Tailgating is the ultimate test of a griller's mettle: you're cooking in a windy parking lot, dodging flying footballs, and trying to keep your brother-in-law from using your tongs to fetch a dropped can. To grill well at a tailgate, prep your food at home, follow your venue's grill rules, set up on flat ground well away from vehicles, tents and crowds, and have a plan for the hot coals before kickoff. Out here you don't have a kitchen sink or a pantry, so planning is everything.
The Quick Take
Treat the parking lot like a kitchen with nothing in it. Do most of the prep at home, so only the actual cooking happens at the lot. Pack fuel, a fire starter, long grilling tools, and two coolers so raw meat stays at 40°F or below. Check your stadium's tailgating rules before you go: many set their own distance for grills from vehicles, tents and buildings, and many ban grilling under tents. Never grill inside a tent, vehicle or camper, and never pack a hot grill or live coals into a vehicle.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Tailgate factor | Guideline |
|---|---|
| Prep | Do as much as possible at home the night before |
| Grill location | Follow your venue's rules; keep the grill in the open, away from vehicles, tents and foot traffic |
| Tents and canopies | Never grill under them |
| Raw meat | Keep it at 40°F or below in its own cooler |
| Coals | Let them cool completely, then put them in a metal container (NFPA), or use the venue's coal bins if it has them |
| Essential gear | Metal container with a lid, fire extinguisher, long tongs, meat thermometer |
Setting Up the Ultimate Parking Lot Kitchen
Tailgating isn't just a meal; it's an event. The logistics of cooking away from home can trip up even seasoned backyard cooks, so the secret is cutting down the chaos. You don't want to be chopping onions on a slanted truck tailgate while the wind blows your napkins into the next lot. Everything that can be sliced, marinated or formed into patties should be done the night before.
Your grill choice matters here. Most people bring a small travel grill. If you have the space for a compact live-fire grill like the Arteflame ONE20, the flat steel cooktop means no hot dogs rolling through the grates into the dirt, and the fire in the center draws a crowd on a cold November afternoon. The heat zones let you sear burgers near the center while toasting buns on the cooler outer edge.
Whatever you cook on, organize your gear into bins: a raw food cooler, a drinks cooler, a dry goods bin for buns and chips, and a dirty gear bin lined with heavy-duty trash bags for the ride home.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Check the venue rules: look up your stadium's tailgating policy before game day. Many set a minimum distance for grills from buildings, vehicles and tents, ban grilling under tents, and say where to dump hot coals.
- Prep everything at home: slice vegetables, form patties and marinate meat the night before. Pack them in stackable, leak-proof containers.
- Pack the essentials bin: heavy-duty foil, paper towels, trash bags, a portable fire extinguisher and a metal container with a lid for coals and ash.
- Set up in the open: put the grill on flat, stable ground, in the open, away from vehicles, tents, flags and foot traffic, and at least as far as your venue requires.
- Light the fire: on an Arteflame, pour a little vegetable oil on three paper napkins, place them in the center, stack your firewood or charcoal over them, and light the paper. Give the steel cooktop 30–45 minutes to heat through.
- Cook using zones: start thick cuts near the hot center for a crust, then move them to the cooler outer edge to finish.
- Clean and put out: scrape the warm cooktop, wipe it with a cloth and a thin coat of oil, then deal with the coals: let them cool completely and put them in your metal container, or use the venue's hot-coal bins.
Pro tip: freeze bottles of water to use as ice packs in your raw meat cooler. As they melt, you have cold drinking water or extra water for quick cleanups.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Grilling under the team tent: a canopy over a grill can catch fire or melt, and many stadiums ban it. Keep the grill in the open and the tent for the food table.
- Packing hot coals or a warm grill into the car: never. The CPSC warns never to burn charcoal inside vehicles, tents or campers, and hot coals in a trunk are a fire waiting to happen.
- Forgetting the meat thermometer: don't guess whether a thick bratwurst is done. Bring a fast instant-read thermometer, such as one from ThermoWorks.
- Packing a single cooler: raw chicken juices and drink cans don't mix. Use a dedicated, well-iced cooler for raw meat.
- Using flimsy kitchen tools: indoor salad tongs won't survive a live-fire parking lot. Use long, sturdy grilling tongs, like those from OXO.
- Dumping coals anywhere: never dump hot coals on the asphalt or into a plastic trash can. Use your metal container or the venue's coal bins.
Make It Your Own
- Breakfast tailgate: swap afternoon burgers for bacon, eggs and hash browns on a flat steel griddle for early kickoffs.
- Taco bar: grill skirt steak and warm tortillas on the outer edge, and let guests build their own tacos from pre-chopped toppings.
- Chili station: keep a cast iron pot of chili on the cooler edge of the grill to warm up the crowd before a cold game.
- Post-game fire: if your venue allows open fires, a grill that converts to a fire pit, like an Arteflame, can warm hands while traffic clears. Never leave it unattended.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far should a grill be from cars and tents at a tailgate?
There is no single national rule for tailgates; venues set their own. Some require grills to be 15 feet or more from tents, vehicles or buildings, and many ban grilling under tents. Check your stadium's tailgating policy, and in any case keep the grill in the open, away from vehicles, tents and crowds.
How long does it take a grill to cool down after tailgating?
Longer than a tailgate usually allows: coals can stay hot long after the fire looks out. Don't wait on it. Move the coals into a metal container with a lid, or use the venue's hot-coal bins, and only pack the grill once it is cool to the touch.
What is the best food to grill at a tailgate?
Handheld, easy-to-prep foods: smash burgers, bratwursts, hot dogs and marinated chicken skewers. They cook quickly over high heat and don't need a knife and fork in a parking lot.
How do I clean my grill at a tailgate?
Clean it while it is still warm: scrape off grease and food debris, then wipe the grates or cooktop with a paper towel and a thin layer of oil to protect the steel until you get home.
Keep the Fire Going
Tailgating is loud, chaotic and a great way to spend a weekend, and running the parking lot grill earns you serious bragging rights. Prep at home, follow the venue rules, manage your fire responsibly, and don't let your buddies distract you when the burgers hit the sear zone. For more on safe setup, read how to grill safely. Ready for more? Explore more grilling guides and keep the fire going.