Image used with permission by copyright holderĮxecutive Chef Richard Blankenship offers us his recipe for the perfect, elevated-but-easy-to-make-in-a-parking-lot meal: Sausage & Pepper Hoagies.

Sandwiches are the perfect tailgate food, but you’re not likely to run into many others around the parking lot that are this good. They make halibut and house-smoked salmon sausage and stuff it between two slices of toasted bread, adding horseradish, a fried egg, and Swiss cheese. Oceana in New York has created a heart-healthy sausage sandwich. Meet his Hokkaido Scallop Sausage: served hotdog style on a house made bun, crisscrossed with house-smoked mustard and onions. Seafood and sausage have a long friendship (we’re looking at you, Cajun cooking), but Chef Michael Cimarusti over at West Hollywood’s Connie and Ted’s has taken the partnership in a totally new direction: the seafood is the sausage. It’s served with sesame, bean sprouts, and an apple jang sauce.

Want to get even more adventurous? Try their Bulgogi Sausage (“bulgogi” means “fire meat” in Korean, so you know you’re off to a good start here), an homage to LA’s Korean influence. Our old favorite, The Cannibal is cooking up some insanely delicious options: Chef Francis Derby offers the Chicken Parm Sausage: tomato conserva (a kind of homemade, crazy flavorful tomato paste), burrata, with fried chicken sausage. Image used with permission by copyright holder Executive Chef Richard Blankenship of CBD Provisions in Dallas, Texas gives us his recipe for Sausage & Pepper Hoagies for the perfect pre-game meal and San Francisco’s La Mar gives us the perfect homemade sausage recipe to wow the team. Take some inspiration from these chefs and win the tailgate game. Links, patties, ground up– sausage is a versatile, delicious food that can be made from more than just pork. Usually burgers and hot dogs take center grill when it comes to tailgate food, but it’s time to offer a spot to the sausage. Image used with permission by copyright holderTailgate season is upon us, which means it’s time to brush up on the best recipes for grilling in a parking lot.

Drinking game sausage party