Football on the screen, something good on the grill. I originally put this matchday BBQ recipes roundup together in 2016, when I was looking forward to watching Belgium’s Red Devils for the European Championship and invited fellow BBQ bloggers to share their picks. Their twelve recipes are still here below. I have since added my own game day favorites, with a more useful question in mind: what can you actually cook while still watching the game?
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Matchday BBQ recipes: the short advice for a relaxing game
For a game day BBQ, do the slow work before kickoff and save the final cook or plating for the break. Start ribs, pulled pork or beef stew well ahead of time; prepare pizza dough, bread and salad before guests arrive. If you really want to cook something from scratch during a short halftime, choose a quick grill recipe and have every ingredient ready. A full rack of ribs or a whole chicken will not become a halftime recipe just because the grill is hot.
What should you cook before kickoff, during the game and at halftime?
When
Good options
Why they work
Well before kickoff
Pulled pork, ribs, pork cheeks or beef stew
They need a long cook. Plan the finish before the match rather than relying on the clock.
Before guests arrive
Beer bread, pizza dough and chickpea salad
Prepare the slow or fiddly work ahead. Finish or serve when you are ready.
Around halftime
Quick grilled cuttlefish, prepped wings or a skillet pizza already underway
Keep the active part short. Wings and pizza need to be started before the break.
My simple rule: if you need to turn, glaze or monitor something often, do not schedule its entire cook during the match. Use the timer as a reminder to check the food, and follow the doneness cues in each recipe.
Nine extra recent matchday BBQ recipes from my own grill
The guest recipes further down are where this post began. These are the recipes I can now add from my own site. Some are quick to finish; others belong on the fire long before anyone picks a team.
For the long cook before the game
Six-hour pulled pork — quicker than a classic overnight cook, but still a project to start well before kickoff.
3-2-1 baby back ribs — one for a full afternoon by the grill; follow the ribs rather than treating the six-hour schedule as a guarantee.
Smoked pork cheeks — the updated version of the dish I included in the original 2016 roundup.
Belgian beef stew from the Dutch oven — a particularly good choice for a chilly matchday when you want dinner ready without grilling individual portions for everyone.
Need help choosing your setup? My direct vs. indirect grilling guide explains which side of the fire should do the work. Most of these long cooks use indirect heat; the quick cuttlefish relies on a hot skillet.
For a platter around the break
Beer-glazed chicken wings — prepare and cook them before the break, then finish with the glossy glaze. Put napkins on the table.
Cast-iron skillet pizza — make the dough and sauce ahead. The pizza itself cooks over indirect heat, so start baking before halftime.
Grilled baby cuttlefish — a fast, hot skillet cook if you want something different from the usual wings and sausages. Thaw and dry the cuttlefish beforehand.
For a spread you can prepare ahead
Spanish chickpea salad with chorizo — substantial enough for the table and good warm or at room temperature. Follow the storage advice in the recipe when preparing it ahead.
Beer bread on the grill — bake the loaf before guests arrive and serve it with the stew or alongside a snack board. Proofing dough during halftime is a poor game plan.
The original twelve matchday BBQ recipes: a 2016 blogger roundup
This is where the article began: fellow bloggers sharing the recipes they would bring to a football gathering, alongside two from my own grill. I have kept their contributions and names as part of the original story. Some of the older links and photographs below lead to other websites and need a separate check before you rely on them for your menu.
Original hot and fast picks
Gorgonzola Stuffed Pork Steaks
Marcus Bawdon brings a nice mix of creative BBQ recipes at his blog “countrywoodsmoke“. He’s one of the bloggers that lead me into this blogging thing by sharing his photography set up and has always been open to provide some feedback! When looking at the recipes he brings every time I could only say he brings what I’m looking for! Inspired by traditional BBQ but with an eye for experimenting and culinary twists! These Gorgonzola stuffed pork steaks are a perfect example. Prepare them before the game. Watch the first half while your fire is starting and grill them at half time! Take a good beer and you’re settled for the second half!
The Blessed Bastard Chicken Wings
As mentioned earlier Marcus Bawdon learned me some things about food photography. I guess this had a huge influence on the success of these wings! They have been watched 5 times more than most recipes I shared over here. Yet I believe they are very tasteful and should advice them for half time cooking too! They will combine perfectly with a chilled beer and a nice game! I bet you’d like some more of them. Actually I guess it’s the only hot and fast recipe over here. Maybe I need to work on that?
