This time of year, the mouth-watering scent of charcoal fires and grilling burgers hits you blocks before you ever reach the parking lots around Heinz field, where fans are preparing football feasts: burgers, steaks, kielbasa, shrimp, chicken wings, potato salad, chili and beverages of every description. But while diehard football fans can go over the top with generator-powered heaters and televisions, trucks painted in team colors, portable restrooms and grills stuffed with food, Steelers fans say the recipe for a great tailgate party is actually pretty simple.

John Heller, Post-Gazette photos Kielbasa, burgers and shrimp on the grill. Click photo for larger image. What fans will eat inside Heinz Field At tonight's season opener against the Miami Dolphins, vendors at Heinz Field are expected to serve: 8,500 hot dogs 7,200 nachos 6,000 soft pretzels 4,000 slices of pizza 3,500 pounds of French fries 2,200 bags of peanuts 1,400 hamburgers 900 bags of kettle corn 10,000 bottles of water 3,300 gallons of soda 15 gallons of coffee Local favorites on the menu include (with expected servings at tonight's game): Primanti Bros. Sandwiches (2,700 orders) Quaker Steak & Lube Wings (1,600 orders) Benkovitz Fish Sandwiches (400 orders) Papa Duke's Gyros (250 orders) -- ARAMARK

What makes a perfect tailgater?

"The company -- you can do a tailgate with a bologna sandwich and Kool-Aid and be happy, especially at a Steelers game," said Rob Hart, an eighth-grade social studies teacher and football coach from Erie who was tailgating with his dad, Howard Hart, before last Thursday's preseason game against the Carolina Panthers.

Still, a fan's gotta eat, and there's nothing wrong with eating well as you're gearing up before the game. Rob Hart brought homemade potato salad and macaroni salad and a roasted chicken from Giant Eagle, while at the truck next door, Jack Christopher and Doug Kennedy were seasoning thick Delmonico steaks for their friends and family.

As always, they had picked up their steaks from Barker's Meats & Poultry Inc., Crafton -- the best meat in Pittsburgh, they said -- and were preparing them for the grill.

The key to a really good steak, Mr. Christopher said, is buy good meat and just don't do anything to ruin it. A thin coating of extra-virgin olive oil, a sprinkling of Lawry's Seasoned Salt and black pepper, and put it on a medium-hot grill for four to five minutes on each side.

"We do it up," said Mr. Christopher, a record promoter from North Huntington. "I didn't bring the cracked black pepper, but it is preseason."

For Betsy and Robb Sheridan of Beaver Falls, tailgating food is all about the kielbasa -- Eckridge Farms skinless, please, as Mr. Sheridan is a diabetic. The couple was grilling several with peppers, onions and potatoes, which had been half-cooked with paprika at home and then refrigerated until tailgating time to make them quicker to grill at the stadium.

For an appetizer, the couple had brought along store-bought nacho cheese, which they dress up with Zatarain's Creole Seasoning and garlic powder and reheat in an aluminum pan on the back of the grill.

Steaks from a Crafton butcher are a favorite of Jack Christopher of North Huntingdon. Click photo for larger image.

And for dessert? Betsy Sheridan showed off her marshmallows and graham crackers. S'mores on the grill, of course.

"S'mores finish off your grilling, your tailgating," she said. "You gotta grill -- that's why everybody tailgates."

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DEVILED EGGS

This is an addictive appetizer for all kinds of gatherings, and it's a great candidate for tailgate parties, too. Try one of the variations if you want to mix it up.

• 12 eggs
  
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  
• Salt and ground black pepper

Fill a large bowl halfway with cold water and dump in a tray of ice cubes.

Place the eggs gently in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the eggs for 10 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon and plunge them into the bowl of ice water.

Peel the eggs and cut them in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks and transfer them to a medium mixing bowl. Add mayonnaise and mustard and salt and pepper to taste and mash together.

Spoon the yolk mixture back into egg whites. Arrange eggs in the egg carton (you'll need an extra for this) to transport to the tailgate, or place in a hard-sided resealable container. Refrigerate until ready to pack.

Makes 24 deviled egg halves.

