TEAM SPIRIT
It's true the Rebels of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas don't have quite the stature in football of, say, the University of Southern California Trojans, the Louisiana State University Tigers or the University of Florida Gators.
But their games at Sam Boyd Stadium offer our only real tailgating opportunities unless you want to hang out in a high-school parking lot. And the regulars say those collegiate tailgating parties are plenty of fun.
Jaymie Morris has been a tailgater from way back. Her father, the late legendary Bill "Wildcat" Morris, gridiron star at Las Vegas High School and the University of Nevada, Reno, back in the '40s, took his UNLV football seriously.
"We never missed a game," Morris remembers with more than a touch of warmth. "My dad took the whole family when I was in high school. We never even missed an away game."
And Morris says the family always tailgated when they went to the games.
"There were times when we would haul out the whole barbecue with the gas tank, back when they weren't very portable," she recalls. "My brother, Billy Morris, was famous for his chuckwagon barbecues that were quite extravagant."
As a rule, Morris says, the family tailgating didn't involve a lot of preparation at the field. A favorite was brisket, marinated and cooked the night before the game, then skimmed of fat, shredded and placed in a chafing dish. At the field, the meat in the chafing dish was kept warm with liquid fuel, and -- voila -- brisket sandwiches.
Morris says she also has memories as a young child of watching her mother marinate skewers of meat for kebabs, although "brisket is really strong in my memory."
She keeps up the family tradition today. For the UNLV-Wisconsin game, bratwurst was on the menu.
"We precooked them, marinated them, cooked them in beer and, after they were barbecued, put them back in beer," Morris says.
As you might have noticed, beer tends to play a prominent role in tailgating (more on that later). So does theming, and so does planning ahead, to make things go as smoothly as possible.
Morris says for the UNLV-Hawaii game, another longtime tailgater brought a Chinese chicken salad with everything prepared ahead and carried in separate bags, to be tossed at the field.
"Doing the theme has always been fun, especially with Wisconsin and Hawaii," Morris says.
Indeed. For the UNLV-Wisconsin game, fellow tailgater Kirk Jesse made "Wisconsin Margaritas." He melted Velveeta cheese and dipped the rims of the glasses into the cheese and then into crushed pretzels, and then filled the glasses with beer.
"It was great," Jesse said. "Even the people from Wisconsin liked it."
For the UNLV-Hawaii game, he made seared ahi, sashimi and barbecued shrimp with pineapple.
"Some games we make jambalaya; other games we make crab boil with crab and mussels and things like that," Jesse says.
UNLV has three more home games this year -- against Brigham Young University (Oct. 13), Colorado State University (homecoming, Oct. 20) and San Diego State University (Nov. 10). Chris Bonnell, a sports marketing assistant at UNLV, says the tailgating spaces are sold out for the BYU game, as they sold out for Wisconsin and Hawaii.
Which is not to say aspiring tailgaters can't proceed with their plans.
Bonnell says the official tailgating area is on the grassy Star Nursery Field north of the stadium. The 30-by-60-foot spaces there rent for $85 per game ($460 for the season), and come with three parking passes. Vehicles are limited to 22 feet in length, and open fires are not permitted, although grilling is.
As for alcohol, "we frown on kegs and other big-distribution devices, but we can't really stop people from bringing a case of beer," Bonnell says.
But tailgating also goes on elsewhere.
"You can see it in our dirt lots," Bonnell says. "People drive up and it's a $10 fee just to show up and get it. They park and have a good time."
Jesse says the appeal of tailgating is broad.
"You get to meet all your friends there," he says. "It's a nice social event. You get to drink beer, barbecue and hang out. And then you get to go to the game. Everybody's pretty nice, even the opposing fans. You just get along and have a beer with them and talk sports -- check out the scores for all the other games when you're out there."
Morris says she likes the family-style camaraderie.
"What's really cute is watching the little kids on the scooters going all around the parking lot," she says. "And seeing the little ones throwing the footballs. It's an incredible family atmosphere."
"One really nice memory was that, almost 20 years ago, we had a competition and that was really fun," she says. "Everybody went all-out. We brought out a semi and had a beach theme and put down sand."
Bonnell isn't just an observer, either. A lifelong resident of Las Vegas and student for four years at UNLV, "I've been to a few of them," he says. "Not a lot has changed. People show up and bring out their tents and throw the football around and barbecue and have a good time."
And besides having great food and lots of fun, Morris says tailgaters have another advantage:
"You beat the crowd both ways," she says. "Especially leaving. Why are you in a hurry to leave? There's no reason to sit in traffic."
TAILGATING TIPS
Here are suggestions from Better Homes & Gardens magazine to make your experience a fun one:
* Make a list of what you need to bring; and don't forget the tickets.
* When in doubt, bring extra food and drinks -- including nonalcoholic drinks for nondrinkers and kids.
* To make cleanup easier, use disposable containers, zip-close bags, foil pans, paper plates and plastic silverware.
* Bring plenty of chairs.
* Get there early, to get a good spot and avoid the crowds.
* Park near other tailgaters to be close to the action.
* Don't forget to bring water -- including some to put out the fire -- and sunscreen.
* Bring a radio so you can hear what's going on inside the stadium. If you have tickets, you'll know when to head inside. If you don't, you can still hear what's going on.
* Remember food safety. Bring coolers with plenty of ice to store food. If something's been sitting out too long, throw it away.
* Make your tailgate more festive by choosing a theme. Base it on a holiday (turkey sandwiches for Thanksgiving) or the opposing team (Philly steaks when you play the NFL Eagles).
