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Tailgating With a Compact Charcoal Grill

A tailgate grill has three jobs: fit in the truck with the coolers, set up fast in a crowded lot, and feed people without babysitting. The Slot Grill Compact packs about 1" thick and weighs about 14 lb, so it rides behind a seat or under a cooler. It assembles in 30–60 seconds by hand, with no tools or hinges, and it's 12-gauge carbon steel, so it doesn't wobble when people crowd around it.

"We got this for my husband for Father's Day and he loved it. Commented on how well it was built and is making plans to use it on the tailgate at the jobsites."Kimi Hines, Compact owner

Know the lot rules first

Stadiums, venues and parking lots set their own rules. Many require grills to be a set distance from vehicles, limit open flames, require hot coals to be disposed of in designated bins, or set tailgating hours. Check before game day.

Where to set it up

Not on the tailgate itself. Put it on pavement or gravel next to the truck, on a stable, level, non-combustible surface, away from vehicles and foot traffic. The 2⅞" air gap under the coal bed helps minimize radiant heat to the surface below, but it's still a charcoal fire. Keep it out of the walkway so nobody kicks it.

Packing list

• Slot Grill Compact (and a griddle plate for smash burgers or breakfast)
• Chimney starter, charcoal, lighter, newspaper
• Long tongs, spatula, heat-safe gloves
• Instant-read thermometer
• A metal can with a lid for cold ash
• Foil pans for resting and holding meat, foil, trash bags, paper towels
• Coolers: one for drinks, one for raw meat on ice
• Folding table for prep (keep it away from the grill)
• Water and hand soap or wipes

Menu timing for a small grill

Plan in waves. The 146 sq in surface does sausages or brats first (they hold well in a foil pan), then burgers, then anything quick like peppers and onions on the griddle. Two-zone coals keep the waves going without the fire getting away from you.

For bigger groups see cooking for a crowd.

Game-day timeline

1. Arrive, park, set up the table and grill.
2. Light the chimney right away; coals take time.
3. Pour, build zones, preheat grates.
4. Cook in waves; light a second chimney if you're feeding a lot of people.
5. Stop cooking well before you need to leave so the fire can burn down.

Keeping food safe in the lot

Keep raw meat in a cooler at 40°F or below. Don't leave cooked food out more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F). Hold cooked food hot in a covered foil pan at the cool end of the grill.

Leaving the lot

Never pack hot steel or ash into a vehicle. Let the coals burn down, dispose of them where the venue allows (many have hot-coal bins), and stack the grill once it's cool. Old gloves help, steel and soot go together. A bag or old box keeps soot off the truck bed.

Job site lunches

Owners also take the Compact to job sites for lunch. The same rules apply: a safe, non-combustible spot away from materials and vehicles, permission from the site, and a fully cold grill before it goes back in the truck.

"Good quality, perfect for on the go grilling, and great for job sites for the blue collar guys out there."Verified Compact owner

Safety basics (every cook)

• Outdoors only. Never use a charcoal grill indoors, in a garage, tent, camper, boat cabin or vehicle. Burning charcoal makes carbon monoxide, which you cannot see or smell.
• Stable, level, non-combustible surface. Bare soil, gravel, sand, concrete, pavers or a fire-safe pad. The Compact's 2⅞" air gap between the table and the bottom of the coal bed helps minimize radiant heat to the surface below, but it is still a live fire.
• Clearance. Keep it away from tents, vehicles, siding, overhangs, dry grass and anything that can burn. Keep kids and pets back.
• Follow local rules. Burn bans, campground, park, venue and HOA rules come first.
• Water or a fire extinguisher nearby, plus heat-safe gloves for handling grates and panels.
• Ash stays hot for a long time. Put it in a metal container with a lid and never pack hot steel or ash into a vehicle.

Quick-start checklist

• Grill seasoned and dry; old ash emptied
• Stable, level, non-combustible spot with clearance
• Charcoal lit in a chimney, ashed over
• Two-zone fire built, grates preheated and oiled
• Thermometer, tongs, spatula and gloves within reach
• Clean tray ready for cooked food

Common small-grill mistakes (and the fix)

1. Cooking before the coals are ready. Black-topped coals give smoky, weak heat and sticking. Wait until they glow under a light coat of gray ash.
2. Wall-to-wall coals. With no cool zone, every flare-up becomes a burn. Leave at least a third of the firebox thin or empty.
3. Crowding the grate. 146 sq in fills fast. Leave space between pieces so you can move them, and cook in waves.
4. Moving food too early. Let it sear and release on its own; it sticks until a crust forms.
5. Cold, dirty grates. Preheat for a few minutes, scrape, and wipe with an oiled paper towel held in tongs.
6. Wet food. Pat meat and vegetables dry before oiling and seasoning. Moisture steams instead of searing.
7. Judging doneness by time or color. Small fires vary. Use a thermometer.
8. Leaving ash in the firebox. Old ash chokes airflow. Empty it once cold before the next cook.
9. Putting the grill away wet. Raw carbon steel needs to be dried and lightly oiled. See rust prevention.

After the cook: burn-down and pack-down

1. Let the remaining coals burn down. Don't leave a fire unattended.
2. When ash and steel are completely cold, dump the ash into a metal container with a lid, or dispose of it where the venue or campground allows.
3. Scrape the grates, then wipe the cooking surfaces with a light coat of oil or Slot Grill Seasoning Balm.
4. Lift off the grates, slide out the V side panels, pull the end pieces and stack. The Compact packs to about 1" thick.
5. Store it dry. A bag or old box keeps soot off the rest of your gear.

Cooking in wind, rain, cold and heat

Taking this recipe on the road

The Compact packs about 1" thick and weighs about 14 lb, so this recipe travels to a campsite, tailgate, river bank or job site as easily as it cooks on the patio. A few habits make it safer and easier away from a kitchen:

• Prep at home. Trim, season or marinate meat, chop vegetables and mix sauces in the kitchen. Pack each in a sealed bag or container labeled by cook order.
• Keep raw meat cold and separate. Pack it at the bottom of the cooler, sealed, below ready-to-eat food. Keep the cooler at 40°F or below with plenty of ice, and keep it in the shade.
• Two sets of tongs and platters: one for raw, one for cooked. Never put cooked food back on the tray that held raw meat.
• Bring water and soap for hands and tools, plus paper towels and a trash bag.
• Pack the thermometer. It matters more outdoors, where wind and cold change cook times.
• Plan for ash. Bring a metal can with a lid and follow the venue's disposal rules.

For more, see the camping, tailgate and river trip guides.

Frequently asked questions

Can I put the grill on my tailgate?

No. Set it on pavement or gravel next to the vehicle on a stable, level, non-combustible surface, away from vehicles and foot traffic.

How fast does the Slot Grill Compact set up?

About 30 to 60 seconds by hand, with tab and slot assembly and no tools or hinges.

What's the best tailgate food for a small grill?

Foods that hold well and cook fast: sausages, smash burgers, wings and griddle vegetables, cooked in waves.

How do I get rid of hot coals at a stadium?

Use the venue's hot-coal bins if provided, or let them burn down and cool completely. Never pack hot ash or a hot grill into a vehicle.

Slot Grill Compact

12-gauge carbon steel · about 14 lb · 16.25" × 9" cooking area · packs about 1" thick · made in Texas · ★★★★★ 4.92 (77 reviews)

$89.97$99.97

Shop the Compact at SlotGrill.comAdd a griddle

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All specs and prices are from SlotGrill.com. Always grill outdoors on a stable, non-combustible surface and follow local fire rules.