Variations

Deviled eggs with bacon: Crumble 6 pieces of cooked bacon and add them to the egg yolk mixture, along with 1 finely chopped jalapeno and 2 finely chopped scallions, green parts only.

Deviled eggs with crabmeat: Fold 8 ounces lump crabmeat, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley and 1 teaspoon lemon juice into egg yolk mixture.

Deviled eggs with ham and capers: Fold 2 ounces chopped ham and 1 tablespoon chopped capers into egg yolk mixture.

-- "The Tailgating Cookbook: Recipes for the Big Game," Bob Sloan

GAME DAY HEARTY MEXICAN DIP

This chunky, cheesy dip makes enough for a crowd.

• 1 pound lean ground beef
  
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
  
• 1 3/4 cups mild picante sauce or 1 can (14 1/2-ounce) Mexican-style diced tomatoes
  
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles or jalapenos
  
• 1 cup water, divided
  
• 1 package country gravy mix
  
• 8 ounces Mexican-flavored pasteurized processed cheese product, cubed (Velveeta recommended)
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh jalapeno pepper (optional)
  
• Chunks of French bread, tortilla chips or corn chips.

At home:

In a 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, cook and stir ground beef and onion until beef is browned; drain. Add picante sauce, green chiles and 1/2 cup water; heat to boiling. Meanwhile, dissolve gravy mix in 1/2 cup cool water; stir into boiling mixture until slightly thickened. Reduce heat to low; stir in cheese until melted. Stir in cumin and jalapeno pepper, if desired. Heat through.

At the tailgate:

Rewarm in a small pot over medium fire until heated through. Serve warm with bread chunks, tortilla chips or corn chips.

Makes 4 cups.

-- "Tailgates to Touchdowns: Fabulous Football Food," Nina Swan-Kohler

CRAIG'S POTATO PACKETS

These potatoes take 14 minutes to cook, so start them a few minutes before you put on your kielbasa, burgers or steaks.

• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced
  
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
  
• 1 medium onion, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
  
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• Salt and ground black pepper

At home:

Lay 2 16-inch lengths aluminum foil on a work surface.

Put potatoes, bell pepper, onion and garlic in a large bowl. Pour olive oil over them, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss together until combined.

Arrange half the potato mixture in the center of each piece of aluminum foil. Bring long ends together and fold them tightly several times. Then fold up the sides to make a nice, sealed packet.

At the tailgate:

Prepare coals for a medium-hot fire (one over which you can hold your open palm 2 to 3 inches from fire for 3 seconds). When coals are ready, place potato packets on the rack and cook for 7 minutes. Turn and cook for 7 minutes more. Open the packets carefully to avoid the escaping steam and serve. Each packet serves 2.

Serves 4.

-- "The Tailgating Cookbook"

BARBECUED SHORT RIBS

What better way to get into your gameday spirit than grabbing your own sweet, juicy, meaty short rib to gnaw? It'll bring out the animal instincts that every fan needs to tap into for the big game.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 6 large short ribs (5 to 6 pounds total)
  
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
  
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  
• 1/2 cup ketchup
  
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
  
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons molasses
  
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
  
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  
• 1 cup barbecue sauce

At home:

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot, preferably a Dutch oven, and brown the short ribs well on all sides, about 20 minutes.

Remove the ribs and pour out the excess fat from the pan. Add onion and cook until it softens slightly, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add ketchup, orange juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, red pepper flakes, cumin and mustard and bring mixture to a boil. Return ribs to pot, reduce heat to low and simmer until the meat is soft and almost falling from the bone, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Remove pot from heat and let cool. Transfer ribs to a sealable container.

At the tailgate:

Prepare coals for a medium fire. When the coals are ready, arrange the ribs on the grill and cook for 12 minutes, turning and basting with the barbecue sauce several times.

Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

-- "The Tailgating Cookbook"

BRATS LAMBEAU STYLE

OK, this is the way Packers fans cook their brats, but please don't hold that against the recipe. Wisconsinites might not know much about winning football games, but they are pretty darn good at cooking brats. We know kielbasa rocks, but at your next tailgater, try these brats, too.

