As the stadium lights flicker on and the crisp air of game day mornings greet us, fans far and wide gear up for one of the most cherished traditions of the season: tailgating. Beyond the painted faces and roaring chants, lies the beating heart of the celebration — the food. Tailgating offers a vibrant scene where grills ablaze compete with the enthusiasm of the crowd. Meanwhile, the air is thick with the fragrance of sizzling meats and seasoned vegetables, all coming together to fuel spirits before the big event. Amongst the multitude of dining options, sliders stand out as a timeless favorite, offering a world of flavors tucked within bite-sized buns, a miniature yet mighty representation of culinary excitement, waiting to be explored.
But not all fans march to the stadium; many opt for the comforts of home, where homegating paints a distinct yet equally picturesque canvas. It is one of coziness, familial bonding, and personalized touches that echo the tight-knit bonds forged through shared victories and losses. Homegating allows for a more intimate, relaxed setting where gourmet slider recipes steal the spotlight, tantalizing palates with a unique blend of traditional and innovative options.
As we delve deeper, we’ll explore the nuanced differences between tailgating and homegating, highlighting a variety of slider recipes to suit both energetic and cozy game day atmospheres. We hope you’ll find that every recipe is a touchdown, bringing joy to both homegaters and tailgaters alike, united by a universal love for the game and the delicious sliders that accompany it.
Watch this teaser video highlighting some of our new slider recipes!
Martin’s Sweet Dinner & Sweet Party Potato Rolls
Before we get to the recipes, let’s give a quick shout out to the real MVP: Martin’s NEW Sweet Rolls! Our Sweet Dinner Potato Rolls and Sweet Party Potato Rolls add the perfect touch of sweetness to all kinds of slider recipes, from crispy fried chicken sandwiches to savory smash burgers. Explore the below recipes to see these products in action!
All About Tailgating
What is Tailgating?
A tailgating party is a social gathering at which friends and fellow sports fans get together to enjoy food and cheer on their favorite team before the game begins. The meal is usually served out of the back of a parked car, in the parking lot of the stadium or arena where the game will be played.
What is the Best Type of Food to Bring to a Tailgate Party?
Due to the nature of tailgating, it is best to bring foods that do not require advanced cooking methods or elaborate preparation. Consider the below guidelines:
- Use a portable camp grill to grill burgers, hot dogs, and more.
- Use a portable hot plate, burner, or griddle and a frying pan to sauté last minute ingredients or reheat pre-cooked food.
- Bring prepared foods like chili, meatballs, or pulled meats in a slow cooker and plug into your vehicle’s power outlet to keep warm. (P.S., Find more slow cooker tailgating recipes here!)
- Bring disposable aluminum trays to prepare foods such as sheet pan sliders. Cover with foil and use a grill to finish cooking until all ingredients are heated through.
- Store cold food, such as salads, condiments, fruit, and beverages in a cooler with ice to keep cool. You can also use a separate cooler to keep hot foods hot after they have been cooked.
What Should I Bring to a Tailgate?
In addition to the cooking items mentioned above—camp grill, hot plate, slow cooker, aluminum trays, and cooler(s)—be sure to bring disposable plates and cups, napkins, plasticware, a tablecloth, folding table/chairs, and of course any prepared food items, recipe ingredients, condiments, or drinks you are planning to serve.
Find more tailgating tips and tricks here.
Featured Tailgating Recipe: Smashburger Slider with Grilled Onions
Keep things simple on game day by serving up juicy beef patties paired with melted cheddar, bacon, and caramelized onions, served on Martin’s Sweet Dinner Potato Rolls. Their compact size and robust flavor, along with their customizable topping options, make them a tailgating favorite! Burger fans will enjoy a satisfying bite while cheering on their favorite sports team!
To prepare this as a tailgating recipe:
- Caramelize the onions ahead of time and store them in a sealed container,
- Use a portable griddle or a cast iron pan and a grill to cook the smash burgers.
- Cook 2-4 patties at a time, or as space allows, then serve sliders individually on a first-come-first-served basis. Alternatively, you can assemble the sliders in bulk and keep them covered in aluminum foil until ready to serve.
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/smashburger-sliders.
