Kielbasa is griddle food: sliced kielbasa, bell peppers and onions browned together and piled into rolls with mustard. Penn State fans cook it by the griddle-load, and at Beaver Stadium charcoal and wood fires are banned while gas and propane aren't, so the charcoal stays home and a propane griddle does the work.
At the lot: Slice everything at home, then brown it on a propane griddle or in a foil pan on a gas grill. Homegating: Brown it in a big skillet and set out the rolls and mustard.
Home gear: zip bags and a cutting board
15 MIN
At home, slicing
35 MIN
At the lot
10
Serves
Ingredients
Sausage
- 4 lb smoked kielbasa (about 4 or 5 rings)
Peppers and onions
- 4 bell peppers, mixed colors, cut into ½-inch strips
- 2 large yellow onions, halved and sliced
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup beer or chicken stock
Serve
- 10 sturdy hoagie or sausage rolls
- Spicy brown mustard
Steps
At home
- Slice the peppers and onions and bag them together.
- Cut the kielbasa into 4- to 5-inch lengths and split each piece lengthwise, or slice it into ½-inch coins. Bag it and pack both bags in the cooler at 40°F or below.
At the lot
- Set the griddle on level pavement inside your space and heat it to medium-high. Add 2 tbsp of the oil, then the peppers and onions with the salt and pepper. Cook, turning often, until soft and charred at the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Push them to the cooler side.
- Add the rest of the oil and lay the kielbasa cut side down. Cook until browned and hot through, 4 to 5 minutes a side. Smoked kielbasa is already cooked, so you're heating it to 165°F. If yours is labeled fresh or uncooked, cook it longer, turning often, until it reads 160°F, about 12 to 15 minutes.
- Toss the kielbasa with the peppers and onions, pour the beer or stock over and scrape up the brown bits as it steams off, about 1 minute.
- Toast the rolls cut side down for 1 minute, then fill them and add mustard.
- No griddle? Put everything except the rolls in the foil pan, add the beer or stock, cover it tightly with foil and set it on a gas grill over medium heat with the lid closed for 20 minutes. Uncover, stir and cook 10 to 15 minutes more, until the peppers are soft and the kielbasa reads 165°F (160°F if fresh).
Pack for the lot
Lot notes
- Bags: blue bags take empty bottles and cans, clear bags take everything else, and you leave them at your spot.
Can you make kielbasa and peppers ahead?
Yes. Slice everything the night before and keep it in the cooler. You can also cook it fully at home, chill it, and reheat it in a covered foil pan on the grill until it's hot through.
How do you keep kielbasa and peppers hot at a tailgate?
Keep them on the cool side of the griddle, or in a covered foil pan on a gas grill turned to low. The holding rules are in how to keep food hot at a tailgate.
How much kielbasa do you need for 20 people?
Double it: 8 lb of smoked kielbasa, 8 bell peppers, 4 onions, 1 cup of beer or stock and 20 rolls. A standard 2-burner griddle cooks it in 2 rounds, or use 2 foil pans on a gas grill.
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