Entertaining on the Go: Tailgating Favorites

November in New England is a different kind of busy. Festivals are still going strong, high school football is into tournament play and heading toward Thanksgiving Day rivalry games, basketball and hockey seasons are starting up with their early ice times and away tournaments, college and NFL Sundays run every weekend, and holiday fairs and craft shows are filling up the open dates.

Food is still at the center of all of it. The difference now is that it has to travel, and it has to be easy.

Before you default to the drive-thru on the way to a tournament or college game two towns over or pack another cooler full of sandwiches for the parking lot that is Route 1 in Foxborough, we want to remind you that you can stock up here instead. If you’re cooking at the tailgate, our in-house marinated meats and housemade sausages and burger patties are easy to throw on a portable grill. In fact, many of our most-requested meats are already prepped for you. Just keep in mind that propane and charcoal both burn faster in the cold, so bring more fuel than you would in July, and give yourself extra time to get the grill up to temperature.

Step 1: The main event

Marinated steak tips. Our tips are cut and marinated in house, and they are the easiest thing on this list to cook for a crowd. They go fast over direct heat, they portion well, and they are simple to grill and eat on skewers, while keeping your other hand free for a beverage.

Burgers. Ground in house, 100% beef, no fillers. Grilled onions on the side take about the same amount of grill space and are worth it.

Housemade sausages. We make these in house in a rotation of flavors. Sausage, peppers, and onions is still the most efficient tailgate meal there is, and it holds heat better than almost anything else once it comes off the grill.

Chicken and turkey tips. Boneless thighs and our marinated chicken and turkey tips cook quickly and stay juicy, which matters when you are working in the cold.

Steak. If your tailgate is technically your backyard with a game on the big screen, why not go all-out with your favorite steaks. Then use our steak grilling guide for times by thickness, our cut-by-cut grilling guide for method, and how to tell if your steak is done when you have left the thermometer on the kitchen counter.

Step 2: Sides that hold up

Our deli has prepared sides and salads ready to go, or pick up produce and build your own. Two approaches that work in cold weather:

Heat it in the pan you brought it in. Macaroni and cheese and garlic mashed potatoes can go straight onto the grill in a covered foil pan. No prep, no transfer, no second dish to wash.

Foil packet potatoes. Still the best use of leftover grill space and a great technique for tailgating and late-season camping, especially with kids.

• Slice white potatoes and onions about 1/4 inch thick.
• Put one sliced potato and some onion on a foil square, top with butter or olive oil and your seasoning of choice, and seal. Our house-made seasonings are in the grocery aisles.
• Grill about 30 minutes, turning once.

Not bringing a grill at all? Rotisserie chickens, ready-to-cook meals, and take-and-heat entrees from our prepared foods case handle the games where there is no parking lot setup, just a cooler and a car ride.

Step 3: Dessert

Our bakery case covers it: cookies, brownies, cannoli, whoopie pies, and more. Pick up extra. Dessert is the thing people remember and the thing that always runs short.

Step 4: Everything else, same trip

We carry beer, wine, and spirits in-store, so you can grab what you need for the weekend while you are picking up the food instead of making a second stop.

We also stock the rest of it: buns, condiments, chips, paper goods, and the heavier-weight disposable plates and utensils that do not fold in half when you are balancing a plate on a tailgate.

One more thing before you go.

Thanksgiving is a few weeks out. Now is the right time to talk to us about your turkey, your roast, your sides, and your pies, because the week of the holiday is not the week to start figuring it out. Our complete Thanksgiving Order Guide is an all-in-one for everything you need, including portion sizes, pricing, and variations. If you’re looking for a complete, cooked Thanksgiving dinner, you can find that here. We also have an online and printable turkey roasting guide, if you’re cooking it yourself.