Use the list below as a guideline to assist you in your tailgating preparations.  I’ve tried to divide everything in categories, providing most tailgaters with a basic checklist to follow, of course you’re going to adjust the list to your own personal tailgating needs .

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Must Haves

• Game Tickets
• Grill
• Grill Scraper
• Grill Spray or Oil
• Burners
• Fire Extinguisher
• Propane
• Charcoal
• Starter Fluid
• Matches or Lighter
• Extension Cords
• Flags-Flag Poles
• Tarps-Tents-Canopies
• Bungee Cords-Tie Downs
• Coolers
• Ice
• Pots-Pans
• Basting Brush and Pan
• Carving Knives
• Spatulas
• Tongs
• Meat Thermometer
• Lg Spoons for Cooking (Slotted and/or Solid)
• Cutting Board
• Bleach to Sanitize
• Oven Mitts-Apron
• Plastic Wrap-Foil
• Trash Bags
• Paper Towels
• Napkins
• Plastic Eating Utensils
• Plates- paper or Plastic
• Disposable Cups or Other
• Table Cloth
• Chairs
• Folding Table
• Cooking Water
• Can Opener-Bottle Opener-Corkscrew (Wine)
• Zip Loc Bags
• Disposable Aluminum Pans
• First aid Kit

Food

• Steaks
• Chicken
• Roast Beef
• Turkey Breast
• Hamburger
• Hot Dogs
• Sausages (Pork, Bratwurst, Italian)
• Bacon
• Ham
• Deli Meat
• Eggs
• Vegies

Condiments

• Hot dog-Hamburger rolls
• Bread-Sandwich Rolls
• Ketchup-Barbecue Sauce-Mayonnaise-Mustard-Relish-Horseradish-Hot Sauce
• Chili for Chili Dogs and burgers
• Baked Beans
• Lettuce-Cheese-Tomatoes-Onions-Pickles
• Sweet Peppers-Hot Peppers
• Butter
• Salt and Pepper

Beverages

• Bottled Water
• Adult Beverages of Choice (This Means Alcohol)
• Margarita Mix
• Bloody Mary Mix
• Coffee-Creamers-Sugar
• Iced Tea
• Juice
• Sodas

Salads

• Potato
• Coleslaw
• Macaroni
• Green and Dressing

Extras

• Potato Chips and Dips
• Tortilla Chips and Salsa-Nacho Cheese
• Pretzels
• Nuts
• Popcorn
• Beef Jerky
• Cookies and Crackers
• Serving Trays
• Mixing Bowls
• Skewers

Recreation/Comfort/Amenities

• Sun Glasses
• Sun Block
• Blankets
• Cell Phone
• Camera
• Camcorder
• Binoculars
• Generator
• Radio-TV
• Rain Gear
• Hat-Beanie
• Sweatshirts-Coats
• Gloves-Mittens
• Umbrella
• Heater
• Football-Poker Cards-Frisbee
• Antacid
• Aspirin
• Visine
• Tissue
• Toothpicks
• Newspapers-Books-Magazines

Chimichurri Sauce is only as good as the quality of ingredients that you use to prepare the dish. So be selective and look for crisp, dark green parsley (preferably flat leaf) with a peppery fragrance. Choose firm and unblemished garlic, don’t use the pre-chopped garlic, it tends to make the sauce a little bitter. The recipe below is a basic green sauce with few added ingredients. Give this recipe a try it really compliments the Flank Steak.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup Sherry Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 3/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 3 Tablespoons Fresh Oregano, chopped
• 6 Large Cloves Garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• Salt to taste
• Flank Steak 21/2-3 lbs.

Note: This recipes serves 4 people.

Recipes Directions:

To make the marinade, select a non reactive dish large enough to hold the meat in a single layer or I often use a gallon Ziploc bag . Add all the ingredients together and 3/4 teaspoon salt and mix ingredients well. Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade to pour over the steaks later. Add the steak and turn to coat both sides with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 2-6  hours, turning occasionally. Remove from refrigerator a half hour before grilling, meanwhile prepare your grill for direct grilling over high heat.

Grill the steak over the hottest part of the grill for 2-3 minutes a side for medium rare. Remove the steak and let rest for 5-7 minutes to allow the juices to settle. Slice the steak against the grain to avoid a tough cut of meat, drizzle with reserved sauce and enjoy.

I use my Cobb Premier for pretty much everything you can barbecue, grill, bake, smoke, boil or fry anything. My favorite thing to make is Beer Can Chicken without the can, it’s the best Beer Can Chicken I’ve ever had and easy to do. In the Cobb Premier has a molt, simply put beer in the molt put the grill plate on the smoker, place a whole seasoned chicken on the grill and about 11/2 hours later you’ve got the tastiest and moistest chicken you’ve ever torn into. This unique light-weight cooking system is simple to use and maintain. It is portable, it is versatile, it is durable, it is safe and it is healthy.

