The Playbook: 25 Tailgating Grill Tips

View on BBQGuys.com

Having a successful tailgate is a lot like winning a game of football. It takes strategy, execution and a desire to win! We want your tailgate to be the best one at the game, so check out our 25 tips for tailgating the right way.

1. Always set your grill up as level as possible. This is not only for the obvious safety reasons but to also get the most even flame and heat distribution across your grilling surface.

2. If you BBQ with charcoal and you haven't used natural lump, you owe it to yourself to experience its clean flavor and higher temperatures.

3. To extend fuel for long smoking times, fill your fire box with unlit charcoal. Then, fill a starter chimney with charcoal, light, and burn that charcoal until it's ready to go in the grill. Dump the burning coals on top of the unlit coals. They will very slowly burn off the other coal, providing a lot longer fuel burning time.

4. When replacing your propane tank, always purge the system by opening the tank valve and turning your main burner to high for 15 seconds.

5. Looking to add a smokey aroma to your grilling experience? Invest in a smoker box – they're inexpensive, easy to use, and get the job done.

6.There is nothing wrong with an old fashioned hot dog, as long as its not a nitrate-sicle; be sure to choose all beef all natural varieties!

7. For a kicked up version of your favorite barbecue sauce, add a small jar of blueberry or raspberry jam per bottle of sauce; blend and enjoy!

Burger Grilling Tips

8. To prevent hamburgers from swelling in the middle, use your thumb to create a dimple in the center before placing them on the grill.

9. For a twist on the Hamburger, try stuffing it! Make 2 thin patties, place stuffing (ie. cheese, jalapeno, bacon, etc) between, press edges and grill.

10. The best lean to fat ratio for hamburger is 80/20 – steer clear of 90/10 or extra lean, as these don't have enough fat to produce a moist burger.

11. The best way to warm hamburger buns is to place them on top of the hamburgers a few minutes before they're ready to come off the grill.

Fruit & Vegetable Grilling Tips

12. When grilling vegetables, leave the hood open to allow steam and moisture to escape; this will give them a sweet char and prevent sogginess.

13. The next time you are in the mood for guacamole and chips, halve several avocados, coat with olive oil, salt and pepper and place on the grill for 1-2 min per side.

14. For the kids, try fruit kebabs. Some of the best fruit for the grill are: pineapple, mango, papaya, peaches, and most melons.

15. Looking for an interesting appetizer for a party or small get together? Try seared watermelon wedges. When grilled, watermelon loses its sweetness slightly and its graininess.

16. For perfect grilled corn, soak corn in brine (water to cover corn, plus a few tbsp salt and a tbsp of sugar) for 1 hour before grilling.

17. To bake potatoes on the grill, cover with coarse salt, pierce several times with fork, wrap with foil; at medium heat, potatoes will ready in about 1 hour.

18. If you do not have a grill topper and you want to have grilled potatoes with your meal, use skewers. Cut potatoes in 1 ½" squares, coat them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and any other herbs or spices of your liking. Place 5-8 potato cubes on each skewer and they are ready for the grill. Instead of tossing them around every 10-15 min in a grill topper, simply turn the skewers.

Ribs Grilling Tips

19. When smoking ribs, remove the membrane from the meaty end. Score the bone side diagonally in both directions, about an inch apart.

20. If you need to smoke a large amount of ribs at one time, we highly recommend using a rib rack. They are inexpensive and hold your racks of ribs up on their sides while also holding them apart; allowing them to cook more evenly and at the same time allowing each rack to be surrounded by smoke.

21. A simple way to add great flavor to ribs fill a spray bottle 50/50 with apple cider and cider vinegar. Spray ribs every 30 min during smoking.

Steak Grilling Tips

22. Grilling steak: 115-120F = rare, 125-130F = medium rare, 135-140F = medium; always remember to remove a little before desired temp and rest for 5-10 min.

23. For a great companion to sides or atop steak, prepare a compound butter; blend 2 tbsp of your favorite herb, finely chopped, and 1 stick of butter.

Chicken Grilling Tips

24. When grilling mixed cut-up pieces of chicken, if using a large pit with a 2 level fire, place the dark meat closer to the fire. Because dark meat takes longer to cook than white meat, more heat will make for a more consistent cook time.

25. Close the grill lid while cooking chicken. This will create an oven-like environment that will surround your food on all sides which is important to cook the food all the way through. Try to stay away from high heat - you don't want the chicken to burn on the outside before it's cooked on the inside.