Since 1948, the Arkansas Razorbacks have played football games at War Memorial Stadium. It’s a tradition that continues this weekend, when the Hogs host the University of Toledo in Little Rock at 3 p.m. Saturday. Tens of thousands of people will descend on Markham Street and Fair Park Boulevard for the game and the tailgating, which is the bigger draw for some. Every year, the scene is full of exuberance and controlled chaos, with tents, grills and folding chairs layering the War Memorial golf course from sunrise to sunset.
GUIDE TO TAILGATING
We sat down with Jerry Cohen, manager of War Memorial Stadium, for some advice on throwing the best tailgating party. Step one: Wake up before the sun. “Tailgaters usually start lining up at 4 or 5 in the morning to get on the golf course,” Cohen says. “We open the golf course for general parking at 7 [a.m.]; reserve tailgating opens at 6 [a.m.], but we encourage people to get there early because once the golf course is full, it’s full. We don’t have anywhere else to put you.”
Once a location is secure, most people will start cooking the day’s tailgate grub. A walk around the area will reveal setups ranging from a tiny portable grill to mammoth smokers attached to trucks via trailer hitch. The trailers will not be permitted on the golf course; those are restricted to the corporate tailgating areas and must be permitted ahead of time. All tailgating equipment must be transported in a vehicle or the back of a truck.
When it comes to grilling, Cohen says tailgaters should not dump their coals out on the golf course. The stadium is providing concrete containers at several locations around the tailgating site for people to throw away coals and ashes. Of course, most people come to the tailgate to cook and eat. Make sure you catch the recipes we’ve received from some local restaurants that you can use at your party.
BEING RESPONSIBLE
The No. 1 cause of problems at tailgating parties is excessive drinking. “Drink responsibly; that’s really all I can say,” Cohen says. “The only problems we ever have tend to be alcohol-related, and it’s just because of overindulgence. If people drink responsibly, everyone will have a good time. Be nice to your neighbors; don’t infringe on their tailgate areas. Those are the things that will make sure everyone has a good time.”
Being responsible is more than just drinking in moderation. Cohen says his teams will work late Saturday night into Sunday morning to get the golf course ready for play by noon the next day. To do that, everyone has to pitch in.
“Bag your trash; set it out there. Bag it; we’ll come by and pick it up,” Cohen says. “We are borrowing that golf course for the day. We want to keep it in the best shape we can. Try to stay off the tee boxes. Try to stay off the greens. Any low areas that we don’t park because they’re damp or wet, try to stay out of those areas. Let’s be good neighbors to Little Rock Parks and Recreation and the golf course.
Of course, it’s not an easy task with so many people in attendance. Still, Cohen says he is hopeful that fans will take care of themselves and their surroundings.
“We know we’ll have 10- to 12,000 people that don’t ever come in that stay on the golf course during the ballgame and enjoy themselves,” Cohen says. “We ask that those people respect the golf course, respect the rules and drink responsibly.”
To help with the masses, Little Rock police officers will be out directing traffic and offering other guidance and support. Also, paramedics with Metropolitan EMS of Little Rock will be stationed around the tailgating area to give emergency medical treatment if it is needed.
CONCERT ADDS TO CRAZINESS
This year, you can expect even more congestion around the tailgating area. Country music megastar Brad Paisley will be playing directly outside the stadium just 30 minutes after the game ends, meaning an easy exit might not be possible. “We have all types of events, but by far, this is the biggest event that we have,” Cohen says. “Just the sheer numbers, and of course, adding the Brad Paisley concert after that, it’ll only add to the number of people in the park.”
To help cope with the added traffic, police will shut down Fair Park Boulevard as an exit after the game (it will still be open as an entrance). That means that people will have to use one of the alternate exits to leave War Memorial. “We’ll be directing them up to Markham and Taylor [streets], out the back side of the golf course on University [Avenue], and then off of St. Vincent [Circle],” Cohen says.
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If you are looking for a few dishes to spice up your tailgating spread, have no fear. We solicited some ideas from some metro restaurants to help give your party a boost.
Grilled Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dressing
Servings: 12-16
Chef’s note: Using a combination of wood and hardwood charcoal is best. Pat wings dry before putting them on the grill.
5 pounds chicken wings
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons Aleppo chili
2 teaspoons toasted, ground coriander
Combine the spice blend; toss in wings. Allow to set overnight.
Get your coals cured and settled in so that the fire isn’t too high. Make sure the grill is cleaned and oiled. Add chicken wings, and grill. If wings get too dark too fast, move them to the cooler parts of the grill. Cook for around 15 minutes to caramelize. Get grill marks, and crisp the skin.
Pull the wings, and let cool just enough so they don’t burn you. Dip liberally in blue cheese dressing (recipe below).
Blue Cheese Dressing
8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1 whole lemon, or to taste
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Mix all ingredients, and adjust seasoning as needed.
— Recipe from Arkansas Fresh Cafe
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Smoked Catfish Tamales
Servings: 12-16
Chef’s note: This is a quick and easy recipe that can be prepared a day ahead of time, heated up once you’ve set up your tailgating gear and kept warm in a Crock-Pot or just over a grill.
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1 tablespoon honey
5 pounds catfish fillets
½ tablespoon coarse salt
½ tablespoon dark chili powder
6 cups Maseca Tamal (buy at a Mexican grocer)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 ¼ cups lard or shortening
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
5 ½ cups broth, pork or vegetable
1 ½ cups canned green chilies
25-30 cornhusks, soaked overnight
Whisk to combine adobo sauce and honey. Add catfish; toss until well coated. Separately, combine salt and chili powder. Use salt mixture to season the catfish. Lay fillets on flat dish, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Heat smoker to 300 degrees. Smoke catfish for no more than 30 minutes. Remove from smoker, and shred. Refrigerate for up to 1 day.
In a large mixer, combine Maseca Tamal and baking powder. Add lard and cilantro. Mix until well incorporated. Slowly mix in broth, mixing constantly, until dough forms. Set dough aside to rest for 10 minutes.
Lay a soaked cornhusk flat on your counter. Spoon in 3-4 ounces of the dough and, using your fingers, press the dough into a small circle, leaving a 1/2 inch to the husk on each side. Spoon a small amount of the catfish onto the dough. Use the husk to gently form the dough around the fish, like a hot dog in a bun. Roll the husk around the filling, tucking the skinny end under the tamale. Set in a pan, and repeat until you use all the dough and filling.
Set tamales in a large steamer basket, or pan, and place over a boiling water bath, being careful not to get the tamales wet. Add water as needed to keep the steam going. Cook for 30-45 minutes until tamale pulls away easily from the husk. Tamales can be steamed at the tailgate or in advance and transported in an insulated cooler.
— Recipe by Forty Two
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Grilled Tri-Tip
Servings: 8
Chef’s note: This is a great recipe for tailgating because, after you sear it, you can leave it alone until it’s done.
2-pound cut of tri-tip beef
¼ cup salt
¼ cup freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon dry oregano
Combine the spice blend, and rub on tri-tip. Wrap tightly, and chill overnight.
Get your grill scorching hot on one side, and leave the other side cooler. Sear the meat heavily on all sides, then move to the cooler side. Close the lid. Let cook until it reaches your desired temperature (135-145 for medium, about 40 minutes). Slice thinly or shred to serve on sandwiches, or slice thickly to serve as steaks.
— Recipe from Hillcrest Artisan Meats