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A very merry Steelers tailgate

Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette

A very merry Steelers tailgate

Pittsburgh sports fans are getting an extra-special Christmas present this year, and it’s one they won’t find tucked under the tree.

The Steelers take on the Baltimore Ravens at 4:35 p.m. Dec. 25 at Heinz Field. And you know what that means: After all the presents have been ripped open, the stockings have been unstuffed and the day’s host has dished up an early holiday dinner, we all get to tailgate.

Forget about red and green. This Christmas, it’s all about the black and gold, at least in the hours leading up to the kickoff. 

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Some Steelers fans will enjoy their pre-game feasts outside the stadium, relying on sterno-fueled warming trays and insulated coolers to keep their homecooked eats warm until game time. Many others will trade tickets to the game for the remote control and a party that’s within shouting distance of the kitchen. We’ve got a simple, winning menu that serves both scenarios.

No holiday get-together is complete without eggnog, so that’s a must for the tailgate buffet table. We like it boozy with a mix of three liquors, and rich with the warm, spicy flavors of Christmas — think cinnamon, allspice and freshly grated nutmeg. Luckily, eggnog refrigerates well and even gets a bit tastier with age, so you can make this ahead of time and just give it a quick stir and dusting of nutmeg before serving. 

A cold day begs to be countered with a warm bowl of soup; in keeping with Pittsburgh’s ethnic heritage, a hearty slow-cooker stew made with kielbasa, potatoes and sauerkraut hits the spot. This being a holiday table, you need something a bit fancier, too. Slow-cooked baby back ribs basted in a spicy mix of ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar and habanero peppers are a lively break from the traditional hoagie or burger, not to mention finger-licking good. Another seasonal winner is any easy appetizer comprised of thin slices of Christmas ham stuffed into bite-sized cheddar biscuits. 

And for dessert? Peppermint shortbread cut-outs made with candy canes and dipped in chocolate or dusted with colored sugar are melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Not to mention addictive. 

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If you don’t have a chafing dish and are tailgating outdoors, you can keep food warm in a cooler lined with heated bricks. Here’s how: Wrap bricks in heavy-duty foil and place in a 500-degree oven for 20 minutes. Line cooler with newspaper or cardboard wrapped in heavy-duty tin foil. Using oven mitts, place bricks on top of cardboard. Add food, then another layer of newspaper or cardboard.  

Gretchen McKay: gmckay@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1419 or on Twitter @gtmckay. 

Boozy Christmas Eggnog

PG tested

Amazingly simple, and amazingly good. Feel free to spike with an additional splash of bourbon or rum just before serving.

6 large eggs, separated

3/4 cup sugar, divided

3 cups milk

1/4 cup bourbon

2 tablespoons dark rum

2 tablespoons brandy

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Dash or two of allspice

Put the egg yolks in a medium bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Add ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of the sugar and whisk over low heat until pale yellow and thick, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the milk, bourbon, rum and brandy and transfer to a large bowl.

In another large bowl, whisk the egg whites with the remaining ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar until very soft peaks form. Stir the whites into the yolk mixture. In a medium bowl, beat the heavy cream until lightly thickened. Fold the whipped cream, nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice into the eggnog and chill thoroughly. Whisk to reblend before serving.

Serves 10.

— Adapted from Food and Wine

Kielbasa Stew

PG tested

The best thing about slow-cooker stews is that hardly any work is involved, which takes the stress out of cooking. This one offers a taste of ethnic Pittsburgh with the addition of kielbasa and sauerkraut. 

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 small yellow onion, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

3 dried bay leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 cups dried lentils, rinsed

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup apple cider

14 ounces kielbasa, thinly sliced

1 cup sauerkraut, drained

Grainy mustard, for serving

Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, caraway seeds, bay leaves and salt. Cook for 1 to 3 minutes or until slightly softened, stirring frequently. Transfer to 6- to 7-quart slow cooker bowl.

To slow cooker bowl, add potatoes and lentils, followed by chicken broth, apple cider and kielbasa. Cover and cook for 6 hours on high or 9 to 10 hours on low, or until lentils are tender.

