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Football returned this past weekend which means tailgating season has started. I turned to Carey Bringle of Peg Leg Porker in Nashville to share 10 Tips for Tailgating and he shares the recipe for his Pork Rind BBQ Nachos - which I have made for this post.
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| Carey Bringle's Pork Rind BBQ Nachos are a crowd pleaser and a natural for tailgating because you can make everything ahead of time. |
Tailgate Like a Pitmaster with Peg Leg Porker - Carey Bringle
Nothing signals the start of tailgating season quite like the sounds and smells of something cooking low and slow on the smoker. With many of us itching to get back to cheering on our home teams, we’re thinking of a few ways to make this tailgate season the best one yet. How are we going to make that happen? By leveling up our game day spread with some truly phenomenal barbecue.
Carey Bringle, the owner and pitmaster behind Nashville’s Peg Leg Porker, has been cooking barbecue and entertaining the masses for over 25 years. He’s been featured on Southern Living's "Great American BBQ Bucket List" and wrote an in-depth book on how to master fire and smoke called BBQ for Dummies. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a first-timer, this tailgate season let Bringle and his award-winning expertise be your guide. Here, a few pro tips that all tailgaters should keep in mind:
10 Tailgating Tips from Professional Pitmaster, Carey Bringle:
- Make your list and check it twice: from food to equipment, make a list of everything you need.
- Bring the essentials: coals, tongs, grill gloves, and a chimney starter.
- Invest in your own comfort: quality folding chairs and large coolers are key! I’m a big fan of everything Yeti makes.
- Go big or go home: build your menu around a large hunk of meat, such as a pork shoulder or brisket. Smoke it at home and then gently reheat it when you get to your tailgate party.
- Don’t forget the finger foods: I like to make something for everyone to snack on while the larger piece of meat is cooking or reheating. Some favorites are chicken wings, jalapeño poppers, sliders, kebabs and nachos (check out our epic recipe below!)
- Early bird gets the worm: Get to your location early so you can find a good spot, set up and get your playlist going. Drop a pin and let the team find you!
- Stay hydrated: I pack my cooler with a lot of beer and water, along with some Bloody Mary mix and vodka for anyone interested in a cocktail.
- Make your clean-up simple: pack up your barbecue ingredients in large, disposable foil pans for easy transport. I also make sure to have lots of paper napkins and plates to go around since tailgating is all about sharing!
- Fire safety is important: leave ample time for all fires to go out and cool before you start packing up.
- Do it again: Make plans for your next tailgate before everyone leaves!
Peg Leg Porker’s Pork Rind BBQ Nachos
Serves 2
Instead of snacking on a bag of crushed potato chips opt for Peg Leg Porker’s signature nachos made with pork rinds! They’re fully loaded with gooey queso, tender pulled pork, tangy BBQ sauce and pickled jalapeños. These nachos have some serious street cred: they’ve been praised by The Food Network, Travel + Leisure, Southern Living, USA Today, Thrillist and Eater, just to name a few. But don’t just take their word for it—try them for yourself below!
Ingredients
- One 3-ounce bag BBQ Pork Rinds (such as Peg Leg Porker brand!)
- 1 cup queso, warmed
- 8 ounces leftover pulled pork, warmed
- ¼ cup BBQ sauce (I use my Peg Leg Porker original sauce), plus more as needed
- ¼ cup thinly sliced pickled jalapeños
- PLP rub, diced tomatoes and sour cream, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- On a large platter, spread the pork rinds in an even layer.
- Drizzle with the warm queso and then top with the pulled pork.
- Drizzle with BBQ sauce and then garnish with the pickled jalapeños.
- If desired, sprinkle with PLP rub and garnish with diced tomatoes and dollops of sour cream.
- Serve right away.
Visit Peg Leg Porker today!
903 Gleaves St, Nashville, TN 37203
615.829.6023
Monday & Tuesday: 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday through Saturday: 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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| Another idea for tailgating with Carey's recipe is to set up a toppings bar and let your guests build their own Pork Rind BBQ Nachos. For this batch, we added nacho cheese, BBQ pork, chili, slaw, pickled jalapeno, BBQ rub, tomatoes, and green onion. |
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| Since I was cooking Carey's recipe and I didn't really have to cook anything, I figured I would at least make my own pickled jalapenos for the topping. |
