Planning ahead is the secret ingredient to any successful tailgate party. Race tailgate parties are not just one day like most football tailgates. Typically a race tailgate will last an entire weekend, anywhere from 2-5 days. Doing as much food preparation as possible before hitting the trail is an important factor. Knowing how many people you will feed and planning a menu is key! Simple but doable recipes are also optimal, especially if you only work with coolers.
You must freeze or chill your food first. If possible, pre-chill or freeze food and beverages before canning. If you’re going in an RV or trailer, you’ll probably have adequate refrigeration, but it’s always good to have extra coolers on hand. Especially a separate cooler just for drinks. Those tend to open and close more often. You don’t want to keep food in a refrigerator that keeps opening and closing. If it’s tempting or you just take a truckload, an insulated container or cooler with a few pre-frozen items will be necessary. Instead of using loose ice, consider freezing water in lightweight plastic containers or clean milk jugs; that way, when they melt, they won’t flood your cooler. This can be added to your cold water supply, during and after the race. Better yet, use water bottles, that way you can drink from them directly to make optimal use of the cooler space.
Doubling the recipes is helpful on race weekends. Many recipes can be doubled or tripled to feed the masses. It is still better to have too much than too little. If you have proper ways to store leftovers, I’m sure someone will eat early morning or late night with those treats. Do not multiply certain ingredients such as oil and butter that are used for sautéing. Just use enough to cover the bottom of your pan. A good dumpster should hold a fresh olive oil or vegetable oil container and/or possibly a can of cooking spray anyway.
Marinate your food ahead of time Do all the marinating before the race when possible. Marinate the meat in a cooler or refrigerator and discard any remaining marinade used for the raw meat. This works best with beef and pork, or even turkey for frying. Boneless chicken, fish, and shrimp tend to marinate quickly. The quickest marinating items can be done on the run in good quality zip-top bags and in a cold cooler. Marinating items like this can be done quickly and easily by bringing in some fresh oranges or lemons and squeezing the juice directly onto the meat and adding some spices from the back door bin. Keeping a bottle of your favorite Italian dressing on hand also makes a great marinade. It is not necessary to refrigerate the dressing until after opening it. Refrigerate any other fresh marinade not used on raw meat to flavor cooked food later.
Other pre-race preparation is pretty common sense. Make sure the tailgate bin is properly stowed. This includes things like aluminum foil and grilling tools and a crank can opener. After every tailgate party, you need to restock right away so you’re ready to go at a moment’s notice.
Have extra fuel for your grill, BBQ smoker, and deep fryer. Make sure you have extra charcoal, wood, or a full tank or two of propane. Some race venues will have a place to stock up on ice and propane, but if this is a new location for you, or you are unsure, make sure you are prepared. You don’t want to set up your turkey fryer on the third day of the race, after a few breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, and run out of LP gas halfway through frying your turkey. You can always use the propane another day. Don’t plan on using your smoker every day if you don’t have enough wood or charcoal. Make sure your hoses and regulators are working properly before you hit the trail, too. Chances are there’s a big box store somewhere nearby, but why risk the hassle if you don’t have to? Traffic is usually pretty bad on a race weekend. Why add aggravation to the mix if you don’t have to? Make sure your gear is properly stowed away for travel, too. You don’t want to get to the track or camp and find that your grill lid blew off at mile 9.
Pre-race preparation is important for any tailgate. Even if you’re just a participant, ask the chef and bottle washer what you can bring. Ask if you need help. If you want to have fun on the run, you don’t need to be just a drinker and stuffer. Some help may not be required, but if you want to be asked again… help when needed.
Have a great racing season.