10 tailgate foods (and recipes) 49ers fans should try and will love

Planning on going to a 49ers game at Levi’s Stadium this season? You’ll want to know what tailgate foods to bring and make for your pregame party!

Going to an NFL game isn’t just about finding a seat and then cheering on your favorite team. It’s much more than that. The whole experience is something every fan needs to have at least once, preferably dozens of times.

And, of course, an epic tailgate party is vital to creating the ultimate fan experience.

San Francisco 49ers fans know this well. Sure, the days of dusty tailgate parties out on the perimeter of Candlestick Park’s parking lots may be long gone, but there are plenty of ways to make the Levi’s Stadium experience great.

Personal note, aside from writing about the Niners in a typical media sense, I’ve also delved a lot into cooking, barbecuing and smoking foods over the last 10-plus years. By no means do I consider myself a master chef, so take these recipes with a grain of salt (Kosher salt, of course).

However, if you’re looking for some fun and tasty ideas to make your tailgate party an epic one, read on and enjoy.

Just prepare your grocery list, heating surfaces and cooking utensils before you go.

49ers tailgate food you’ll love: Garlic fries

I’m not sure if it’s iconic to the Bay Area, but Gilroy and its famous garlic festival are just a few miles down the road from Levi’s Stadium, so why not?

Garlic fries are the perfect tailgating snack before San Francisco hosts a rival team, and they’re actually very easy to make. And your own pregame party will be the talk of the parking log when fellow fans walk by and smell garlic emanating from your spot.

With a few simple ingredients, you’ll have a delicious batch of garlic fries everyone will want (even though their breath will stink at game time).

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 lb. bag of frozen french fries
• 1/2 cup corn oil or vegetable oil
• 6-8 cloves of garlic minced (or you can buy pre-minced garlic, 4 oz is usually enough)
• 2 teaspoons Kosher or fine-grain salt
• finely chopped parsley

Here’s what you’ll do:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over direct heat on your grill (or bring your griddle)
• Add still-frozen fries to the pan, spread them out a bit so they’re not bunched up in layers
• Cook for about 10 minutes, rotating and stirring the fries regularly (a couple of minutes longer for crispier fries)
• About a minute before you remove the fries, add your minced garlic to the frying pan to where it sizzles a little bit
• Remove fries and place on a paper towel to dry off excess oil, but don’t forget to scrape off those garlic chunks onto the fries shortly thereafter
• Sprinkle with salt and parsley

49ers tailgate food you’ll love: Sriracha chicken wings

I love making food that reflects the team San Francisco is playing, or at least the region where that team is from. And while the 49ers don’t exactly square off against the Buffalo Bills very often, buffalo wings are about as vital a tailgate food there is.

Yes, naked wings (breaded or unbreaded) are fine by themselves with some dipping sauce. Dry rubs are great, too, and there’s nothing wrong with adding your favorite hot sauce to those wings either.

But, have you tried Sriracha on your wings? Do it.

Granted, this adds a good deal of heat. Yet you can control how much spicy versus sweet you’ll want by the amount of Sriracha you add or what kind of barbecue sauce you use, and you can give it some sweet flavor to offset with some honey or brown sugar.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 4 lb. bag of frozen chicken wings
• 4 cups barbecue sauce (pick your favorite, but each kind can change the flavor)
• 1 cup Sriracha (or more if you’re feeling bold)
• 1/2 cup honey (optional)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Here’s what you’ll do:

• Before the game, mix the barbecue sauce, Sriracha and honey/brown sugar (if you want it) in a large mixing bowl
• Add the wings, ensuring each is well coated in the mixture
• Once coated, try marinating the wings in a resealable bag or container with the remaining mixture for at least one hour before tossing them on the grill
• When you’re at Levi’s Stadium, oil the grates on your grill before placing the wings directly over medium heat (about 350 degrees) for about 10 minutes, rotating periodically so they don’t burn
• After 10 minutes, move the wings away from direct heat for about 10-15 more minutes so they can continue cooking but won’t burn on the outside

49ers tailgate food you’ll love: Bacon-wrapped, cheese-stuffed jalapeños

So far, two of the three food items listed for Niners home games have some spice to them. If you couldn’t tell, I like to turn up the heat.

Normally, I’d go a little spicier than just jalapeños, but this is a family website and we can’t cross too many lines here. Plus, with the natural flavor of chargrilled jalapeños, you don’t have to turn up the heat much more than that to have a delicious appetizer for anyone who doesn’t mind a little burn.

Plus, San Francisco fans can easily offset that heat by adding a simple ingredient to cool it: cheese.

