Meat Candy for Tailgates and Watch Parties
At a tailgate or a watch party, the snacks that disappear first are the ones you can eat with one hand without looking away from the screen. Meat Candy does that, and it brings the sweet side that a spread of chips and wings usually lacks. Here is how much to buy, how to set it out, and how it works alongside biltong.
Why it works on game day
- One hand, no plate. Pick up a piece, eat it, go back to the game.
- Nothing to keep hot or cold. It sits in a bowl in the sun or on a coffee table for the whole game.
- Sweet and smoky. It fills the gap between the salty snacks and the dessert nobody has room for.
- Real protein. People snacking for four hours get something that is not just chips.
How much to buy
Meat Candy is richer and sweeter than biltong, so people eat a little less of it per sitting.
| Crowd | With other snacks | As a main snack |
|---|---|---|
| 4–6 people, living room | 2 bags | 3–4 bags |
| 10–12 people | 3–4 bags | 6–8 bags |
| A full tailgate, 20+ | 6+ bags | 10+ bags, plus biltong |
Buy both flavors. Hickory Kickory Dock is the one most people mean by jerky. Baa-Baa BBQ Sheep, a Korean BBQ glaze, is the one people come back to the bowl for.
Meat Candy and biltong together
This is the best version of a game-day meat spread, because the two are opposites.
| Meat Candy | Biltong | |
|---|---|---|
| Taste | Sweet, smoky | Savory, salty, coriander |
| Texture | Chewy | Tender |
| Who goes for it | Jerky fans, kids, the sweet tooth | Beef lovers, anyone watching sugar |
| Goes with | Beer, soda | Beer, a bold red |
A bowl of each, side by side, and the room sorts itself out. For a crowd, add a biltong slab on a board with a knife if someone is happy to carve: it looks like real food and holds up better over a long afternoon than slices in a bowl.
Setting it out
- Open bags as you need them, not all at once. A sealed bag keeps for months; an open one in humid air softens within hours.
- Use small bowls, refilled, rather than one big platter that sits out all game.
- Keep it away from the grill smoke and the drinks cooler lid if you are outdoors. Moisture is the enemy.
- Put a few bags aside for the fourth quarter. It is always the first bowl to empty.
At the tailgate itself
Parking lots are hot, and nothing about Meat Candy needs a cooler, which frees up space for the drinks. Keep unopened bags in a bag or box out of direct sun, and bring a clip or a zip bag for anything half-finished. If you are driving a long way to the game, see our guide to packing Meat Candy for a long drive.
Kosher game days
Everything we make is certified Glatt Kosher, and Meat Candy is meat, so keep the spread free of dairy dips and cheese if that matters to your group. Pareve pretzels, chips, salsa and pickles all go well with it.
US orders over $50 ship free. Order a few days before the game, and pick up both flavors.
Try it: Party and Game Day Biltong Calculator. Enter guests and how long; get how much to buy.