* Be respectful to other tailgaters and clean up after yourself. Bring trash bags in case you don't have access to a trash can.
* Bring paper towels or napkins in case of spills or messy barbecue.
Here are a few recipes to try:
CHEESY FOOTBALL
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 8-ounce package shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup white salad dressing
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 3-ounce package real bacon bits
Pimentos or roasted red pepper strips (optional)
Crackers
Beat cheeses and dressing in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
Add onions and black pepper; mix well. Cover. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.
Place on serving plate; form into football shape. Sprinkle evenly with bacon bits. Add pimento strips for "lacing." Serve with the crackers.
Serves 16.
-- Recipe from Kraft Foods
EASY BAKED PARMESAN
MEATBALLS
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 egg
1 clove garlic, minced
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix meat, cheese, parsley, egg and garlic. Shape into 12 meatballs.
Place in foil-lined 15-by-10-by-1-inch baking pan.
Bake 25 minutes, or until cooked through.
Serves 6.
-- Recipe from Kraft Foods
BARBECUE BACON
PARTY SPREAD
2 8-ounce packages low-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 2.8-ounce package bacon pieces
1 small tomato, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1/3 cup sliced green onions
11/2 cups shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
Crackers
Spread cream cheese onto large platter or bottom of pizza pan; drizzle with barbecue sauce.
Top with remaining ingredients.
Serve with crackers.
Serves 35.
-- Recipe from Kraft Foods
MIKE DITKA'S OFFICIAL
TAILGATER'S PORK CHOPS
4 cups orange juice
1 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup Dijon-style mustard
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 pork rib chops, 1 inch thick
Salt and pepper, to taste
In a mixing bowl, combine orange juice, soy sauce, garlic, mustard, honey and cayenne pepper. Mix together with a whisk. Pour over pork chops and marinate in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. Remove pork from marinade; discard marinade. Season pork with salt and pepper and grill for 10-12 minutes, turning once.
Serves 8.
-- Recipe from The National Pork Board
TAILGATE PORK SANDWICH
2 pork tenderloins, about 1 pound each
Chef Tom's Marinade (recipe follows)
8 kaiser rolls, sliced in half
Orange aioli (recipe follows)
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
3 cups chopped leaf lettuce
1 Vidalia onion (or any sweet onion), thinly sliced
Place pork tenderloins in two heavy-duty, resealable bags. Pour half of Chef Tom's Marinade in each bag and seal; marinate in refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours.
Prepare medium-hot grill. Remove pork from marinade; discard marinade. Grill pork for 15 to 20 minutes, or until internal temperature is 160 degrees.
Toast rolls on the grill. Spread orange aioli on toasted side of rolls. Slice tenderloins for sandwiches. Layer pork onto bottom of rolls; add tomatoes, lettuce and onions.
Serves 8.
Chef Tom's Marinade:
4 cups orange juice
1 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Whisk all ingredients together until well blended.
Orange aioli:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
Stir all ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to use.
-- Recipe from The National Pork Board
KICK-OFF KABOBS
2 pounds boneless pork chops, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup fat-free Italian salad dressing
2 tablespoons dried red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
24 (6-inch) wooden skewers (soak in water for 30 minutes before using
Place pork cubes in resealable plastic bag; add salad dressing, red pepper flakes and fennel seed. Seal bag; refrigerate for at least 1 hour to overnight to marinate pork.
When ready to cook, thread pork, peppers and onion on skewers. Discard marinade. Place kebabs on greased broiler pan and broil 5 inches from heat, or grill over medium-hot coals, for about 5 minutes per side.
Makes 24 appetizers.
Tailgate tip: If tailgating at the stadium, thread pork and vegetables on skewers at home, and store in plastic containers in a portable cooler until ready to grill.
-- Recipe from The National Pork Board
SPICED TENDERLOIN
SANDWICHES WITH
HERB CHIMICHURRI
1 beef tenderloin (about 5 pounds)
1 tablespoon cumin
1/4 cup smoked paprkia
2 tablespoons chipotle powder
2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
Fresh herb chimichurri (recipe follows)
10 brioche sandwich buns
3 tablespoons softened butter
Clean the tenderloin of all fat and silver skin (this may be done one day in advance).
In a mixing bowl, combine the cumin, paprika, chipotle powder, dry mustard, kosher salt, brown sugar and ancho chili powder.
Preheat the grill to high and the oven to 350 degrees.
Season the tenderloin liberally on all sides with the spice blend, pressing onto the surface of the meat.
Char the tenderloin on a preheated grill for 5 to 10 minutes, browning on all sides. Place tenderloin in a shallow roasting pan or cookie sheet with sides.
Finish by roasting in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees at the thickest part, about 25 minutes.
Remove the tenderloin from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
Prepare fresh herb chimichurri.
To assemble sandwiches, slice the room-temperature tenderloin about 1/4 inch thick.
Preheat the grill. Cut the brioche buns in half and brush them with the softened butter. Toast the buns on the grill. Arrange the tenderloin on the toasted buns. Garnish with a drizzle of the fresh herb chimichurri and serve immediately. Serves 10
Fresh herb chimichurri:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 medium shallots, peeled and quartered
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 cup (packed) stemmed fresh parsley
1/2 cup (packed) stemmed fresh cilantro
1/3 cup (packed stemmed fresh mint
Place first 8 ingredients in blender and blend until almost smooth. Add 1/4 of the parsley, 1/4 of the cilantro and 1/4 of the mint and blend until incorporated. Add remaining portions of parsley, cilantro and mint in three more additions, pureeing until almost smooth after each addition.
-- Recipes from The Capital Grille