There are two ways to do jalapeños on the grill (I’m sure there are dozens more): halving the peppers the long way, or you can simply cut the stem and head off to create a cone-like shape.

Either way, you’ll want to remove the core and seeds to leave just the outer shell.

If you do the latter method, you’ll need some sort of stand or rack so the peppers won’t tip over and all your cheese oozes out. Fortunately, most stores sell pepper racks in a barbecue department, or you can use a cheap foil pan to jerry-rig it with holes you poke yourself.

Note: Jalapeños have oils that can irritate 49ers fans with sensitive skin, so be sure to wash your hands after handling them

Here’s what you’ll need:

• A dozen large jalapeño peppers
• A dozen strips of thick-cut bacon (for halved jalapeños), or half a dozen for decapitated jalapeños (standing up in a stand)
• 8 oz cream cheese
• Small bag of shredded cheddar cheese
• 12 toothpicks (soaked in water)

Here’s what you’ll do:

• Partially cook the bacon so that it’s still a little wobbly but neither raw nor crispy
• If you halve the jalapeños, place them empty and skin-side down over direct medium heat for about five minutes, charring them slightly
  • Carefully remove them and fill the inside with cream cheese
  • Wrap one piece of bacon around each jalapeño half and secure with a wet toothpick poked through
  • Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top and place back on the grill over indirect heat for five more minutes
• If you cut the heads off the jalapeños, first place them over direct medium heat for about five minutes, rotating them periodically to a slight char
  • Carefully remove and insert into your jalapeño rack (or jerry-rigged foil), stuff with cream cheese
  • Wrap half a piece of bacon up one side, over the top and down the other, poking through with a wet toothpick
  • Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top and place back on the grill over direct heat for 10 more minutes (jalapeños grilling in a rack typically take longer than those directly on the grill)

  

  49ers tailgate food you’ll love: Jambalaya

  San Francisco seemingly has a yearly tradition of playing the New Orleans Saints for some reason, so why not mix in some great Cajun cooking when the Saints come to town at Levi’s Stadium?

  Jambalaya can sound like an intimidating recipe, and there are probably hundreds of different ways families make this great rice-based dish.

  For me, though, I like to keep it awfully simple.

  Go out and buy a box of the premade jambalaya kit. I prefer Zatarain’s, and the 8 oz box is usually enough for three people if you’re hungry. The family size is a bit larger, or you can get two 8 oz boxes to feed your bigger tailgate group with ease. The great part? The kit already comes with rice and spices, but I like to add a bit more paprika to spice it up a little more.

  You might want to do some pregame prep work with the “holy trinity,” and we’ll get to that in a second. But if you are enticed by this Louisiana classic at a 49ers tailgate, read on.

  Here’s what you’ll need:

  • One 8 oz box of jambalaya mix kit (I like Zatarain’s)
  • The holy trinity: One white onion, one green bell pepper, a few stalks of celery (enough to make 1/2 cup each)
  • 1/2 lb of protein like smoked sausage, kielbasa, ham or cooked chicken
  • 1/2 lb of pre-cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp (small or medium-sized)
  • 3 tablespoons of butter or olive oil (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon of paprika (optional)
  • Green onion (optional)
  • Tabasco sauce for taste

  Here’s what you’ll do:

  • Chop the onion, bell pepper and celery into equal portions, then slice your protein into bite-sized portions
  • Pull the tails off the shrimp
  • In a large pot, add 1 tablespoon of butter/olive oil and place over medium-high heat, add the holy trinity and cook down for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
  • Add 2.5 cups of water (you brought water to hydrate, right?), the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter/olive oil and then add the jambalaya mix and paprika (if you like a little more flavor), stir well and bring to a boil
  • Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low so it can simmer for about 25 minutes or until the rice is tender, stirring every five minutes or so
  • About 10 minutes into the simmer period (or 15 minutes remaining), add your protein and shrimp, stirring well
  • Remove from heat, let stand for five minutes, fluff with a fork, garnish with green onion and add some Tabasco for a little extra kick

  

  49ers tailgate food you’ll love: Tri-tip

  Barbecuing is an essential part of any successful Niners tailgate party, and queueing up some juicy tri-tip is an absolute staple when it comes to firing up the grill.

  The great thing about tri-tip is it’s a fairly easy meat to cook, and even first-time grill masters can satiate rabid San Francisco fans with tri-tip. Considering the shape and size of the cut, there’s always something for everybody. Those who like rarer cuts can take a slice from the middle, while those who like meats more on the well-done side can have the ends.

