Are You Ready for Tailgating Season?

(StatePoint) Firing up the grill is a year-round pastime for many, especially in fall, when tailgating takes over stadium parking lots nationwide.

Grilling for a tailgate crowd can be just as high stakes as the game itself,” says The Pit Crew of Pit Boss Grills. “Being prepared sets you up for an easy victory on the grill and in the lot.”

Whether it’s your first time hosting a parking lot party, or you just want to master your technique, use these tips from the experts at Pit Boss to keep your favorite football fans fed:

• Bring more than you think you’ll need. Once you’re parked, you’re there to stay. Be sure to have more supplies — particularly fuel — than you think you’ll need, so there are no surprises.

• Do the prep work before you go. Doctoring your food can be tricky in the heat of the moment. Cut out the onsite prep and go for surefire flavor by pre-seasoning and pre-marinating your meats.

• Use a portable grill. When it comes to grill choice, it’s all about efficiency. You want to be able to start feeding friends and family quickly after staking out space and pack it all up just in time for kick-off. With fast set-up and no messy cleanup, a portable wood pellet grill, like the Pit Boss Tailgater, gives bold, smoky-hardwood flavor, and makes a solid choice for tailgates, camping trips, picnics or any outdoor adventure.

• Satisfy all taste buds. Bring an assortment of barbecuing and dipping sauces. From sweet and spicy to tangy and mild, everyone wins with a little of what they want.

• Kick back. Just because you’re manning the grill doesn’t mean you can’t kick back and enjoy the party. Use a remote thermometer to monitor your food while you step away from the cooking site. This is especially helpful to prevent babysitting or lifting the lid when doing slower cooked meats, like ribs and pork shoulder.

• Keep your crowd full. Food is the best part of tailgating. Keep your crowd full with lots of finger foods like burgers, dogs, homemade chips and dips, or this recipe for Sticky Bourbon Chicken Wings:

Ingredients:

• 20 chicken wings, patted dry

• 1 cup ketchup

• 1/2 cup honey

• 1/3 cup brown sugar

• 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoons bourbon

• 2 tablespoons hot sauce

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 teaspoon Pit Boss Sweet Rib Rub Seasoning

Instructions:

The day or morning before the game, create you marinade by combining the ketchup, honey, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, bourbon, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and Sweet Rib Rub in a bowl. Whisk well to combine.

Next, add the chicken wings to the marinade and toss them until they are well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

When it’s time to cook, fire up your wood pellet grill and set the temperature to 350 degrees F. If using a gas or charcoal grill, set it up for medium heat.

Let the marinade drip off the chicken wings, and place them directly on the grill grates to cook for 10 minutes. Turn them over and grill for an additional 7-10 minutes, or until the skin is crispy and dark golden brown. Remove the chicken wings from the grill and enjoy them while they’re nice and hot! For an extra kick of flavor, set aside some of your marinade before adding the chicken to coat the wings with later as a finishing sauce.

More tailgating grilling recipes and ideas can be found by visiting pitboss-grills.com/recipes.

With the right tools on hand and a bit of prep, you’re ready to become a master tailgater this season.