Tailgate Like a Pro Presented by the Great American Cookout Tour

NASHVILLE, TN--(Marketwired - October 17, 2016) - Football season has kicked off and is heading down the field full steam ahead! That means fans across the country are gathering in parking lots near and far in preparations to watch their favorite teams vie for a win while they enjoy a variety of tailgate fare. Whether tailgating from the backyard or the rival's stadium, Mike Peters of the Great American Cookout Tour has a few tricks that will ensure tailgate success!

BBQ expert and GAC tour host, Mike Peters, is in his 10th year of bringing high quality food and techniques to event attendees with his wife Christine. With stops in all four corners of the country, the 2016 Great American Cookout (GAC) Tour brings the art and taste of outdoor cooking to some of the biggest and best barbecue contests, festivals, and retail locations throughout the nation.

While on tour, Peters has traveled across the country barbecuing and grilling for thousands of festival attendees, so he knows a thing or two about quieting rowdy crowds by offering delicious, hot-off-the-grill meals. Peters is passionate about simplifying the intricacies of what it takes for anyone to pull off a successful tailgate. One way he does this is by using products on tour that are easily found on the shelves of local grocery stores.

Here Peters shares a tailgate game plan with tips and recipes, brought to you by the Great American Cookout Tour's sponsors.

TIP 1: PREP
Prepare as much as you can ahead of time. Marinating meats is simple and easy. Here's a recipe we use on the tour that features marinated chicken, but works well with pork, too.

TIP 2: LEAVE YOUR BURGERS FROZEN
Get ahead of the game by using Bubba Burgers^® -- the best option for quick and easy burgers. These grain-fed burgers can go straight from the freezer to the grill and are ready in no time. Why bother with all of the extra, time consuming prep when Bubba Burgers^® has already locked in all the flavors for you? Just toss the boxes of Bubba Burgers^® in the cooler, and you're ready to go!

TIP 3: MAKE FLAVOR A PRIORITY
Let's not forget about the condiments! When preparing those brats or sausages, you can spice up your regular condiments by adding McCormick^® Grill Mates^® Seasonings to them for a winning kick. Add a tablespoon of Grill Mates^® Smokehouse Maple to your barbecue sauce to put it over the edge. Or, try adding a tablespoon of Grill Mates^® Chipotle and Roasted Garlic to your mayo -- talk about a winning conversion! And what about the kind of grill and heat source you're using? Peters grills all meats on award-winning Gatewaytm Drum Smokers using all-natural Cowboy® Charcoal products. Cowboy® Charcoal products keep flavor first and are sure to add just the right amount of heat to every bite. (And be sure to clean the grill after use so that your next tailgate is just as successful! Peter's grills are serviced by Grillbot, a robotic grill cleaner that sounds an alarm when the grill is clean.)

TIP 4: USE COOLERS TO KEEP THINGS HOT
Of course you'll want to pack coolers with ice for drinks, but did you know you can also use coolers for keeping things warm? You can wrap hot bricks in foil and place in coolers to keep things warm. At the end of the day, use an empty cooler for dirty items. Make sure to use as many disposable items as possible, because who really wants to do dishes after a great game?

TIP 5: DON'T FORGET THE SNACKS!
Main courses are obviously important at tailgates, but snacks should never be overlooked! Chips and dip or veggie trays are pretty much staples -- but you can surely turn the excitement up a notch. Ball Park® Flame Grilled Jerky comes in five different flavor options that are sure to keep the grazers at bay! And if heartburn strikes after eating all the terrific food at your tailgate, popping a quick Tums® can provide fast, reliable acid indigestion and heartburn relief.

The GAC Tour is the educational arm of the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) that not only equips event attendees with professional Pitmaster knowledge, but also puts those skills to the tasting test with free samples for everyone.

Never forget that grilling and game days are best spent with friends and family.

About The Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS)
A nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and enjoying barbecue, KCBS celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2016. As the world's largest organization of barbecue and grilling enthusiasts, KCBS serves more than 20,000 active members and sanctions more than 500 barbecue contests worldwide. For more information, visit www.KCBS.us.