A little preparation and forethought can make your tailgating experience a lot more enjoyable. Having the proper gear, and all the accoutrements, can turn your parking lot party into a stress free affair. To give you a hand, we’ve compiled a list of goodies that we think are essential to creating a worry free bash. For the food, we simply included the standards. We know everyone has there own preference, but we always like to keep the Novices in mind.

Tip: Build yourself a USTGA Tailgate Survival Kit. Get a few plastic bins with covers and start gathering nonperishable items…extras you may have lying around the house…can openers, serving utensils, bowls, dish soap, wrags, etc., etc. Then, when your ready to head out to the game or race, just grab the boxes and you’ve got the essentials. Start your kit and build as you go.

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Tailgating the right way can be a challenge for even the most seasoned veteran. But for those just starting out in the sport, there’s nothing worse than eyeing your neighbor’s site with envy, while wishing you were even half as prepared. Having to take time to search for a lighter or can opener, instead of tipping back a beverage of choice and listening to the meat sizzle on the grill, can put a real damper on the day.

Fear not, for the USTGA is here to help. We’ll constantly update a full slate of tips and tricks from some of the most accomplished tailgaters on the planet. These tips have been lovingly crafted from experience and we are proud to share them with our fellow tailgaters. If we’ve missed anything, please feel free to shoot us an email at suggestions@ustga.com. We love to hear from our tailgating brothers and sisters. That’s what makes it such a great community…a community we are proud to be part of.

Here are just a few of the tailgating tips gathered by the Pros at the United States Tailgating Association (USTGA):

The List: Make a list of items you will need for set-up, cooking, serving and cleanup. Make sure to include general supplies, equipment and accoutrements. Print a copy of the USTGA Tailgating Checklist under Tips & Tools on the navigation bar and then check off each item as it is packed.

Mother Nature: It’s just a bit of common sense, but check the weather forecast before you head out the door…and make sure to dress accordingly. In cold weather, you can always take items off if it warms up. But, when you don’t have enough on, it can be down right miserable. For hot weather, pack extra water and consider taking a few umbrellas to ward off the sun. Bandanas can come in handy when dipped in the cooler and worn around the neck. And for extra fun, consider including a few squirt guns loaded with ice cold water. You’ll either make a new friend or get slapped up side the head. We offer no guarantees!

Simple Simon: Try to keep your menu as simple as possible. You don’t want to spend all of your tailgating time trying to lay out a veritable smorgasbord. All work and no play can make for a really long day. Some items can be prepared ahead of time and either cooked or reheated at your tailgating site. (Check out the Recipe Page on the navigation bar).

Cleanliness & Safety: Take an extra container of water, some anti-bacterial soap or hand sanitizer, and a variety of towels for clean up before and after handling foods…particularly uncooked chicken, beef, pork or fish. Check out the USDA food handling guidelines and Penn State Safe Tailgating information here in the Tips & Tools section.

Disposables: While we should remain environmentally conscious at all times, there are a few disposable items that we consider as “must have”:

• Re-sealable Plastic Bags – food transport & storage, meat marinating, leftovers, paper goods and valuables etc.
• Aluminum Pans - Transports efficiently, covers itself perfectly for holding heat, also a clean-up vessel, leftover charcoal storage, etc.
• Aluminum Foil - A tailgater’s band-aid (and recyclable)
• Plastic Wrap - Helps keep liquids in “not-so-tight” containers
• Paper Plates*, Paper Towels*, Plastic Utensils*

Remember, as professional tailgaters, we have a responsibility to control the amount of waste we generate at our tailgating parties. The USTGA encourages the use of reusable and recyclable items whenever possible.

*If you are a frequent tailgater, invest in some inexpensive plastic dinner or picnic ware that you can take home, run through the dishwasher, and then stow away until your next outing.

Keep it Cold: Stock at least two coolers with ice. One should be used strictly for beverages and the other for food that needs to be kept cold until you are ready to cook or serve. Never store meat and beverages together, as you may contaminate the beverages with leaking meat juices. We prefer Bloody Mary’s to Bloody Ginger Ales.

Keep it Hot: Keep hot foods hot longer by placing them in appropriately-sized aluminum pans covered with aluminum foil. A towel over the top can hold off cold-weather cooling even more. When you are done grilling, you can place the aluminum pan on the grill to keep the food warm. Soup, chili or stew pots can also be placed on the grill with an aluminum foil topper to keep them piping hot. Make sure to stir often to avoid sticking. You can also use a variety of insulated containers to transport foods or use a power inverter to plug in your crock pot (please follow all necessary precautions and directions of AC/DC inverters and accessories). Safety is always #1 with Professionals. A third cooler can be used for hot dishes and then for the safe return home of used serving dishes and utensils.

