At home or away, these baseball tailgate snacks are a winning team

Outdoor celebrations, festivals and parties are a part of our Louisiana culture. So it’s no surprise that LSU fans throw some of the best tailgates around. But this time-honored tradition isn’t just a part of our fall in football season. Ask anyone who has traveled to Omaha—LSU fans are notoriously known for throwing the best springtime baseball tailgates as well.

Fall football tailgates tend to focus on heartier dishes like jambalaya, grilled sausages, burgers and boudin, while LSU baseball tailgaters lean toward more portable pickup foods that pay homage to the traditional stadium fare but with a bit of an elevated twist.

My husband has perfected the ultimate dish for any Tiger tailgate: smoked chicken wings. His recipe for these smokey, tender, succulent wings is simple to make, can be prepared ahead, and is easily transported.

To prepare his wings, David first seasons them with dry jerk seasoning. He then uses pecan or apple wood on his smoker to keep the flavor well balanced but a little less intense than the smoke flavor you get when using mesquite, hickory or oak wood. Once smoked, the wings are delicious enough to eat by themselves, but David likes to serve them with an array of sauces from a traditional spicy Buffalo sauce to tangy sweet barbecue sauces. These smoked chicken wings can be served as an appetizer or main dish at any time of the year. They need no utensils, making them easy to eat and a great addition to a springtime tailgate menu.

To keep with the festive baseball tailgate theme, I added an encore recipe that I wrote back in October 2015 for spicy caramel corn. My recipe is an elevated version of a snack that has been served at baseball games since 1908 when the song “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” became popular: Cracker Jack. This sweet, salty, slightly spicy and crunchy treat is as synonymous with baseball as the song itself, and my recipe has a little extra kick from added spices, dry roasted peanuts and pumpkin seeds. Spicy caramel corn is my updated version of this classic baseball park snack and will be a home run at your next springtime baseball tailgate.

Dave’s MVP smoked chicken wings

Yield: 6 servings

36 chicken wings or flats and drumettes

1⁄3 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

¼ cup dry jerk seasoning

Rinse wings and drumettes; pat dry.  If using just wings, use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to trim tips of wings to prevent burning. Place wings in a single layer on 2 baking sheets; drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and dry jerk seasoning; set aside for 20 minutes.

Use light-flavored wood such as apple, cherry or pecan, and set your smoker to 225 degrees. Place wings in a single layer on racks in smoker. Smoke for 60 to 75 minutes or until internal temperature of wings reaches 160 degrees.

Turn up heat of smoker to 375 degrees or place wings on grill, and continue cooking until internal temperature of wings reaches 170 to 175 degrees. Remove and serve with your favorite sauces.

Spicy caramel corn

Yield: 6 servings

10 cups popped popcorn

1 cup dry roasted peanuts

½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds

1 stick butter

2 cups light brown sugar

¼ cup cane syrup

¼ cup light corn syrup

½ tsp. Creole seasoning

¼ tsp. chili powder

¼ tsp. cumin

1 tsp. baking soda

1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Pour popped popcorn, peanuts and pumpkin seeds into a large mixing bowl; set aside.

In a medium-size heavy saucepot, heat butter over medium heat until melted, then add next 6 ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning, and cook for 5 minutes. Once mixture has boiled for 5 minutes, remove from heat and carefully add baking soda and vanilla. As mixture bubbles up, vigorously stir until well-combined.

Carefully pour sugar mixture over popcorn and nuts; toss until evenly coated.  Evenly divide popcorn mixture between lined baking sheets, and place them in preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 to 12 minutes. Spicy caramel corn is ready when it is a deep caramel color.

Remove from oven and use a metal spoon or spatula to continue stirring until popcorn mixture cools completely and caramel has become hardened and crunchy. Once it is completely cool, store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.