Three Spectacular Side Dishes for Tailgating

baked beans, which have been part of American culture since before there was an America. That’s right, long before the arrival of the Mayflower, the Iroquois, Abenaki, and other Algonquian peoples boiled beans in clay pots, with bear fat to make them rich and maple syrup for sweetness.

And long before the arrival of Pizarro, South Americans in the Andes Mountains cultivated hundreds of varieties of potatoes. The proto-American potato salad may well have been papas a la huancaina, a Peruvian potato salad flavored with piquant amarillo (yellow) chiles and salth queso fresco cheese.

As for coleslaw, our word comes from the Dutch kool, cabbage, and sla, salad—both favored by the early Dutch settlers of Manhattan.

Pro Tips for Adding Smoke Flavor

My baked beans get a double blast of smoke flavor—first from the addition of bacon (and brisket or pulled pork, if you have any extra in your refrigerator). Then from a long slow cook in your smoker.

To make coleslaw, I smoke the cabbage—just long enough to flavor it, but short enough to keep it crunchy and raw.

I also smoke the potatoes for my potato salad, adding pimenton (smoked paprika) to reinforce the flavor.

Yeah, it takes a little extra time, but you can smoke the vegetables at a previous grill session. Serve them, and your next cookout will win you access to the tailgating hall of fame.

Got your own favorite twists on game day sides? I’d love to see them! Share your creations and tag us on social—we’re always looking for new ideas to try (and cheer for).

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