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Tailgate Appetizers – Our Favorite Game Day BBQ Recipes

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Few things go together better than game day and food. If you’re looking to elevate your spread for your next party, check out my favorite recipes for game day foods!

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By Jeremy Pike

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Sports and cooking with fire go hand-in-hand. Whether you’re tailgating at the football stadium or smoking in your backyard prepping for game day, food is as much a part of being a sports fan as the sports themselves. And that’s why I’ve got a list of my favorite game-day tailgate appetizers to help make your next get-together a blast! Don’t forget, we have football playoffs through the end of January and the Super Bowl on February 9, 2025.

So let’s start with a classic, an icon of game day food, shall we? Or at least, a barbecue twist of a classic.

Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings

As a Western New York native, born and raised two hours east of Buffalo, chicken wings are in my blood. So, of course, I’m going to lead off with our smoked take on the chicken wing. Sure, it may not be deep-fried like traditional chicken wings, but finishing them at 450°F on the pellet grill ensures you still get crispy skin.

Smoked Chicken Wings on a cutting board. No sauce

Now, you can enjoy these wings as they are. But if you like them sauced, we’ve got options beyond the traditional Frank’s Red Hot sauce and butter combo. If you want a different take on a spicy chicken wing, try our homemade hot sauce (you can go as hot as you want).

If you want to go in a completely different direction, check out our Korean Gochujang-glazed wings. This recipe has a good blend of umami savoriness, heat from the Korean chili paste, and sweetness from the honey.

But as Angry BBQ’s Western NY native, whatever direction you go with your wings, please make sure you’re serving them with blue cheese. There are plenty of good store-bought options, but it’s easy to make at home.

Smoked Pig Shots

Pig Shots Appetizer

Yes, smoked pig shots sound weird. But you and your party guests won’t care once you stuff your face with this appetizer. The combination of bacon, polish sausage, cream cheese, BBQ rub, and pepper jack cheese is just incredible. Then you throw in the char and slight smoke flavor from its time on the smoker, and you’ve got a quintessential game-day food.

If you like something with a bit of heat, add some sliced jalapenos for that extra spiciness. And I highly recommend not skimping out on the finely diced onions. You don’t get a ton of onion flavor but it adds this layer of savoriness that just elevates this appetizer.

Smashed Potatoes With Bacon

Potatoes in all forms are perfect for game day. You might think chips or french fries, but these smashed potatoes topped with cheese and bacon will be a huge hit. The double-cook process gives you crispy edges on the potatoes to go along with the crunchy bacon and Parmesan cheese.

Extreme Smashed Potatoes on a red serving tray.

But the middle of the potatoes will still offer some creaminess along with the melted cheddar cheese. It’s a simple dish but gives you good flavors and even some textural differences. Whether you’re a food snob or not, these smashed potatoes will be a hit.

Tri-Tip Sliders On Hawaiian Rolls

Tri-tip is a fantastic, beefy cut of meat that is perfect for reverse-searing. It also works well for slicing to make sliders. It doesn’t need a lot, just some barbecue sauce and caramelized onions.

Tri-Tip Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls with Sriracha Binder and Santa Maria Seasoning

But that simplicity not only allows the tri-tip’s flavor to shine through but it makes this recipe perfect for game day. You’ll definitely impress your friends with the flavor without having to do a whole lot of work. But you can also add your favorite toppings like sharp cheese, horseradish, pickles, or even Dijon mustard. It’s a wonderfully versatile slider.

Pulled Pork Egg Rolls

I love pulled pork. And making pulled pork sandwiches or sliders is great for game day. But if you want to put a unique spin on it, try these pulled pork egg rolls. It combines the flavor of a pulled pork sandwich (with a little extra kick from some pepper jack cheese) and wraps it up in a crispy egg roll wrapper.

BBQ pulled pork egg rolls

What says game day more than barbecue and fried food?

Smoked Cream Cheese

When it comes to preparing food for game day, you can go super elaborate or you can go simple. Smoked cream cheese certainly falls in the latter category. But that doesn’t mean you’re skimping on the flavor and enjoyment.

Smoked cream cheese

I love to throw a couple of blocks of cream cheese onto the smoker when I’ve already got it fired up for something else. So, if you’re smoking some chicken wings from the recipe above, season up some cream cheese and toss it on for some easy, delicious snacking!

Homemade Guacamole

No game day spread is complete without chips and dip, right? So whip up a batch of this homemade guacamole and watch those bags of tortilla chips disappear. It also is perfect for topping a tray of nachos. 

You can also up the heat level by swapping the jalapeno peppers for serrano peppers. So whether you want a cooling guacamole to balance some spicy nachos or want a guacamole that provides a kick all on its own, this recipe works!

Ground Beef Empanadas With Egg And Green Olives

Empanadas may not be the first food you think of when you think of game day food, but you should let this recipe convince you otherwise. These handheld bundles of ground beef encased in a golden-brown flaky crust are perfect for enjoying around the television or in the parking lot before heading into the game. 

Ground Beef Empanadas with Chimichurri sauce.

And if you’re an early-morning tailgater, you can even substitute ham, sausage, or bacon for the ground beef and use scrambled eggs with cheese. 

Ready to take your grilling game to the next level? Grab a digital preview of my cookbook. All you need to do is sign up for my weekly newsletter, and I will email it to you. Plus… You will get recipes and grilling tips directly into your inbox. What are your go-to tailgate or game day foods? Let me know in the comments!

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