It starts long before that perfect parking place is found and the socializing begins. Days before in some cases.

Like with anything, preparation is critical to success, and tailgating is no exception.

The menu choices and, of course, the slicing, dicing and chopping of food — these are key to the enjoyment of a tailgate. Sure, you could go the chips-and-dip route, but, honestly, is that tailgating? We think not.

When you’re ready to enjoy real tailgating, a little research and doing your prep work at home will have you cheering no matter what the sport. A parking space, grill or camp stove, tables, chairs and food are all you need to have your own tailgate.

Eric Potvin of Lewiston is a longtime Maineiac’s fan, even coming home from college in Boston during the first years of the team’s existence to catch the games. He’s seen sports enthusiasts bring a variety of food offerings to tailgate parties, everything from classic burgers and ‘dogs to the more involved dishes, like the spicy tailgate kielbasa he makes.

The dish, one he says he found in a tailgating cookbook, consists of kielbasa, peppers, onions, and sweet and sour sauce. Potvin says his wife stepped it up a notch when she suggested adding pineapple.

He says the recipe is best made the day before a tailgate. It can be made while tailgating, but it’s just messy. Potvin uses a grill or a grate over a portable fire pit to cook on.

“Preparing anything you can ahead of time helps,” said Potvin. “You’ll have a lot more time to enjoy tailgating if you make it beforehand.”

A former Boy Scout leader, Mike Morin of Lewiston is also no stranger to outdoor cooking. He says he could see cooking just about anything at a tailgate, including deep frying a turkey or roast, or breakfast when the situation calls for it. Recently he made a simple stir-fry at his son Dylan’s middle school football game. Yes, tailgate stir-fry.

Even desserts have their place at a tailgating event, says Morin. One of his favorites is dump cake. (For a range of tasty, simple recipes for that, search Google for “dump cake.”)

“When I do something, I do it,” said Morin, owner of The Jeweler’s Bench in Lewiston. “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.”

Morin prepped 12 pounds of chicken and 10 pounds of beef the night before the stir-fry, making sure to cut the pieces small enough to ensure thorough cooking. He also bought 15 pounds of shrimp. His wife suggested he use the bagged frozen vegetable medleys to cut out some of the prep work, since the game was the first time he had done a stir-fry for tailgating.

The result? Morin says he ran out of food, and received only one complaint — not salty enough.

Both Potvin and Morin say they enjoy relaxing with food and good company, two things found in abundance at tailgates.

Potvin did caution that weather is definitely a factor worthy of consideration. The temperature, snow or rain, and even over-exposure to the sun are all things that can sour a tailgate experience. Wind is often overlooked, but it can also be a major factor when it comes to cooking. Take steps to ensure the weather doesn’t ruin the festivities. Look up weather reports and pack accordingly, and always pack extra if possible. The surest way to make friends at a tailgate is to have enough for everyone.

Tailgate check list:

Food
All ingredients, prepped and packed
Beverages, hot and cold
Cooler packed with ice
Seasonings and condiments

Nonfood
Utensils, cups and plates
Chairs (bag or folding)
Extra outerwear for colder weather
First aid kit (no joke)
Grill or camp stove, fuel

Tailgate recipes

Stir-fry

1-2 lbs. chicken or beef, sliced thin (or pre-cooked shrimp)

1-2 bags frozen, cut vegetable mix

Sauce made of: 1/2 to 1 cup olive oil, 1-2 tbsp. minced garlic, 1 tsp. ginger, 1 tsp. celery seed, salt and pepper to taste

2 cups cooked rice

Over medium-high to high heat, warm olive oil sauce. Add meat, poultry or shrimp. Cook until almost done, add vegetables and a few tablespoons of water. Continue to cook, tossing the mixture to coat it with the olive oil sauce. Remove from heat once vegetables are heated; serve over rice. For larger groups, like with tailgating, increase the meat, poultry or shrimp, as well as the vegetables and sauce equally. For 15-20 people, 

Spicy Tailgate Kielbasa

1 large red onion (roughly chopped)

1 green pepper (cleaned, roughly chopped)

1 red or yellow pepper (cleaned, roughly chopped)

1 package kielbasa, sliced thin (family size 3-lb package, usually has three links in it)

1 tbsp. minced garlic

3 jars La Choy Sweet and Sour Sauce (10 oz.)

1 can pineapple chunks

Tabasco sauce to taste (1 to 4 tablespoons; 2 is recommended by the chef)

Olive oil

Black pepper

Salt

Using a large 6-8 quart pot, heat oil (about 2 tbsp). Add peppers and onions, cooking about 5 minutes on medium heat. Season with salt and pepper while stirring frequently.

Add the sliced kielbasa, sweet and sour sauce, Tabasco, garlic and pineapple. For more pineapple flavor add up to half the pineapple juice in the can. Bring all the ingredients to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 30 to 45 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn’t burn. Bring your pot to the game and reheat on your camp stove or grill. The meal costs about $20 to make and can feed 15-20 people.

Have a food or cooking question? Want to know the secrets behind your favorite dish at your favorite local restaurant?

We’ll try to find out the answer. Write to Tammy at tschamberland@sunjournal.com or leave a message at 689-2947.

Next week: Oh, the flavor that apples add to pork chops and potatoes. Kitchen wiz Jennifer Gendron shares her easy and delicious Oktoberfest pork chop recipe, along with her time-saving tips that make dinner preparation less of a chore.

Mike Morin of Lewiston stir-frys shrimp and vegetables while tailgating.

Shrimp and veggie stir-fry, cooking on a Slik Vik Griddle of Maine.

Shrimp and veggie stir-fry, cooking on a Slik Vik Griddle of Maine.

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