  I prefer naked and untrimmed tri-tip myself, as I like to do the trimming on my own, and I also prefer to inject the tri-tip with some apple cider vinegar (go buy an injector to do this) before applying my favorite dry rubs. Of course, you can go with the classic salt-and-pepper rub with Kosher salt and coarse black pepper, too.

  Plenty of stores sell pre-seasoned tri-tip if you’re feeling lazy or want a shortcut before the 49ers game.

  Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 2.5-lb tri-tip (or five of them for your hungry Niners friends), trimmed
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (optional)
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • Your favorite dry rub or marinade
  • Salt and pepper to taste

  Here’s what you’ll do:

  • The night before gameday, inject the tri-tip in various spots with apple cider vinegar, coat with a thin layer of olive oil, and then apply dry rub or marinade. Let rest in the refrigerator overnight
  • Place unwrapped tri-tip on oiled grates directly over medium-high heat for about five minutes per side, as this will sear the outside and lock in both flavor and juices
  • Move the tri-tip over indirect heat after searing and cook for 30 minutes to an hour (depending on how well-done you want it), flipping it occasionally but not too often
  • Close the grill lid when you’re not flipping the meat
  • Once the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F, remove the tri-tip and let rest for five to 10 minutes before slicing (this is important)

  

  49ers tailgate food you’ll love: Italian sausage sandwich

  An old classic but with a simple flair to change things up a bit.

  Walk around the parking lot at Levi’s Stadium, and it won’t take you too long before you smell some Italian sausages on the grill. Just think, you know that smell right now. You can think of it this second.

  Delicious.

  OK, so grilling some Italian sausages isn’t hard. If you can’t do those over a grill, you should probably hand over the tongs to a friend who can.

  Read More: How much will a beer cost at Levi’s Stadium?

  It’s also not hard to slap that hot sausage in a French roll and toss on some sliced bell pepper and onion, right? That’s how you’ve done your Italian sausage sandwiches for years, right?

  Let’s shake it up a bit.

  Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 6 links of Italian sausage (mild or hot… your choice)
  • 6 French rolls
  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced or chopped (I like about one inch in length)
  • 1 lb. button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 cup white wine (use the cheap stuff)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • salt and pepper to taste

  Here’s what you’ll do:

  • Add olive oil to a preheated skillet or griddle over medium heat, add onion, mushrooms, and salt and pepper to taste, then cook down for about five minutes
  • After five minutes, add white wine and minced garlic, stir well and then periodically until onions are caramelized and mushrooms are soft
  • While onions and mushrooms are cooking, place sausages elsewhere on the griddle or on your grill over medium-high heat, rotating periodically to char the outside but not burn it
    • You can also slice your sausages in half the long way to speed up cooking, but you lose a lot of juices that way
  • Place your French rolls on the grill or griddle for about one minute, open side down
  • Grab a roll, put a sausage in it and top with mushrooms and onions

  

  49ers tailgate food you’ll love: Beer bratwurst

  There might be a bit of an NFC North battle for which region makes the best bratwurst. Is it Chicago, or would you find them in Wisconsin somewhere?

  Ask the Bears and Packers fans, and you can guarantee you’ll get not-so-surprising answers from each.

  OK, so the Bay Area might not be known for its brats, but that doesn’t mean Niners fans should steer clear of this tailgating, synonymous-with-football classic. And while you can buy beer brats at the store, impress your friends at your parking lot party by prepping the brats in beer yourself.

  Unless you’d prefer to drink that beer instead, and we don’t judge here.

  Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 6 bratwursts
  • 3 12 oz bottles of ale beer (lagers are too light)
  • 1 white or yellow onion, sliced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 French rolls (optional)

  Here’s what you’ll do:

  • Boil the beer in a medium-sized pot
  • Toss in the bratwurst, sliced onion, and then add salt and pepper to taste, simmering for about 15 minutes
    • It’s OK to cover and set the pot aside for an hour, or you can toss the brats on the grill right away if you’re hungry
  • Place the sausages on an oiled grill over medium heat, cooking for about 8-10 minutes while rotating periodically to prevent burning or excess char
  • Drain the onions from the pot, top them directly on served brats in a French roll or on a plate by themselves

  

  49ers tailgate food you’ll love: Barbecue bacon chicken

  Like Italian sausages, barbecued chicken is a tailgating classic. And you’ll find no shortage of recipes out there for barbecuing chicken, many of them involving barbecue sauce and bacon.

  Yes, bacon.

