Jambalaya is an iconic dish in New Orleans, and one of Louis Lipps' favorite tailgate foods.
Jambalaya is an iconic dish in New Orleans, and one of Louis Lipps' favorite tailgate foods.
Louis Lipps grew up playing and watching football in Reserve, La., a small Mississippi River town about 35 miles west of New Orleans.
His family cooked outdoors nearly year-round and could whip up a crowd-sized pot of Creole red beans and rice with smoked sausage like nobody’s business. Yet Lipps knew almost nothing about tailgate culture until 1984, when he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On his way into Three Rivers Stadium on game day, he suddenly came face-to-face with the honored pre-game tradition that finds football fans cooking, eating and consuming adult beverages in a stadium parking lot — often in a haze of charcoal smoke.
It was a shock.
“I was just mesmerized by the prospect that people would show up at the games so early at 8 a.m. with barbecue grills,” he recalls. “I thought, ‘Holy heck! These people are crazy!’”
Now he’s the crazy one.
“Ten years later, I find myself doing the same thing,” he says with a laugh.
Retired since 1993, the 64-year-old former wide receiver tailgates at least once a year in Gold Lot 1 near Acrisure Stadium before a Steelers home game. Lipps moved back to Pittsburgh from Louisiana in 1999 and since 2000, he’s thrown a big pre-game tailgate party on the North Shore to show off “what we can do.”
Being from below the Mason-Dixon Line, he always serves a Southern menu. His guests have enjoyed everything from seafood gumbo and red beans and rice — a dish with deep roots in New Orleans — to jumbalaya, shrimp noodle salad and his most favorite of all, fried catfish.
“You name it, we do it,” he says.
“louislipps”
Leah and Louis Lipps pose at a tailgate party in Downtown in September 2012. Then the former Steelers wide receiver was a guest. Now he’s the chef in the middle of a pregame feast at Acrisure Stadium.
(Larry Roberts/Post-Gazette)
Everything is made on site that day, thanks to a traveling kitchen that includes a couple of 60-quart cooking pots, two 20-quart cast-iron frying pots, a 10-gallon cast-iron kettle and some chafing dishes.
“The catfish goes right into the hot grease,” he says. “That’s why there are so many oohs and aahs.”
Just don’t look for the hamburgers or hot dogs served at countless other tailgates, because “that’s not Southern cuisine.”
Most of the 100 or so invited guests are family, friends of family and his “home boys” from Reserve. For the Steelers’ Nov. 1 game against Cleveland, a bunch of high school classmates from Louisiana will fly up to party with all the Pittsburgh friends Lipps — who was inducted into the Steelers Hall of Honor in 2022 — has made over the years here.
“Stragglers and strangers stop by, too,” he notes with a chuckle.
Donations help cover the cost of ingredients; anything left over is donated to the Children's Sickle Cell Foundation because Lipps’ seven grandchildren carry the trait.
He admits today’s tailgate parties are a little smaller than when he started 25 years ago. But serving 100 hungry people is a lot of work and you need a lot of helpers, he says. Still, he loves the camaraderie and the people a tailgate brings to the table.
Lipps never knows who to expect.
“One minute to the next you can have a whole different group of people to become friends with,” he says.
“We just get together and cook up a bunch of good food and tell some stories.”
Tailgating history
According to the Journal of Consumer Research, the modern tailgate has roots in fall harvest celebrations held in ancient Greece.
In America, the social gatherings are thought to date back to the early days of the Civil War. In 1861, residents of Washington, D.C., packed picnic baskets and traveled 25 miles by carriage so they could view, from afar, the First Battle of Bull Run near Manassas, Va., on July 21. (Union forces did not have a great day.)
By the 1880s, newspapers were running accounts of fans enjoying refreshments in horse-drawn carriages on the sidelines of the annual Thanksgiving football match-up between Yale and Princeton in New York City.
In the 1930s, when wood-sided station wagons made their debut and automobile culture was on the rise, folding down the tailgates to hold a buffet became increasingly common at sporting events, giving rise to the term.
In Pittsburgh, tailgating before Steelers games is almost a religion. Rain or shine, sweltering heat or freezing snow, parking lots around Acrisure are packed during home games with thousands of fans who bring with them an aromatic, tantalizing display of pre-game munchies. And it’s not just Pittsburghers setting up folding chairs and tables on the pavement.
“tailgate”
Steelers fans play beer pong at a tailgate party ahead of the Steelers game against the Atlanta Falcons.
(Alexandra Wimley/Post-Gazette)
Joey Garcia, who grew up in California’s Bay area, came to love the Steelers by watching the team on TV in the 1970s. A Kordell Stewart fan from an early age, he began tailgating in the 1990s with other Steelers fans at the sports bar High Five Pizza in San Jose. After becoming a member of the SteelCity Mafia fan club, he started organizing gatherings himself at the now-closed Blue Chip sports bar.
