Ask A Minnesota Expert: Best Easy Tailgate Food

The best snacks for a tailgate party are often easy to make. Just ask local chef and Vikings fan Rich Gapinski, who has spent a lifetime putting on pig roasts, barbecues and picnics. Gapinski shares his secret to the best fried chicken. Scott Woolsey, at Scott Ja-Mama's Restaurant, shares his secret to making super tasty, crispy, caramelized chicken and ribs in his recipe below. Learn other tricks of the trade at: Best Tailgating Cooks In Minnesota.

Rich Gapinski 
Rooster's BBQ Deli
979 Randolph Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651) 222-0969
www.roosterq.com

Growing up in the restaurant business, Gapinski knows the foods people like. His dad ran the Acres Restaurant in West St. Paul. Gapinski worked at another family business, The Coop, in South St. Paul where they catered to picnic-style parties with pig roasts and fried chicken. Since 1987, Gapinski has been preparing Rooster's succulent barbecue for graduation parites and company events with his tasty temptations from the grill.

Grilled Marinated Chicken

• 1 cup of sweet chili sauce
• 1/2 cup of soy sauce
• 1/2 cup of hot sauce (Rich likes Frank's)
  
• 1 tbsp whole fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp cumin seed

Directions:

1. Marinate chicken pieces for at least two hours—overnight is better as it makes the chicken sweeter.
2. Heat the grill to medium to medium high.
3. Lay the chicken on the grill, not directly over the flame.
4. Grill for one hour to one hour and fifteen minutes. 

Cole Slaw with Lime Juice

• 1 medium cabbage
• 1 carrot
• 1/2 cup salad dressing
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Salt to taste 

Directions:

1. Shred the cabbage and carrots.
2. Mix the salad dressing, lime, salt and sugar in a separate bowl.
3. Pour over slaw and stir lightly. 

Related: Best Barbecue In The Twin Cities

Scott Woolsey 
Scott Ja-Mama's Restaurant
3 W. Diamond Lake Road
Minneapolis, MN 55409
(612) 823-4450
www.scottjamamas.com

Wooslsey's mother made the best barbecue sauce in the world. Woolsey wanted to bottle it and sell it. "Nobody will buy your sauce," lectured his friend's dad, "Open a little take-out place and get people to like your sauce." Twenty-four years ago, Woolsey opened a little take-out place in tribute of his mother. People rave about the sauce, but you still can't buy it in a bottle. Ja-Mama's chicken or ribs are the only way you can sample the sauce. His potatoes and beans are pretty tasty, too. Recreate Woolsey's secret to creating his crispy caramelized taste on your own Weber.

Scott's Crispy Chicken Wings

• 3 pounds chicken wings
• 1 cup Lawry's Marinade
• 1 tbsp granulated garlic
• 1 tbsp course ground pepper
• 1 cup Bangkok Padang Peanut Sauce 

Directions:

1. Marinate wings in Lawry's, garlic and pepper.
2. Heat coals on a Weber grill until really hot.
3. Place the wings directly over the coals for 10 to 12 minutes per side until they are crispy.
4. Close the vents and move the wings off to the side.
5. Cover with peanut sauce.
6. Bake 25 minutes or so. 

Related: Best Pulled Pork In Minnesota

Robin Johnson was born in Annandale, Minn. and graduated from Richfield High School and then the University of Minnesota where he studied Political Science, Business and Industrial Relations. A writer for Examiner.com, he also consults with a variety of organizations and individuals helping them develop and grow. His work can be found at Examiner.com.