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What a weekend for football food! For as long as I’ve been throwing my Conference Championships party food orgy, there always seems to be one team that’s a challenge to cook for. Towns like Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Chicago have loads of great dishes that adapt easily to a home tailgate. Seattle and Indianapolis however… What do people in those towns eat?
This year’s playoffs, however, have produced a culinary lineup as formidable as Green Bay’s defensive line. Every team left in the final four is a culinary giant as big as this guy. In case you didn’t walk by a television this weekend, or you spend more time reading food blogs than ESPN, the remaining teams can be found after the jump. For my party, four friends pick their team and decide how to represent the corresponding city through eats.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Every year the gold and black make it to the championships, I’ve made Primanti Brother’s sandwiches with capicola ham. A friend suggested perogies this year and I think that’s a fine enough stand in that’s easier to cook, but really, Primanti’s is the greatest sandwich ever. It rivals banh mi. [Editor’s comment: Scott, really?]
Green Bay Packers: The Midwest’s significant German population has made bratwurst a popular tailgating food at Packers games. I’ll take mine braised, then finished on the grill with onions, kraut, and lots of mustard please.
New York Jets: New York’s a total gimmie as practically anything could be construed as an indigenous NYC food. Corned beef sandwiches, hot dogs, and sheet-pan pizza are all easy to crank out at home and doll out to ravenous guests.
Chicago Bears: I called dibs on Chi-town after devouring Italian beef sandwiches at ChiDogO’s. Only thing is, I have no idea how to make them. I’m scouring the Internet for ideas and recipes, and hoping a visit to A. Litteri’s has the glorious oily pickle mixture that makes this sandwich noteworthy. Giardiniera I think it’s called, but like relish, it comes in a million varieties. I hope I can do Da Bears justice.
Anyone else cooking up coronaries this weekend? Or are you following the masses and saving your big bash for the final dance? Also if you grew up tailgating in any of these fine cities I’d love to hear what you and your people cooked up. Get on it in the comments.