Share and Share Alike: Half the fun of tailgating is making new friends. Make sure to bring enough food to satisfy your group, as well as a few neighbors or new friends who happen by. Be prepared to exchange info, as you might want to meet up at the next game!

Arrival: You should arrive at the stadium at least three or four hours before game time. Check your local stadium’s policy regarding parking lot gate times, as they vary from city to city. Try to get enough space to accommodate your group. Grassy areas or end rows will give you more room to accommodate your group. Most stadiums will not allow you to take up more than one space per vehicle. Make friends with your neighbors quickly and confirm that you are not infringing on someone else’s normal spot. Common courtesy is one of the most important attributes of a professional tailgater.

Set Up: Have a plan for your set-up. Assign members of your group specific set-up tasks. That way, you share the work load and there is more time to tailgate. Decorate your area with team colors and make it inviting to passersby. Leave the front of your set up open to encourage conversation and the making of new friends. That’s what tailgating is all about!

The Spread: Try to have your food ready no later than 1 1/2 hours before the game begins. This will give you plenty of time to eat, socialize, clean up and get your things packed up. Package your leftovers in re-sealable plastic bags and put them in an iced cooler. Make sure they are easy to get to for after game snacks, in case your tailgating party continues while you wait for the lot to clear. Note: Foods left in warm temperatures, or environments, can become unhealthy faster than you may think. Please be careful to store leftovers promptly and “keep the freshness in”.

Departure: The pros know how to leave their area spotless. Make sure that you find a recycling and/or trash bin to dispose of all cans, bottles and general refuse. If you are cooking with charcoal, take care to dispose of it properly. Start the process by closing the grill vents to shut off oxygen and begin the cooling process. A lot of stadiums provide dump bins for used charcoal. Never leave hot coals in your grill as you head into the game. We’ve seen more than one car go up in flames by leaving a hot grill too close to the vehicle.

Tailgating is in full swing and while anyone can slap a slab of meat on the grill, cooking a steak that really sizzles is no easy task. Make your steak a cut above the rest with these 8 tips for the perfect grilled steak from Ari Rosenson, the executive chef of Wolfgang Puck's restaurant CUT.

1. Light the briquettes at least one hour before you expect to grill. Be patient! Good food takes time. If you grill over direct flames, the heat won't be as intense and consistent, and your food will take on a kerosene taste. Grilling over red-hot coals, on the other hand, allows you to maintain a high temperature for a long time, delivering the seared crust that grilled meat is all about.

2. Season meat at least one hour ahead of cooking with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Proper seasoning is as important as proper cooking technique, and flavors need sufficient time to permeate the meat properly. I recommend using a good-quality sea salt for meat; the high mineral content brings out and brightens the iron flavor in meat that we all crave. Then add some freshly ground black pepper. (The fragrant oils in pepper dissipate if ground ahead of time, resulting in less flavor...and a boring steak.)

3. Allow the meat to come to room temperature before cooking. This will shorten the steak's cooking time and ensure it cooks evenly. If the steak is cold when you start to cook it, it will overcook the outside, drying it out while the inside gets up to the desired temperature.

4. Before you start cooking, make sure you have a gradient of heat. In other words, there should be a high level of hot coals on one side of the grill that gradually goes down to a medium-low level on the other side.

5. Rub your meat with a little oil before you grill. This will prevent it from sticking.

6. Start grilling the food that will take the longest first. You don't just want to throw everything on the grill and have to wait a half-hour for the double-thick porterhouse to finish up while the chicken and fish get cold.

7. Start cooking your meat on high heat (that is, over the highest coals). This will sear in all of its juices and promote browning. Don't move the meat around a lot -- it won't help it cook. Let the grill do the work! Once the meat is seared, move it to medium heat. This will cook the meat evenly without drying it out.

8. Allow the meat to rest for at least 10 minutes after you pull it off the grill. If you cut into the meat right away, the juices will run out and your steak will taste dry. Instead, let the meat relax a little after grilling. Besides locking in all the good juices, this will give you time to get all the sides and sauces on the table before you serve the masterpiece you've just made.

Thanks to: Yahoo! Foods - Fri, Jul 20, 2007