5 Epic stuffed Hot dogs
Hey grill hey was one of the first blogs written in english I learned about. Susie brings the more traditional BBQ in a sublime way! The blog she runs looks perfect and very professional. When I asked her what recipe she wanted to share for halftime she came with five… How could I say I’m looking for one if these (four of the)five stars are making me drool?
Beef Satay by Kelly Bramill
What I like about Dreaming of the Good life? What not to like about it? Look at those pictures? This blog has style! But style is nothing without good recipes and let that be the best part of the blog! There’s a nice collection over there! Got any questions? Just ask she’s an open person that likes to help you!
Dirty Steaks by BBQ Barons
It’s a bit strange to pick this recipe out of the superb recipes on the BBQ Barons blog since they refer to Countrywoodsmoke as their inspiration but there are two main reasons for this! First of all it shows how they are integrated in the BBQ scene! Second there should be dirty steaks in this halftime recipe section of this post!
Planked Sea Trout with Asparagus by Thérèse Gaughan
Trout might not be the recipe you immediately think about when talking about football, but why not? This Planked Trout will make your game a culinary experience! Get settled for the second half with this trout by Kitchenexile. I got to know Thérèse by her activity on social media! She’s a nice person with great ideas on food! Not only thinking about her own (Like most BBQ lovers) but sharing other great recipes too!
Original low and slow picks
Sticky Oriental Ribs by Kelly Bramill
These Sticky Oriental ribs are nice and shiny but most of all they have some great ingredients! If you see star anise in a pork recipe you know it’s great! The anise has the quality to bring out the taste of the pork even better! And that’s just a start! These are rather high on my bucketlist!
Drunk Brisket with Bacon BBQ Sauce by Susie
What I like most about Susie’s blog is the amount of brisket recipes and information she brings! Those recipes all look drooling but I’m still waiting to make it my own till I have tasted some authentic Brisket myself… It’s high on my bucket list and really needs to be taken care off…
BBQ Smoked Scotch Eggs by Marcus Bawdon
Another bucket list recipe… Marcus chose these BBQ smoked Scotch eggs to feature this post. He told me they’re always great. If I had to pick a recipe from his blog it would have been this other version with black pudding. Since some people tell me I’m a bit stubborn I don’t need to hesitate to link to the “Black Pudding Scotch Eggs“. I don’t think any of you would mind.
Chorizo style Pulled Pork by Thérèse Gaughan
Low and slow without Pulled Pork? Forget it! Thérèse got creative on this one! She brings this Chorizo Style Pulled pork. How creative is that? Sounds more than delicious and is absolutely a recipe I need to make one day! It’s a shame I need to work while most games are played I will never have enough time to make all of these.
Chicken Lollipops by BBQ Barons
Chicken Lollipops look superb! I bet they will star your game and will impress your guests! My friend Birger Allary from Tjoppie Doppie prepared them last week at his pop-up restaurant. They remain very juicy this way! The BBQ Barons explain you how to make them!
Honey and thyme glazed smoked pork cheeks by me.
And last but not least (I hope) I want to share these delicious Pork Cheeks with you! This was one of the first recipes I published on this blog. Way before I had some followers. I strongly believe this is one of my best recipes so I hope you take some time to enjoy cooking them while you’re watching the game!
Matchday BBQ questions
What can I grill during a short halftime break?
Choose a recipe with a genuinely short active cook, such as the baby cuttlefish above, and prepare all ingredients and equipment before kickoff. Wings and skillet pizza can be served at the break if their cooking has already started.
Can I cook pulled pork or ribs while watching the game?
Yes, if you start long before kickoff and keep the grill stable. Check the food at sensible intervals. Their recipe times are planning estimates; thickness, grill temperature and tenderness decide when they are done.
What should I make ahead for a football BBQ?
Prepare dough, bread and suitable sides before guests arrive. For cooked meat, follow the recipe’s storage and reheating guidance rather than leaving it on the table throughout the game.
Does this work for soccer and American football?
Yes. The original article came from a soccer summer in Belgium, but planning food before kickoff and keeping halftime simple works for either kind of football.
What is on your matchday grill?
★★★★★
Give the blogpost a star rating and tell me in the comments how it turned out. Are you on team wings, ribs, pizza, or something completely different? Your feedback helps other pitmasters score big on matchday.
Hey grill hey was one of the first blogs written in english I learned about. Susie brings the more traditional BBQ in a sublime way! The blog she runs looks perfect and very professional. When I asked her what recipe she wanted to share for halftime she came with five… How could I say I’m looking for one if these (four of the)five stars are making me drool?
Nicely done! I want just about every one of these!
Me too haha every day another one 🙂