Happy Football Friday we are now 22 days away from the kickoff of the 2021 college football season. It’s the perfect time to start collecting some tried and true tailgate recipes. It is week FIVE of the Football Friday Tailgate Recipe. Did you save week’s Alabama Crackers recipe? This week’s recipe was sent to me by John Lombardi via Twitter. Yes, he is related to THAT Lombardi.
Lombardi Brewing Co.
John Lombardi is the grandson of legendary football coach Vince Lombardi. His maternal grandfather was a beer distributor. John has followed in both of his grandfather’s footsteps. He was a football graduate assistant at Vanderbilt and now he is brewing beer. John started the Lombardi Brewing Co. in 2017. Before the pandemic hit he was in the process of finding a new brewing partner. So, needless to say, he has been on hiatus for a little over a year. But, never fear Lombardi Brewing should have their Lombardi Lager and Golden Ale in the hands of beer fans again THIS MONTH. In fact, they have a new brewing partner and they are going to self-distribute as they have some bigger plans in the works. Lombardi is currently looking for the perfect spot to open a taproom in Green Bay. The taproom would ultimately feature their best-selling beers as well as any seasonal flavors John and his partners can dream up.
Football Friday Tailgate Recipe: Wisconsin Beer and Brats Lombardi Style
The Recipe:
Method: indirect grilling
Serves 4 to 8
Here is what you will need:
- 8 bratwursts
- 2 cans of beer
- 1 stick of butter
- 1 onion, cut into thick slices – skewered and grilled
- buns
- condiments
Directions:
1. Set up your grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium.
2. Arrange the bratwursts on the non-heated side. Cook the sausages until cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes. Grill the onions at this time.
3. Once the onions are blackened a bit, combine the beer, butter, and grilled onion slices in a large grill-proof pan large enough to accommodate all the brats (I like to use a disposable aluminum pan). Place over the heat. When the brats are cooked through (and the butter has melted), transfer them to the beer bath on the grill.
4. Keep the brats simmering in the beer bath as long as you like, The longer the brats simmer, the better they get. Try and keep them submerged. Add beer if needed. Do not be afraid to add different beers to enhance the flavor of the brats.
Try different types and brands of beer to vary the flavor.
Variation from John:
I have also cooked the brats and onions before leaving for the game and dumped the brats, onions, butter, and beer into a turkey fryer and let them simmer on low all day long. Hopefully, there might be a few left for post-game. Pro-Tip if you happen to have any left the morning after a game chop up brats and onions and toss them in some eggs for the perfect breakfast.
[pickup_prop id=”9354″]
On The Menu
For week six we are doing some tailgate cocktails. You can never have too many adult beverages at a tailgate.
Post Script: Also, if you know of the perfect spot for the new Lombardi Brewing Taproom please reach out to John on the Lombardi Brewing Company website.