By 2010, he was organizing tailgates at Candlestick Park whenever the Steelers played the 49ers and at the Oakland Coliseum when they took on the Raiders. They were so big that he was featured in the book “Always A Home Game” about Steelers celebrations in 32 NFL cities.
When he moved to Pittsburgh in 2017 to take a job as an academic athletic advisor at Robert Morris University, he started his public Yinzer Mob tailgate in one parking spot in what was then Gold Lot 4. With hundreds of fans stopping by, the Shaler resident eventually had to switch to a donation-based model. In various sites since 2021, it’s now located at 806 Fulton Ave. on the North Side, and averages 100 to 300 fans per game.
“And when we say anyone can come, we mean opposing fan clubs,” Garcia says.
Fans from other cities sometimes feel uncomfortable in ALCO lots, he says, “so we provide a safe, family-friendly space for people to experience a tailgate.”
Inducted in 2020 into the Tailgate Hall of Fame, an online community and recognition platform, Yinzer Mob serves a different menu each week. On Sept. 13, for instance, the volunteer staff served bacon-wrapped hot dogs alongside its signature pierogi-topped cheeseburgers. Other common dishes include ham barbecue, mac and cheese and pasta salad, “and we also do a chili cookoff every year and hold a breakfast,” says Garcia.
Two years ago, Yinzer Mob teamed up with the two other tailgates to form Pittsburgh Tailgate on social.
What makes Pittsburgh such a special place for tailgating, he says. is the camaraderie and fellowship.
“Anywhere you walk around, whether you’re in an outlying lot or an ALCO lot, people are very welcoming and invite you in,” he says. “Every time I’ve met someone who’s come to Pittsburgh from any fan base, they keep talking about how friendly Pittsburghers are. It’s not just the food, which is amazing.”
Ottawa native Brian Samuel, who was on the Steelers’ waiting list for 22 years before finally getting season tickets three years ago, agrees a Pittsburgh tailgate is a great place to make friends. On Sept. 13, he was eating and drinking at a tailgate hosted by Cheerleaders Pittsburgh.
Due to open container laws, tailgating isn’t a thing at sporting events in Canada. So when he comes to Pittsburgh and can party in the open with other fans, “it’s family. It feels like you’re with your people,” he says.
“We open our arms to everyone,” agrees former sportswriter Stephen Flinn as he dishes up cheeseburgers, chicken skewers and wings cooked by Kevin Wilson on a 6-foot gas grill. “We always say we’re undefeated in tailgates. We win every one. The game is just gravy.”
Mike Dapcevich, a North Side resident who has attended every Steelers game since 2006, has for the last 10 years portrayed Mascot Troy [Polamalu] at tailgates across the country. A tailgate party is not the place for political or other non-sports discourse, he says.
“If you go to a Pittsburgh tailgate, you check everything at the door. It truly becomes about the black and gold.”
Brats and Aperol spritz?
As soon as the gates to Gold parking lots opened for the Sept. 13 game against Atlanta, Rob Thompson of Oil City and a bunch of friends who grew up together in Sharon started preparing their pre-game celebration. Veering from the schedule Mike Anzenberger of Moon carefully set in August would be a rookie mistake, he says.
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Rob Thompson, center, of Oil City, mans the grill while tailgating with friends Sept. 13 on the North Shore.
(Alexandra Wimley/Post-Gazette)
The men started with a breakfast of bacon and beer before moving on to that day’s menu of sweet and hot Italian sausages from Giant Eagle, burgers and a charcuterie board bearing grapes (for those eating a little healthier).
“And we love the cheesesteaks,” someone called out as Steve Anderson of Peters threw a splash of Black Velvet Canadian whisky on the grill, unleashing a cloud of steam.
As the men cooked and chatted, Jackson Clevenger handed out from a bright red wheel barrow free cans of Duquesne Pilsner, made in Latrobe. Farther down the parking lot, a group from New York was serving venison and onions cooked in butter on the grill with a big pile of chicken fatijas and hot and sweet sausages from Henry’s Meat Market in Harrisville.
Tailgates are so important to the group of lifelong pals from Sharon that once a year, usually mid-season, lobster and filet are on the menu.
“Good friendships are what tailgates are all about,” says Anzenberger, who began organizing the tailgates about 30 years ago.
Season ticket holders Jeff and Paula Conn of Upper St. Clair, who were tailgating nearby with two of their three adult children, echo that sentiment.
Both grew up enjoying the company of family and friends before a Steelers game and have continued the tradition with their brood.
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Ashleigh Conn, an Upper St. Clair native who now lives in Atlanta, pours an Aperol spritz at her family’s tailgate party ahead of the Steelers-Falcons game Sept. 13 at Acrisure Stadium.
