3. To the same pan, add sausage and brown.
4. Set both aside.
5. Add garlic, onion, red pepper and sauté until onion are golden in the bacon pan.
6. Brown beef in pot, adding spices as needed.
7. Add liquids: tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes and beer.
8. Roast peppers, dice and peel. Add to pot along with other meat.
9. Taste, and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.
10. After about an hour, add balsamic and Worcestershire sauce, then add to the pot.
11. Again, bring to a slow boil.
12. This time, reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for another 3 hours.