Page 9 - Barbecue News Magazine September 2021

By Kell Phelps
Publisher Barbecue News Magazine info@barbecuenews.com
Have you ever wondered what the perfect tailgate party would look like? I am betting that if you have ever hosted one of these events, you have imagined what perfection would look like. Here is a little secret: if everyone attending had fun...then you have thrown the perfect tailgate party. Rule #1 in barbecue is to have fun.
Raylyn, Janet, and Bailey Phelps are all smiles just before kickoff and just after a very memorable tail- gate party.
A perfect example of this would be the Dawg Walk that happens two and a half hours before every University of Geor- gia football game kickoff. This is a fan- tastic event for the youngsters to meet their favorite players, cheerleaders, and the mascot as they enter the stadium for the game that day. We have gotten many photos from those pregame events that will be placed in the family photo albums for years to come. We simply ate on the fly several times in- stead of grilling to make sure and not miss that event, but now that we are all older, the Dawg Walk could be changed out for a great grilled burger and a bag of chips.
The sad truth is making sure
everyone has fun can be chal-
lenging. Below are a few ways to make sure every tailgate you host comes out perfect!
Include everyone...even you...in the plans to ensure the fun
For me, the perfect tailgate will involve friends and family. Be- cause I am the grillmaster/pitmaster, I love firing up a grill or pit, but only if it works out for the tailgate we are attending. Some- times I will skip the grill and go for finger snack foods to lighten the load. The goal is to always make sure fun is first on the list. Sometimes transporting a grill, charcoal, and all the accompani- ments can take away from your experience. Sometimes it’s OK to pack a basket full of ham sandwiches and leave the grill at home!
Plan early and know the schedule
Be flexible in your setup
Last but certainly not least...never let the size of your tailgate de- termine perfection. A great family and friends get together can bring memories that will last a lifetime. Stay flexible and know small can be good...especially when the weather can be question- able.
One of my most memorable tailgates happened back in 2010 in Athens, GA, just before the Dawgs played Kentucky. The weather was very questionable, so we decided on grabbing some burgers from the Varsity (a local burger and hot dog joint that is a great tradition within itself). From there, we drove down to our parking spot at the bookstore and let the tailgate down and feasted. After- ward, we got the football out and tossed it around a bit before heading to partake of the Dawg Walk. Here are some of those un-
forgettable memories we captured from our family photo album. Be- lieve it or not...no grilling or BBQ took place, but that was one that we all remembered because we all had fun!
The entire Phelps clan takes a selfie just before kickoff from inside Samford Stadium.
Most tailgates center around the start time of events. It’s hard to plan a tail- gate party if you aren’t sure when that event is starting or when the sta- dium opens for you. Local tra- ditions are the easiest to pre- pare around be- cause they are second nature to you.
Raylyn Phelps got a photo op with several UGA cheerleaders during the Dawg Walk.
SEPTEMBER 2021
BarbecueNews.com - 9
The Perfect Tailgate