The Ultimate GSU Fan Guide: Part 3

Time to Tailgate

You've got your GSU shirt on, the cooler stocked, the grill ready and the lawn chairs packed. Pounce shows you how to tailgate Georgia State style!

A. Your Own Panther Den

Even in the concrete jungle, Panther fans will find ample grassy areas near their parking lot to set up tents, grills, chairs and other tailgating accessories. Single tailgate spaces may not exceed 9 x 12 feet. Parking spaces are for vehicles only and driving lanes must remain clear.

B. Team Spirit

Show your Panther Pride and football fashion sense with Georgia State gear - everything from caps to coolers - available at the University Bookstore (66 Courtland St.), online (gsu.edu/auxiliary/bookstore.html), or at special booths on game days at the Georgia Dome.

C. Pre-Game Live

An hour before kickoff, set your tailgate tuner to the Panther pre-game show on WCFO 1160 AM and stay tuned for all the action. Panther games will also air live in Gainesville (WGTJ 1330 AM) and Winder (WIMO 1300 AM).

D. Big Cat Nosh

What's a tailgate without the proper vittles? Pounce proves he's ready for the opening tilt against the Shorter Hawks with a rack of "Shorter Ribs."

Shorter Ribs

For best results - and to ensure a Panther win against Shorter University - prepare these knock 'em down Shorter Ribs the night before tailgate, then grill on-site. Don't forget to double or triple the recipe to serve a crowd. Go Panthers! (Serves 3-4)

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs pork spareribs or baby back ribs
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (Mexican section of most grocery stores)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed or through garlic press
• 1 package of your favorite smoked sausage cut into 2 inch pieces

Prep time: 20 minutes plus tailgate grilling time

Cooking time: 3-4 hours (can be done the day before or day of the game)

Using six-quart crock pot (slow cooker), cut rib meat into two slab servings and arrange on the bottom. In a quart size mixing bowl, stir all the ingredients together. Pour over the ribs in the cooker, then cover and cook. For "fall off the bone" meat, cook ribs on high for 3 hours and then on low for an additional hour. If you prefer "chewy" meat, cook on high for 3 hours. During the last hour of cooking, add the smoked sausage, or save them for grilling at the tailgate.

When ribs are ready, separate them from the cooker using tongs and place on foil-lined sheet pan. Once ribs are removed, skim the rendered fat off the top of the sauce. Place remaining sauce in pan on high heat to reduce and thicken, then aside to cool. When ribs and sauce have cooled, package them for the tailgate. Once on-site at tailgate, place ribs and sausage on a hot grill, brush liberally with extra sauce to taste. If you've saved the sausage to cook on-site, place them on the grill 10 minutes ahead of the ribs and brush liberally with extra sauce.

Substitutions: If you don't own a Crock Pot, use a cast iron Dutch oven and cook at 325 degrees about 3-3.5 hours.

Recipe compliments of Dave Pavesic (hrtdvp@langate.gsu.edu), Georgia State University professor in the Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality in the J. Mack Robinson College of Business. Pavesic has been at GSU since 1986 and served as program chair from 1988 to 1996. He formerly owned two casual dining Italian restaurants. For fun, he collects old menus, hospitality books and magazines.