It’s Sunday and the football games are getting started for the afternoon. If you’re at home you’re probably settling in for an afternoon in front of the TV. Here in the lounge we’ve all claimed our stools, the drinks are poured and the bowls of chips and pretzels are spread out on the bar.

But if you’re lucky enough to actually be at the game you’re either craning your neck for the overpriced beer guy or standing in line for the overpriced hot dog guy. Or, if you’re smart, you’re checking out the tailgaters; better yet, you’re tailgating yourself.

Tailgating is the perfect marriage of two of American’s great loves – sports and eating. Joe Cahn, the self described Commissioner of Tailgating, describes it as the “last great American neighborhood.”

Recently the Food Network aired Tailgate Warriors, a judged cook off between tailgating fans of the Buffalo Bills and the Chicago Bears when the teams met in Buffalo, NY earlier this year. The show was hosted by one of our favorite bowling shirt wearing celebrities, Guy Fieri.

Most of us probably think of tailgating as a combination of clever cooler packing and grill mastery. But after watching these two cooking teams face off, I now know these hardcore tailgaters are both gadget-heads and alfresco-gourmands. From motorized spits and spinning beer-can chicken cookers on the Chicago side to the over seven foot long, custom built, charcoal fired combination grill, griddle and oven – yes, oven – on the Buffalo side, these were some serious outdoor kitchens.

But it wasn’t all about the gadgets. There were some really great looking recipes, seared scallops, pork loin stuffed with Buffalo style chicken, and even a sundae. Check out the show page for links to the recipes themselves.

There are still plenty of excuses for tailgating coming up this year so keep your coals hot and grill on, baby!