Discard bay leaves. Stir sauerkraut into slow cooker bowl. Serve with mustard and garnish with parsley, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

—”Pub Grub: 77 Apps & Entrees to Satisfy Everyone’s Cravings” by the Editors of Good Housekeeping, Redbook and Country Living (Hearst Books, Sept. 2016, $16.95)

Bite-sized Cheddar Biscuits with Ham

PG tested

This is an oldie, but goodie, that makes good use of your Christmas ham. 

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening

1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup chopped green onions (about 3)

Butter

1/2 pound thinly sliced ham

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly butter two cookie sheets.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add shortening and cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cheese. Add buttermilk and onions and mix well.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and roll out to thickness of ½ inch. Cut out biscuits using 1½-inch round biscuit cutter. Gather scraps and reroll. Cut out additional biscuits.

Transfer biscuits to prepared cookie sheets. Bake until puffed and light golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on 

To assemble:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Split and lightly butter biscuits. Stuff with ham.

Place on cookie sheets. Bake biscuits just until heated through, about 5 minutes. Makes about 35 appetizers.

— Gretchen McKay

Jack’s Spicy Baby Back Ribs

PG tested

These slow-cooked ribs are sweet and spicy, and finger-licking good. My son Jack likes to use habanero chile peppers, which are pretty darn hot, but you can tame the recipe by substituting jalepenos. 

1 rack pork baby back ribs

For rub

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup salt

2 tablespoons cayenne

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon chile pepper flakes

For sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups apple cider vinegar

4 habanero peppers, minced

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon salt

Prep ribs by removing the tough membrane on the back of the ribs. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 

Combine sugars and spices in a small bowl. Put the dry rub all over the ribs (both sides) and rub it in. Tightly wrap ribs in foil, and bake for 2½ hours.

While ribs are baking, prepare sauce:  Heat oil in large saute pan, add onions and garlic and saute until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add vinegar and minced habaneros bring to boil. When at rolling boil, add cayenne, brown sugar and ketchup and stir to combine. Cook sauce over medium heat until it’s reduced to sauce-like consistency, about 30 minutes. Keep warm. 

After ribs are done cooking, remove ribs from foil and increase oven temperature to 400 degree. Brush ribs with sauce and place back in oven for one more hour, brushing with sauce every 15 minutes.

Serves 4.

— Jack McKay

■ 

Chocolate-Peppermint Shortbread Cut-outs

PG tested

Crushed candy canes give this classic shortbread cookie a peppermint twist.  

2 cups salted butter, cold and cut into pieces

1 cup packed light brown sugar

4½ cups all purpose flour, divided

1/4 cup crushed candy canes (plus more for sprinkling on top)

6 ounces dark chocolate melts

Red and green sprinkles

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter and brown sugar. Using paddle attachment, mix until fluffy and light. Add 3½ cups of the flour and mix until combined.

On a large board, sprinkle 1/2 cup flour. Knead dough by hand for 5 minutes, adding as much of the remaining 1/2 cup flour as needed to make a soft dough. The dough should end up soft and pliable, similar to play-dough, not sticky. Work in crushed candy cane. (You may not end up using all the flour, depending on how your dough feels.)

Form a ball, wrap tightly, and chill for about 30 minutes. Roll dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Either cut into 3-by-1 inch rectangular strips, triangles, or use cookie cutter for shapes. Place each cookie 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Poke cookies with fork to design if not using sprinkles.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. If your shapes are smaller, bake less time. Bake longer for bigger shapes. Cool completely on wire rack.

While cookies are cooling, melt chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals, mixing well in between each interval. Dip cooled cookies into the chocolate halfway and wipe excess chocolate off on the side of the bowl. Place on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet and sprinkle with crushed candy canes or red and green sprinkles. Transfer cookies to the fridge for about 15 minutes to let the chocolate set.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

— Adapted from Chewoutloud.com

First Published: December 18, 2016, 5:00 a.m.

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Kielbasa Stew.  (Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette)
Jack's Spicy Baby Back Ribs.  (Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette)
Boozy Christmas Eggnog.  (Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette)
Cheddar and ham biscuits.  (Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette)
Chocolate-peppermint Shortbread Cut-outs.  (Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette)
Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette
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