(Alexandra Wimley/Post-Gazette)
So Paula didn’t consider it a heavy lift to spend the entire day (and night) before preparing a portable meal that included pulled pork and coleslaw, loaded tater tots and turkey bacon gouda sandwiches on pretzel rolls.
While she likes to switch up the menu occasionally, essentials include Heluva Good! French Onion Dip and chips and easy-to-make Chex mix. Dessert included peanut blossom cookies
“And we have spinach artichoke dip, of course,” she says, pointing to a giant bread bowl of the crowd-pleaser on a table covered in a gold metallic tablecloth.
The spread also included the makings of an Aperol spritz, shots of Ballotin Peanut Butter Chocolate Whiskey and IC Light “from the Mon.”
“It builds your immune system,” son J.J. Conn of South Fayette noted with a grin, causing his wife, Jessica, to crack up.
“I like doing it and it’s exciting to start the season,” says Paula.
Paula’s Pittsburgher Hoagie
“hoagie”
(Gretchen McKay/Post-Gazette)
PG tested
This family-sized hoagie can be made with any of your favorite meats and cheeses — maybe all of them!
Big enough to feed a crowd, it’s a favorite handheld nosh for Paula Conn and her family at Steelers tailgate parties. For easy transport and serving, she wraps the hoagie in aluminum foil and brings a cutting board and knife to cut it on site.
1 loaf Mancini’s twist Italian bread
Italian salad dressing, to taste
Italian seasoning, to taste
¼-⅓ pound sliced salami
¼-⅓ pound sliced pepperoni
¼-⅓ pound sliced ham
¼-⅓ pound sliced bologna
¼-⅓ pound sliced capicola
6-8 slices provolone and/or pepper jack cheese
3 cups shredded lettuce
1 ripe tomato, sliced
½ small red or yellow onion, thinly sliced
Dill pickle slices
¼-⅓ cup pickled banana peppers
Using a long serrated knife, slice the entire loaf of bread lengthwise. Pierce both sides slightly with a fork.
Drizzle some Italian dressing on both sides and press into the bread, and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
Layer salami, pepperoni, ham, bologna (or “jumbo” as it’s called if you’re from the ’Burgh), and then capicola on the bread.
Next, layer your favorite cheese on top
Add lettuce, tomatoes, onion, pickles and banana peppers. Top it off with a drizzle of Italian dressing and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning and fold up the sandwich.
Wrap in aluminum foil.
When ready to serve, slice into individual, family-sized portions.
Serve with a side of chips and Heluva Good! French Onion Dip.
Serves 6-8.
— Paula Conn, Upper St. Clair
New Orleans-style Jambalaya
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(Gretchen McKay/Post-Gazette)
PG tested
Former Steelers wide receiver Louis Lipps was resolute when asked for details on one of his favorite tailgate recipes, jambalaya.
“Chef’s don’t share recipes,” he responded with a laugh.
So instead, we’re dishing up one adapted from Louisiana Cookin' magazine.
Loved for its versatility and one-pan preparation, jambalaya is traditionally made in a cast-iron skillet. While every recipe is a little different depending on the chef, most feature a combination of meats and seafood, spicy andouille sausage, diced chicken thigh or breast and shrimp or crab.
Depending on your heat tolerance, you can add more (or less) cayenne. Creole seasoning is typically on the salty side, so be judicious about adding a lot of extra salt when seasoning the veggies.
2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola, divided
½ pound andouille sausage, cut into rounds
12 ounces skinless chicken breast or thigh, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 small yellow onion, peeled and diced
3 medium stalks celery, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups canned, diced tomatoes
2 cups medium or long-grain white rice
2 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
½ pound fresh shrimp, peeled, cleaned and chopped
Louisiana hot sauce, for serving
2 scallions, diced, for serving
Heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil in a large, cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add sausage in a single layer and cook until browned on the cut sides, 3-4 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer to a plate.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil to the drippings in the pot. Add chicken and cook until browned, 2-3 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer to the plate with the sausage.
Add diced vegetables and Creole seasoning and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and cook, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot and stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 2 minutes.
Add 2 cups white rice and cook, stirring frequently, until it is opaque and toasty smelling, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and water or chicken broth to form a sauce. Bring to a boil.
Return chicken and sausage and any accumulated juices to the pot and give everything one good stir. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer undisturbed until the rice is cooked through, 20-30 minutes. Just before serving, add diced shrimp and cook until it is opaque, about 4-5 minutes. (I cooked it separately for diners with seafood allergies.)
Fluff rice, and serve with a dash of Louisiana hot sauce and a sprinkle of green onion.
Makes 8 servings.
— adapted from Louisiana Cookin'
First Published: September 22, 2026, 1:00 a.m.