Jimmy Buffet Video

Grilling Safety

A great book on safety tips is authored by Patrick Neely, co-host of Food Network’s “Down Home with the Neely”. Tip #1: use long tongs and use wood chips if you plan to smoke your mean. With long tongs you can reach over into your grill and really flip the meat. With short longs or a fork there is more potential of burning yourself. Tip #2: remember is to keep young children and animals at least 10 feet away from the grill. Tip #3: keep the coals hot and the flame low. If you're adding wood chips, he recommends soaking them in water for an hour before putting them on the flame. That way, they tamper out any active flames and give off a rich smoke that flavors the meat. Tip #4: keep the coals hot and the flame low. If you're adding wood chips, he recommends soaking them in water for an hour before putting them on the flame. That way, they tamper out any active flames and give off a rich smoke that flavors the meat.

"Try and do as much as you can prior to your party," Neely says. "When you're having a barbecue guests don't want to see you working and sweating at the grill. You want to kick back and have a good time and have everyone enjoying the atmosphere."

While safety is important, sometimes it can be best fostered by good preparation so that you're free to enjoy your food and your guests without jeopardizing safety while rushing to do too many things at once.

Great Tailgating Planning Tips

The first step in planning any event is to make sure there are people there! Check your club or organization list and make sure everyone received an invitation. Remember to include other friends and relatives too. Always make certain that the time, place and meet up time are correct. But because of the increased popularity of Tailgating, many Universities have designated spots in parking lots that you can reserve. Be sure you are familiar with the rules, especially pertaining to alcohol. Stricter rules are now being enforced at many universities. So if that is an important issue to you, you might want to consider the Tailgate party being held in your back yard or driveway.

Another thing to remember is to make sure that the arrival time on the invitation will allow your arrival time at the site about 3-4 hours early. Most people plan for the trip home to begin about two hours after the game has ended. This allows time after the game to visit, to clean up and you will miss the mad dash out of the stadium. Everyone needs to know if a group meal is planned or individual meals. Be sure and include that information in the invitation. A group meal makes it easier for all parties concerned. The person planning the party can frequently be in charge of the meat, with the others bringing side dishes.

The simpler the better, but the tailgate party has grown from simply carrying supplies in the trunk, to entire corporations with hospitality booths. Most tailgaters have a grill of sorts and cook out under the open sky. Because of the popularity of Tailgate Parties and traveling meals, grills that attach to your vehicles have been designed and are sold everywhere.

Stay tuned for more great tailgating ideas!

Word Origin of Tailgate

–noun

1.	the board or gate at the back of a wagon, truck, station wagon, etc., which can be removed or let down for convenience in loading or unloading.

–verb (used without object)

2.	to follow or drive hazardously close to the rear of another vehicle.

–verb (used with object)

3.	to follow or drive hazardously close to the rear of (another vehicle).

–adjective

4.	pertaining to or set up on a tailgate: a tailgate picnic before the football game.

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Origin:
1850–55, Americanism; tail ¹ + gate

Rain or Shine Canopy

Tailgate products including the Mosquito Magnet, Tailgate Canopies, BBQ grills, wine coolers, custom card table covers, Tailgate Camping Chairs and Tailgate Cookbooks.