  This might take a small bit of prep work, but it’s worth it. Grab a couple of slices of thick-cut bacon and cut them into small strips about an inch long and half an inch wide, then put them in a resealable bag inside a cooler to bring with you to a Niners game. You could buy premade bacon bits, but those tend to be too dry and crunchy.

  You might also want to brine some chicken breasts, too.

  As far as tasty chicken is concerned, this one is a snap… especially if San Francisco is playing one of those “bird” teams, and you want to make a meal out of it.

  Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (boneless thighs are OK)
  • 2 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into inch-long pieces
  • 6 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
  • salt and pepper to taste

  Here’s what you’ll do:

  • Place bacon strips in a cold frying pan, then place over medium heat, cooking for about five minutes until mostly crispy
    • Drain bacon on a paper towel
  • Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, brush liberally with barbecue sauce
  • Place on an oiled griddle or in a skillet on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through (make sure chicken reaches 165 degrees before serving)
  • When you first flip the chicken (about five minutes), apply another layer of barbecue sauce, then a layer of cheese with bacon strips sprinkled on top
  • Remove and serve

  

  49ers tailgate food you’ll love: Cowboy steaks

  Going back to some rival-themed food here. And if you’re a true 49ers fan, you understand just how big the rivalry between the Niners and Dallas Cowboys is.

  If you forgot, let us help you.

  Texas has some awesome food, and if you’re patient and good enough to smoke a brisket and bring the finished product with you to Levi’s Stadium, a Stetson hat off to you!

  For those of us with less time, just stick with another classic: the cowboy steak.

  These on-the-bone cuts of meat are amazing and pack plenty of flavors, while the bone itself works as the perfect handle for you to chow down without utensils. Besides, what beats walking around the Levi’s Stadium parking lot with a steak in your hand without having to use a knife and a fork?

  Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 4 bone-in ribeye steaks
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 3 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1.5 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

  Here’s what you’ll do:

  • Mix everything but the olive oil (and the steaks) into a dry rub
  • Brush steaks with olive oil, then apply the dry rub all over on both sides
  • Rest the steaks in a cold cooler for an hour (this is important)
  • Cover exposed bone with aluminum foil
  • Toss the steaks on an oiled grill over medium-high heat with the lid shut for eight to 10 minutes per side (slightly less for rare and a bit more for well done)

  

  49ers tailgate food you’ll love: Smoked baby back ribs

  OK, 49ers fans. If you truly want to impress your tailgate friends and show off your culinary skills, roll with this recipe. It’ll take some pregame work, and you might have to get up pretty early on Sunday for some prep time and to do most of the cooking at home. But it’ll be worth it.

  Keep in mind that this recipe for delicious, falling-off-the-bone baby back ribs requires cooking in the oven at home for three hours, so plan accordingly.

  Once you’ve finished the ribs in the oven, though, you can take the foil-wrapped ribs and place them in a spare cooler to keep them warm for your trip to Levi’s Stadium.

  Then, it’s about bringing the smoke!

  Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 2 slabs of baby back ribs, unseasoned and unmarinated
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • A 12 oz bottle of lager-style beer
  • 3 cups of barbecue sauce
  • Salt and pepper
  • Charcoal and chunks of wood for smoking

  Here’s what you’ll do:

  • At home, bright and early before the game, spread onion slices evenly on a ribbed baking sheet lined with foil
  • Strip the membrane off the bone side of the ribs (here’s an easy way how) and lay ribs bone side down on top of the onions
  • Pour beer all over the ribs
  • Season with salt and pepper, cover ribs and baking sheet with foil, then bake for three hours at 350 degrees
  • Carefully remove ribs from oven (they’re cooked already and will fall apart easily) and wrap tightly in foil, discard the onions and then place ribs in a cooler you’re not using for beer or anything else cold
  • Drive over to Levi’s Stadium (don’t forget the cooler with the ribs)
  • Set up your charcoal grill with charcoal mixed in with a few dry chunks of wood for smoking (I prefer applewood for smoking ribs)
    • If using a gas grill, you can purchase aluminum boxes that hold wet wood chips for smoking, placing them below the grill and above the flame (the less-fun method)
  • While the coals heat up and before the wood begins to smoke, brush both sides of ribs with barbecue sauce
  • Place ribs meat side down on an oiled grill over medium heat, close the lid and wait 20 minutes, only opening periodically to baste with more barbecue sauce
  • Flip the ribs to bone side down, baste the meat side with more barbecue sauce but keep the lid closed when not basting, doing this for another 20 minutes
  • Remove ribs from grill and let rest 10 minutes before cutting and serving