Tailgate Spotlight

Clemson is well known for its tailgating prowess, winning the title of Southern Living‘s South’s Best Tailgate two years in a row. And with hundreds of tailgate spots spread across Clemson’s campus on gameday, the first question that comes to mind is simple but very, very important—who has the best food?

FATZ Cafe and Clemson Athletics will try to answer that question definitively for the first time in 2014, using the help of Tiger fans, of course.

Each week, we’ll roam the parking lots on gameday in search of the best eats. Fans can get our attention by posting a photo of their tailgate offerings to Twitter or Instagram using #FATZfeast. By doing that, fans will be automatically be entered to win a $50 FATZ Cafe gift card and could be featured on ClemsonTigers.com. A winner will be picked after each home game and a grand prize winner for the year will take home a $200 FATZ Cafe gift card to make their great tailgate even greater.

#GSUvsCLEM

Tailgate of the Game: Bill and Sarah Foster

Signature Food: Beer Brat Chili

-1 can of black beans-1 can pinto beans-1 can cannelloni beans-16-oz bag of frozen corn-1 Sweet onion, chopped-1 Sweet red pepper-1/4 cup chili seasoning-1 bottle beer-1 can, diced tomatoes with green chiles-1 can, Italian diced tomatoes-1 package, beef bratsCook on low in crock pot for 4-6 hours

#CUSEvsCLEM

Tailgate of the Game: Dean Cox

Signature Food: Whole pig and beer can chicken

                        Whole Pig

• We orded the pig two weeks ago and picked it up yesterday. We started cooking it this morning, actually we started cooking it while we were driving here. We’ve had people send us barbeque sauce from Florida and the low state to use. Today we’re expecting 36 people for our tailgate so hopefully we have enough.

                        Beer Can Chicken

• This one is pretty simple. We use beer butt rub and some olive oil and then let it marinate for three days. We then bring it out and cook it on Saturday

 #LOUvsCLEM

Tailgate of the Game: The Sox Tailgate

Tailgate Dance: Ryan’s Riverdance

#NCSUvsCLEM

Tailgate of the Game: Betty Sue Seigler

Signature Food Item: “Fried Gamecock” and Meatballs

                    Fried Gamecock

• Flour
• Salt and Pepper
• Lots of Love

         Meatballs

• Ground Beef
• Italian Sausage
• Breadcrumbs
• Eggs
• Oregano
• Onion

 #UNCvsCLEM

Tailgate of the Game: Dan Ripley and crew

Why They’re the Best: “We get here early and stay late,” said Ripley. “Our standard is ‘best’ just like Dabo.”

Signature Food Item: BBQ Brisket. Recipe: Salt lick dry rub 5 pounds brisket, leave it wet in room temperature for a week, then put it on smoker for about 16-18 hours and serve it on kings Hawaiin.

[View the story “#FATZfeast Tailgate Spotlight” on Storify]