Voted TIME magazine’s invention of the year recently, this Grill can be taken virtually anywhere for any occasion, tailgating, camping, picnicking, great for patio, not to mention natures emergencies. The Cobb Premier comes in its own convenient carry bag. It can cook just about anything. The high quality Stainless steel ensures it will be able to withstand any outdoor environment. Its design makes it safe for any situation. Its cooking system guarantees healthier tastier meals. In short, if you love to barbecue, you will love the Cobb Premier Grill.

Only 8 briquettes to cook for 3 hours at up to 450 degrees, while the base stays completely cool to the touch!

If portability is part of your lifestyle then this all new fully stainless steel award winning Cobb Premier Combo Grill with the four main accessories and a number of extras. These include, but are not limited to, the Wok, Skillet/Pan, Roasting Rack, Griddle, a smoker pot. This is one of the best value-for-money bundles you can find. The Cobb Premier is an award winning item in its own right.

The Partymate easily fits in any standard 2” receiver hitch, is perfect for both SUV and pickup trucks with its unique swivel design you simply swing the tables to the outside and lower your tailgate.

It’s so easy to clean once your tailgating party is over as it’s constructed with rustproof powder coating; so all you have to do is simply hose it off when you’re finished with it.

My Tailgate Partymate fits any hitch I have regardless of height it’s fully adjustable up and down with the pull pin located on the center shaft. Simply adjust as you see it and make sure the pin is tight when finished.

The size of the tables are 18″ by 36″ and they recommend, as well as I do, that you not exceed 30 lbs per table, which is more than adequate for most grills and all of your condiments and beverages on the other table. The total weight of the Tailgate Partymate is only 52 lbs so it’s not that heavy.

If you’re a serious tailgater like me or just need a set of portable tables for camping or picnicking, at a price of $149.95 + $25.00 S&H the Tailgate Partymate is quite a bargain. You’re going to love it and your friends are going to want it, Tailgate Partymate certainly is our choice of work tables for tailgating, camping and RV’ing.

Cookshack has perfected the electric smoker for backyard barbecue’rs! Anyone can make professional quality old-fashioned smoked barbecue in their own backyard. I tested the Model SM020 Cookshack Smokette and was pleasantly surprised on the total performance of the smoker. Constructed of stainless steel inside and out and comes with an electronic temperature controller with a meat probe to ensure that your meat is perfectly cooked every time. I cooked ribs, brisket and chicken and all three of them past the test for tenderness, flavor, moistness and color.

Please Note: If you’re a professional or do competitions like I do, don’t expect that signature smoke ring you find in finished smoked meats at the competitions like what you get when you use a Backwoods Smoker. The electric Cookshack smoker doesn’t have the ability to get the chemical reaction to achieve the smoke ring we all strive for. The good news is your friends and family won’t know the difference as they’ll be begging for more.

Cookshack makes sure that you’re ready to cook when your Smokette arrives. Your new smoker includes everything you need to start smoking immediately! Included with the Cookshack smoker are 5 lbs. of smoking wood, a Smoking at Home cookbook, an operator’s manual for your BBQ smoker, an aluminum drip pan, and a Spice Sample Kit with full-size bottles of Cookshack Spicy Barbecue Sauce, Rib Rub, and Spicy Chicken Rub.

What more could you ask for from an authentic barbecue in your own backyard? The Cookshack Smokette is the smoker for you! It’s compact, easy to use, affordable and turns out consistently delicious ribs, brisket, pork, poultry, vegetables, and more every time. I highly recommend the Cookshack wood-Burning electric smokers for your home, you’ll be glad you did. And guess what?

If you don’t think the Cookshack Essential Series – Smokette SM020 is big enough for you then don’t worry as Cookshack has other BBQ smoker models to fit your personal needs. We’ve taken the time to list them below for you!

Cookshack Elite Series

Cookshack Elite Series – Smokette SM025
Cookshack’s most popular model for backyard barbecue’rs! Anyone can make professional quality old-fashioned smoked barbecue in their own backyard with the Cookshack Smokette.

Cookshack Elite Series SuperSmoker SM045
The Cookshack SuperSmoker is the workhorse of our lineup of home smokers. With its big capacity you can smoke plenty of barbecue, fish, or game. Sturdy construction will give you years of use. Build it into your outdoor kitchen or use it free-standing.

Cookshack Essential Series

Cookshack Essential Series – SuperSmoker SM040
Cookshack’s SuperSmokers are compact, easy to use, and turn out consistently delicious ribs, brisket, pork, poultry, vegetables, and more. Put a brisket in before you leave for work. Come home to smoky, tender, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth brisket for dinner. Smoke ribs that will have your friends and family coming back for more.

Cookshack AmeriQue – The Ultimate Home Smoker

Cookshack AmeriQue
The AmeriQue gives you more control over your barbecue than ever before. Using the electronic IQ controller and meat probe, the AmeriQue smoke-cooks just the way you tell it to. Whether you are cooking beef tri-tip or pork butt, all you have to do is probe the meat, set the cooking temperature or desired internal meat temperature (if using the probe), and walk away. It turns out great, every time.

