It's a luck o' the Irish tailgate for the Steelers

There are certain foods that go with certain things and certain places.

In Ireland, for example, you might expect to have a strong cup of tea instead of the coffee you would enjoy in the U.S. There could be a nice biscuit with it, where Americans would favor some cookies. A full Irish breakfast, with sausages, potatoes and eggs — perhaps some baked beans alongside the hash browns and a little soda bread — would start your day. Americans might look askance at the beans, but the rest isn’t far off a diner special.

So what about tailgating?

In America, tailgating is a spectacle and a sport unto itself — the food you create and enjoy before and during a sporting event. Football — American football, not soccer — isn’t really the same without it, even if you aren’t at the stadium.

In Ireland, they don’t have tailgating. Sure, they eat and drink while they watch a game, but they don’t really have a word for it or the culture surrounding it. “Footy scran” is the term in the United Kingdom, but that’s a war we don’t need to start again over hot dogs and pizza.

So what will happen when the Pittsburgh Steelers play the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park in Dublin on Sept. 28? What will people eat in Ireland?

Well, that’s out of our control. That’s happening an ocean away. What’s more important? How will Steelers fans in the Keystone State be celebrating?

Well, the game kicks off at a perfectly normal 2:30 p.m. in Ireland, but at home, that translates to 9:30 a.m. Sure, many a tailgate starts that early, but that’s just the warm-up act for the ribs and wings later. For this tailgate, a brunch has to be the main attraction.

And the best way to do that is to marry it to that full Irish breakfast. Yes, you could do a huge spread of Irish fare. That’s a great way to go. But so is combining the best of Pittsburgh and the Emerald Isle.

Let’s think about an Irish pierogi dog. Take a crusty sub roll and give it a toast. Grill up a juicy sausage. Can’t find an Irish sausage? That’s hard in Pennsylvania in September, so substitute a stadium brat or a mild Italian sausage. Even a nice, fat knockwurst will do. Don’t forget some cheese. This is the perfect place for Irish cheddar.

Now we’re going Pittsburgh. Instead of a hash brown, let’s saute some pierogies with onions and cabbage. Pile it all together: roll, cheese, sausage, all crowned with onions, cabbage and pillowy pockets of potato. Drizzle it all in a little mustard and serve alongside the other breakfast accoutrements, like grilled tomatoes, mushrooms and baked beans.

If you want your tailgate a little more snacky, let’s take a classic tailgate food and give it a kiss of Ireland. We’re talking Pittsburgh chicken dip, a smokier take on the Buffalo version. It has the same start, with pulled chicken, cream cheese, ranch and a little spice, but it detours with bacon and green onions.

And what do you dip in it? For this tailgate, we’re going with Irish soda bread. That gives a slightly sweet and nutty counterpoint to the spicier dip.

Whatever you pick, blending Irish culture and Pittsburgh football is guaranteed to be a tasty treat.

Full Irish pierogi dog

Ingredients

4–6 pork sausages or bangers

12 potato & cheese pierogies

1 large onion, sliced

1/2 cup sliced hot peppers, optional

2 tbsp butter

Optional: brown gravy or stone-ground mustard for topping

Shredded cheddar cheese

Crusty sub rolls

Directions

Boil pierogies for 3–4 minutes until they float. Drain. In a large skillet, melt butter and sauté onions with hot peppers until caramelized. Add pierogies to the pan and fry until golden brown on both sides.

Grill or pan-fry sausages until cooked through.

Split rolls and toast. Add sausages, cheese, pierogies, onions and hot peppers. Drizzle with gravy or mustard if desired.

Pittsburgh chicken dip with Irish soda bread

Ingredients

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup ranch dressing

1/2 cup hot sauce (like Frank’s)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1 loaf Irish soda bread, sliced and toasted (or make your own, scooping the batter into tablespoon-sized dollops like cookie dough)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix cream cheese, ranch and hot sauce until smooth. Stir in chicken, cheddar, and pepper jack cheese. Spread in baking dish. Bake for 20–25 minutes until bubbly.

Top with bacon and green onions. Serve warm with toasted soda bread slices.