• 2 cans beer
  
• 1 large onion, sliced
  
• 6 to 12 fresh bratwursts, depending on how many your crowd eats
  
• 6 to 12 buns, depending on how many brats you cook
  
• Mustard for serving
  
• 1 pound sauerkraut

At home:

Place the beer, onion, and brats in a saucepan just big enough to hold them. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the brats are just cooked through, about 8 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and let brats cool in the liquid.

Transfer brats and their cooking liquid to a sealable container and refrigerate until you are ready to pack, up to 24 hours. Then clean out the pan. You're going to bring it with you.

At the tailgate:

Prepare coals for medium fire (one over which you can hold your open palm 2 to 3 inches from fire for 4 seconds). When the coals are ready, lay the brats on the grill. Quickly transfer the cooking liquid to the saucepan and put that on the grill as well to heat up.

Cook the brats for 8 to 10 minutes, turning as needed to get them brown on all sides. Once they are done, return them to the pot with the cooking liquid. Serve them from there with mustard and sauerkraut.

Serves 6.

-- "The Tailgating Cookbook"

CHILI SIMPATICO

We all have visions of pulling off a glorious tailgater, but sometimes everyday life just won't cut us a break. If you run out of prep time, however, you don't have to settle for nacho-flavored Doritos and cheap beer unless you really want to. Instead, throw this quick and simple chili together and party hearty.

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  
• 4 pounds ground sirloin
  
• 1/4 cup chili powder
  
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
  
• 2 cups beef broth
  
• 2 cups water
  
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  
• 2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
  
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  
• Salt
  
• 1 cup grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

At home:

Place large pot over high heat, add vegetable oil and let it get hot. When oil just starts to smoke, add meat and cook, breaking it up with the back of a spoon, until all the pink is gone, about 5 minutes. Spoon out some of the fat. Add chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more.

Add beef broth, water, onions, bell peppers, oregano, garlic powder and salt to taste and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer chili for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes or so to keep bottom from scorching.

Correct seasoning and let cool before transferring chili to sealable container and refrigerating for up to 3 days.

At the tailgate:

Reheat chili (2 small pots work better on the grill than 1 large one) and serve topped with sprinkling of grated cheese.

Serves 8.

-- "The Tailgating Cookbook"

CHILI-RUBBED RIB EYES

• 4 rib-eye steaks (about 12 ounces each)
  
• 1/4 cup olive oil
  
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
  
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  
• 1 teaspoon paprika
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

At the tailgate:

Prepare coals for hot fire (one where you can only hold your open palm 2 to 3 inches over the fire for 2 seconds).

While coals are heating, trim away any excess fat from edge of steaks. Brush both sides of steaks with olive oil.

In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Rub the spice mixture onto both sides of each steak.

When coals are ready, grill steaks for 9 minutes, turning once, for medium-rare, 10 to 11 minutes for medium. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

-- "The Tailgating Cookbook"

CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

Keep these cookies hidden until the meal is done, or the main course might get trampled in the stampede for the cookie plate.

• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate
  
• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
  
• 1 cup granulated sugar
  
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

At home:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Break chocolate into 1/2-inch chunks and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, beat the butter with both sugars until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and chocolate chunks.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of dough for each cookie onto an ungreased cookie sheet, placing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes.

Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Store in sealable container until ready to serve.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

-- "The Tailgating Cookbook"

HOT MULLED CIDER

A really good tailgater can buoy its fans' team spirit even in the worst weather, but when snow is swirling or freezing rain is beating against the back of your neck, hot liquids sure don't hurt. Hot cider can be made on the back of the grill.

• 4 cups apple cider
  
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
  
• 1 orange, thinly sliced
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  
• 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 inches long, or 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

At home or at tailgate:

Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When cider is hot but not boiling, reduce heat to low. Keep cider hot for 30 minutes, making sure it doesn't come to a simmer. Strain into an insulated container to keep hot.

Note: You can mull the cider in a pot on the grill after all the cooking is done. Add a few more coals if needed to keep the cider hot.

Serves 6.

-- "The Tailgating Cookbook"