More Tailgating Recipes:
Team up with friends to prepare a variety of game-winning slider recipes. Select several enticing options from the list below:
1. Mac and Cheese Bacon Burger Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/mac-and-cheese-bacon-burger-sliders
2. Easy Pull-Apart Pulled Pork Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/bbq-pulled-pork-sliders
3. Chicken Enchilada Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/chicken-enchilada-sliders
4. Chili Joe Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/chili-joes
5. Mini Lamb Burgers with Dill Greek Yogurt
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/greek-lamb-burger-sliders
6. Shredded Buffalo Chicken Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/buffalo-chicken-sliders
7. Hot Dog Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/hot-dog-sliders
8. Barbacoa Beef Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/barbacoa-beef-sliders
9. Slow Cooker Sweet Bacon Smokies
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/slow-cooker-sweet-bacon-smokies
10. Italian Grinder Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/chopped-italian-grinder-sliders
11. Mini BLT Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/blt-sliders
12. Cuban Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/cuban-sliders
13. Lobster Roll Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/lobster-roll-sliders
14. Crock Pot Mississippi Chicken Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/crock-pot-mississippi-chicken-sliders
All About Homegating
What is Homegating?
Homegating is a social event similar to tailgating, and takes place leading up to a televised sporting event. However, unlike tailgating, which occurs in the stadium parking lot, homegating involves serving food from the comfort of one’s own home.
What is the Best Type of Food for Homegating?
Homegating offers much more flexibility than tailgating when it comes to the serving options. Rather than being restricted to using a few small, portable devices, you have the freedom to use any of your preferred cooking methods, including a full-sized grill, oven, microwave, or your favorite stovetop appliances.
This means you are not limited to slow cookers and hot-and-fast grilled food items. The convenience of a full kitchen along with an oven to prepare dishes such as sheet-pan sliders gives you endless possibilities.
Find more homegating recipes here.
What Do I Need to Host a Homegating Party?
Apart from your recipe ingredients and choice of appliances, you will want to make sure you have a TV or video projector capable of streaming the game, along with adequate seating, plates, cups, silverware, and game day decorations, if desired.
Find more game day party planning tips here.
Featured Homegating Recipe: French Dip Sliders
These savory sandwiches are made with tender beef chuck roast, braised to perfection, then layered with provolone cheese and served on Martin’s Sweet Party Potato Rolls with a side of flavorful au jus. Their bite-sized convenience and rich flavor make them an ideal choice for homegating. This crowd-pleasing treat is perfect for sports enthusiasts watching the game from the comfort of their homes.
While these sliders do utilize a slow cooker to braise the beef, the recipe involves a quite a few steps and a number of ingredients, which makes it more tailored toward a homegating party. As an added bonus, this means you can assemble up to 24 sliders simultaneously and use an oven to get them melty and toasted just before serving.
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/slow-cooker-french-dip-sliders.
More Homegating Recipes:
Elevate your watch party menu with a selection of 3-4 sliders from the list below. Choose from a variety of flavors, techniques, and cooking methods.
1. Fried Chicken Sliders with Jalapeno Aioli
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/crispy-chicken-sliders-with-spicy-mayo
2. Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/philly-cheesesteak-sliders
3. Nashville Hot Honey Chicken
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/nashville-hot-honey-chicken-sliders
4. Club Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/baked-club-sliders
5. Cheesy Jalapeno Ham Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/cheesy-jalapeno-ham-sliders
6. Fried Green Tomato Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/fried-green-tomato-sliders
7. BBQ Rib Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/bbq-rib-sliders
8. Pepperoni Pizza Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/pepperoni-pizza-sliders
9. Turkey Reuben Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/turkey-reuben-sliders.
10. Shrimp Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/shrimp-sliders-with-spicy-garlic-mayo
11. Roast Beef Pull Apart Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/cheesy-roast-beef-sliders
12. Shredded Chicken Parmesan Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/easy-shredded-chicken-parmesan-sliders
13. Goetta/Beef Breakfast Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/goetta-beef-breakfast-sliders
14. Cheesy Sausage & Hash Brown Breakfast Sliders
Try the recipe: https://potatorolls.com/recipes/cheesy-sausage-hash-brown-breakfast-sliders
Introducing: Slider September
In case you haven’t noticed, we’re all in on sliders this month! With these 30 tailgating slider recipes, there’s one for every day of September. Follow along on Martin’s Instagram page to receive notifications about our featured recipe each day.
You can also head over to https://potatorolls.com/slider-recipes to find all the recipes featured in this blog as well as some additional tailgating resources.
P.S. From now until September 20th, you can enter for the chance to win a Martin’s Mystery Swag Box! Find details and sweepstakes rules at the link above.
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