Who says you can’t have barbecue for breakfast? Fourth-generation pitmaster Barrett Black of The Original Black’s Barbecue in Lockhart, Texas shares a smoky twist on longtime breakfast menu favorites that are sure to make you the star grillmaster at your next early morning tailgate.
Whether you’re preparing for a big game or just starting your day with friends or family, Black’s Barbecue offers the perfect combination of Texas tradition and bold morning flavors for your breakfast tailgate food to kick off any event.
Breakfast Tailgate Menu: Barbecue Meets Morning Comforts
Breakfast tailgate food typically brings to mind eggs, bacon, and other standard fare, but Black’s Barbecue is ready to take your game day food experience to the next level.
A simple, and popular breakfast menu item: breakfast tacos. You can elevate your usual breakfast taco recipe it by making super simple homemade brisket-fat tortillas.
“This is just an easy upgrade,” Barrett says. “A lot of people get intimidated by making their own tortillas, but this is actually not that complicated. It’s flour, salt, fat and water.”
Using drippings from brisket makes the tastiest tortillas and can even be used in biscuit recipes, too.
(Don’t worry, the breakfast tacos recipe and tortilla recipe plus instructions are further down the page.)
If you really want to impress your guests with something unique, serve up chicken and waffles with a barbecue twist. Transform this classic breakfast menu dish by adding smoky, savory flavors that will surprise and delight your tailgate crowd.
This combination of tender, smoky chicken on top of crispy waffles is guaranteed to impress.
By reimagining two classic morning dishes with bold, smoky flavors, Black’s Barbecue has created a new breakfast menu that’s perfect for any tailgate.
Continue reading to get the full details on how to make your own tasty tailgate breakfast menu using Black’s Barbecue’s recipes and tips!
Chicken & Waffles, But Make It BBQ: Smoked Chicken and Waffles
When it comes to comfort food, chicken and waffles are a match made in heaven. But at Black’s Barbecue, they’ve taken this classic dish and given it a smoky, mouthwatering twist. Instead of the traditional fried chicken, Black’s serves up their famous smoked chicken.
“If you really want to wow your guests — chicken and waffles,” says Barrett. “Traditionally, it’s done with fried chicken, but we are a barbecue joint, so we are going to use smoked chicken. Smoked chicken and waffles.”
The tender, smoky chicken pairs perfectly with the sweet, crispy waffles, creating a breakfast menu dish that’s both familiar and unexpected. This is comfort food taken to the next level, combining the best of barbecue with a breakfast menu favorite that’s sure to impress your tailgate guests.
Belgian waffles, almost biscuit-like with a delightful sweetness, can be made in advance and warmed up on the grill or cooked to perfection in a cast iron waffle maker.
It’s a tailgate meal your guests will be talking about for the rest of the season!
Recipes
Smoked Chicken & Waffles: Black’s Barbecue style
When it comes to tailgating, Black’s Barbecue brings the heat—and the sweet—with their Smoked Chicken & Waffles. This tailgate dish is a winning combination of smoky barbecue flavors and crispy, dessert-like waffles that will leave your guests wanting more.
Ingredients:
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
- Belgian waffle batter (for making waffles over the fire)
- Black’s Barbecue Sauce (or your favorite BBQ sauce)
- Real maple syrup (for the sauce)
- Salt and pepper (for seasoning the chicken)
Instructions:
- Prepare the Chicken: Smoke or grill the bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts. Once cooked, remove the bones, but keep the flavorful skin on. Chop the chicken with the skin still attached for that signature smoky richness.
- Waffle Time: Use a cast iron waffle maker to cook your Belgian waffles over an open flame. Flip them over the fire for 4-5 minutes until they’re crispy on the outside and tender inside. The sugar in the batter will create a sweet, biscuit-like texture that pairs perfectly with the savory chicken.
Note: Alternatively you can prepare the waffles in advance and warm them up over the fire.
- Build the Dish: Pile the chopped smoked chicken generously on top of the warm Belgian waffles. The combination of smoky, tender chicken and the sweet, crispy waffles is truly indulgent.
- Make the Sauce: Mix three parts of Black’s Barbecue Sauce (still made using Norma Jean Black’s original recipe) with one part real maple syrup. Drizzle this sweet and smoky maple BBQ sauce over the chicken and waffles for an explosion of flavor that will take your tailgate game to the next level.
This dish is the perfect blend of breakfast and barbecue, and it’s sure to make your tailgate unforgettable.
Crafting the Perfect Tortillas: The Black’s Barbecue Way
Ingredients
No early morning tailgate is complete without breakfast tacos and homemade tortillas. Black’s Barbecue brisket fat tortillas add a flavorful twist to the traditional recipe. Here’s how you can recreate them at home:
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp smoked and rendered brisket fat, chilled
- ¾ cup water
Preparation
Instructions
- Combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Cut the chilled brisket fat into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Gradually add water, stirring until a dough forms. Knead for 2-3 minutes until smooth.
- Divide dough into 8 balls, rest for 15 minutes, then roll into tortillas.
- Cook each tortilla on a hot skillet until golden spots form. Fill with your favorite breakfast ingredients.
These tortillas bring a new dimension to tailgating by combining the familiar taste of brisket with a versatile and delicious base for your favorite breakfast taco recipe.
Breakfast Taco Recipe:
Top the homemade brisket-fat tortilla with smoked sausage or brisket, scrambled eggs, cheese, potatoes, onions, peppers and salsa.
Looking for Game Day Tailgate Food Recipes? Black’s Barbecue Has You Covered
With their unique twist on breakfast menu classics, Black’s Barbecue makes your tailgate a memorable experience. Whether you’re serving up smoked chicken and waffles or breakfast tacos on homemade brisket-fat tortillas, the combination of smoky barbecue and sweet morning flavors is sure to impress.
Using tips from pitmaster Barrett Black, you can recreate these bold and satisfying dishes right at your tailgate. So fire up the grill, gather your friends, and get ready to enjoy breakfast tailgate food that takes your tailgate to the next level — Texas barbecue style.