Once you put a MOINK ball in your mouth you’ll become addicted to them. So, what are MOINK Balls, they’re part beef and part pork, hence the name MOINK Balls (Moo-Oink) simply put they’re bacon wrapped meatballs basted in your favorite sauce. Like I said they are the perfect party food and my favorite tailgating food.

So, go ahead and make a couple hundred for your next party at home or grill them at your next tailgate party, either way they’ll be the hit of the party. Detailed instructions are as follows.

Begin with a frozen bag of Meatballs, remove and thaw out what you’re going to use.

Count out half the strips of bacon you’re going to need to wrap Meatballs and cut in half. Take 1 half strip of bacon and wrap it around a meatball, secure the bacon and meatball together with a toothpick. Repeat this process until you have reached your desired amount of MOINK Balls to barbecue.

Barbecue until bacon is cooked, brush or dip with your favorite sauce on the MOINK Balls and leave on grill until sauce is caramelized and a little sticky. If you prefer to eat them plain simply remove from the grill when bacon is cooked. Plate them up and serve immediately.

There are many different liquids, spices, and herbs to achieve the flavor that you desire. Some examples are beer, bourbon, wine, apple juice for your liquids. For spices and herbs add cinnamon sticks, whole, nutmeg, tea leaves, citrus peels, rosemary, bay leaves, and garlic to mention a few.

Once your water pan is seasoned the way you want it, place it directly into divided coals or on the side of the gas burner (under the grate) if you’re using a gas grill. There aren’t really any rules just a little creativity and testing to please your taste.

Types of Woods:

Hickory Wood Chips: Pungent and smokey flavor…..Great with pork, chicken, beef.

Pecan Wood Chunks: Similar to hickory with a milder and rich flavor, burns cooler…..Works well with pork, chicken, lamb, and fish.

Mesquite Wood Chips: Burns much hotter than hickory or pecan so use carefully, sweeter in flavor…..Works well with most meats and vegetables.

Oak Wood Chunks: Burns hot and can be a little strong, but has a pleasant flavor…..Great with beef, poultry, pork.

Peach Wood Chunks: Slightly sweet and has a woodsy flavor…..Works well with poultry, game birds, and pork.

Grape Vines: Similar to fruit woods…..Great with turkey, chicken, beef

Please Note: There are certain hardwoods that when over used may cause your finished meat to have a bitter taste. Mesquite, Black oak and Hickory are few to be aware of. Meat really only needs to be smoked for about 4 hours and then you run the risk of over smoking your meat. Play around with any chunks or pieces and adjust to your liking as you learn how to cook with wood.

Half the enjoyment I get out of grilling and smoking is experimenting with a different combination of woods, liquids, spices and herbs with various meats to achieve a different alternative to our family and guests. I encourage you to do the same and see what surprises you come up with.

This the perfect addition to your Saturdays and Sundays in Fall. Now you can stay outside at your BBQ or in the comfort of your favorite chair and enjoy the ice cold beverages of your choice. This is the perfect gift for the fan that wants it all to cheer his team to victory! GO PIRATES!

Why do I love this product so much? Mine is perfect because the beverage tub is sturdy, yet not too heavy so even you skinny guys will be able to lift/move this beverage tub. They work quite well and do not leak which was one of my main criteria when purchasing this beverage cooler. As we all know, nobody likes having hot drinks while BBQ tailgating! I would recommend this tub to any person who loves to tailgate because it’s so versatile and I will be purchasing more in the future. You can never have too many drinks at your BBQ tailgating party.

Take your versatile beverage bucket to tailgate parties, picnics, friend’s parties or proudly display it on your own patio. Buy a couple they make nice planting pots for your patio, small apartment, use as an herb garden and of course you’ll want at least one for your patio to entertain your friends.

This BBQ tailgating / camping table is light weight and fold-able featuring 4 drinks holders and a cooler bag. It also comes with a carrying bag.

Your Cobb BBQ Grill fits snugly into the center of the foldable table. Bracing straps ensure the Cobb remains level and sturdy while cooking your delicious food. Setup takes less than 2 minutes making it the perfect addition to your Cobb BBQ Smoker.

That night I briefly went through the instructions, and then I smoked/grilled some chicken breast and asparagus for dinner. I did exactly what the instructions said, lit the fire and I decided to add some white wine in the molt to add additional flavor and moisture. I was more than pleasantly surprised with the end results.

The chicken was so moist and flavorful and the asparagus was spot on. The next night, I decided to do a beer can chicken the Premier Cobb way. I simply lit the smoker put a can of beer in the molt, seasoned the whole chicken, put it on the grilling plate and in an hour and a half later I was enjoying the most incredible beer can chicken I’ve ever had.

This mighty little smoker does everything it claims it does, it burns efficiently, cooks exactly the way it was designed to do, and the two best things is that cleanup is a snap, and you just simply put it away in the custom made carrying case included with your purchase and away you go.

I tired for two days to find any “cons” about this BBQ grill, but I can’t really find any fault in the Cobb Premier Smoker and its uses are endless as it’s perfect for tailgating, camping, hiking, boating, picnicking, apartment living, the office, keep one on hand for emergency purposes to mention a few, this mighty little BBQ smoker is a must have for everyone!

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