Three Key Tailgate Match-ups

Week three of the college football season is upon us and many are focused on the key match-ups. Some say those are Florida State vs. Louisville, Alabama vs. Ole Miss, and Ohio State vs. Oklahoma. While all of those are very important we have found three more key tailgate match-ups for all of you tailgaters out there to focus on.

1. Ribs vs. Brisket: This has been a rivalry for the ages. When deciding which way to go you have to balance the speed of cooking ribs with the dominant power of the brisket. You can get ribs smoked in about 6 hours using the 3, 2,1  method – which is 3 hours on smoke, 2 hours covered in foil, and 1 hour uncovered with sauce to glaze. Brisket takes a bit longer on the gridiron to get rolling, but the results are completely worth it. The brisket power game is undeniable and great execution in the smoker leads to perfection. Our Pick is Brisket +4.
2. Beans vs. Slaw: These two  favorites have been at it for years. The smoky flavor of the beans plays very well with either pork or beef and always satisfies. Beans are a better pick in colder weather as they can stick to your ribs like a safety sticking a receiver on a slant route. Slaw will provide you with a quick burst of flavor and the sweetness contrasts well with the heavier portions of your meal while leaving room for more meat in your belly. Our pick is Slaw –2 with the over/under set at 2 helpings.
3. Sauce vs. Dry: This game features champions from two different conferences going head-to-head for all the bragging rights. Sauce adds that zest and crust on your ribs while giving you those intangibles that make ribs great. Dry on the other hand is the in your face version of ribs. It knows its game plan and just executes better than the opponent. To us this one is a push. Put some sauce on the side and enjoy the game.

Whatever your key match-up is for the week remember everyone wins at a good tailgate.