Tips to Follow Before Breaking Out the BBQ Grills on Super Bowl Sunday

Did you know that Super Bowl Sunday is the biggest winter grilling day of the year? That's right—although many stay indoors in the winter, dedicated grill enthusiasts are firing up their outdoor kitchens for the ultimate game day celebration. With Super Bowl Sunday 2026 approaching, it's time to take off the grill cover and prepare for an unforgettable outdoor cooking experience.

Whether you're hosting a small gathering or throwing a tailgate party, these tips for Super Bowl Sunday will help make sure the food is the star of the show. From essential grill maintenance to creative menu ideas, here's your complete guide to grilling success on game day.

1. Perform Essential Grill Maintenance at Least a Week Early

Before you even think about menu planning, tackle grill maintenance first. If your grill has been sitting for more than 6 months, you will want to perform a deep clean and inspect your grill parts for any that may need to be repaired or replaced. Otherwise, if it's only been a month or so since you've cleaned your grill, follow this quick 10 minute cleaning and maintenance checklist.

• Start by giving the grill grates a thorough cleaning soaking them for about 30 minutes in a mild soap water solution. For more stubborn build up, create a paste combined of baking soda and water. Apply the paste to the grates, let them sit for about 10 minutes and then use a brush to scrub the grates.
• We don't recommend cleaning your burners or ceramic briquettes with any cleaning solutions or soaking them. Instead, use a stainless steel scrubber or brush to clean the dirt off debris from the outside of the burner and the ceramic briquettes. To further clean your burners, use a small drill bit to clear the port holes surrounding the burner. If your grill has a tube you will want to shake out any debris that may have fallen into the burner. You can also use a pipe cleaner or Venturi Brush to remove any spiders or cobwebs that may be in the burner as well.
• Inspect your grill parts, ignition systems, gas lines, and connections for any signs of wear or damage. If there are any parts that are damaged, make sure you order your grill replacement parts as soon as possible. You can find thousands of grill replacement parts at The BBQ Depot.
• Clean out your drip tray using a mild soap and water.
• Once all your parts are removed from the grill, use a portable dry vacuum (we recommend Shop-Vac) to collect any leftover residues from inside the grill or on parts like burners and briquettes.

Pro Tip: Keep a brass brush or grill scraper nearby to clean grates between different items—this prevents flavor transfer and ensures proper searing. After your final cook, while the grill is still warm, give grates a thorough brushing. Once the grill cools completely, empty the drip tray and cover your grill to protect it from weather. Proper care after your Super Bowl Sunday feast will ensure your grill is ready for the grilling season ahead.

2. Start Your Menu Planning and Marinating on Saturday

One of the most important tips for Super Bowl Sunday success is proper time management. Start marinating meats on Saturday so the flavors can fully develop. Most marinades need 12-24 hours to penetrate more deeply, giving you juicier, more flavorful results on game day, so this timing is perfect for Sunday afternoon kickoff.  

Plan your Super Bowl Sunday food menu strategically—include items with different cooking times so you're not trying to everything at the same time. Quick-cooking items like shrimp skewers or hot dogs can go on during halftime, while slower items like ribs or pulled pork should start early. Create a cooking timeline working backward from kickoff to ensure everything comes off the grill at the perfect moment.

Also, now is the perfect time to try something new! Super Bowl Sunday is your chance to get creative and elevate your menu with unexpected items.  While burgers and hot dogs are game day staples, grilled pizza is always crowd-pleaser—use store-bought dough to make it easy or make your own to really "wow" the crowd. Top with classic ingredients or get creative with BBQ chicken or buffalo-style pizzas.

Vegetables are another great option to bring versatility to your Super Bowl Sunday menu. Grilled peppers, onions, zucchini, and portobello mushrooms provide colorful, healthy alternatives. Bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers, grilled wings with various sauces, and even grilled desserts like pineapple or pound cake with grilled fruit can round out your menu and bring variety to the table.

3. Test Fire Your Grill the Day Before & Stock Up On Fuel

This grilling tip may seem obvious, but we've seen first hand customers firing up the grill on gameday only to have to spend precious grilling time having to restock fuel or buy a grill replacement part at the last minute. The day before Super Bowl Sunday, fire up your grill for a test run. Let it reach full temperature and run for 15-20 minutes. This accomplishes several things: it burns off any residual debris from your cleaning, confirms that all burners are working correctly, and gives you peace of mind that your equipment is game-day ready.

Not only is a fully functioning grill necessary for game day, but having the supplies you need on stock. Nothing ruins a Super Bowl party faster than running out of propane mid-cook so if you're using propane, make sure your tank has enough fuel and have a backup tank on hand just in case. For charcoal enthusiasts, stock up on high-quality lump charcoal or briquettes plus lighter fluid or a chimney starter.

4. Prepare Your Grill Zones for Different Cooking Methods

Professional grilling tips always emphasize the importance of heat zones. Set up your grill with different temperature zones: high direct heat for searing burgers and steaks, medium heat for chicken and sausages, and a cooler indirect zone for keeping items warm or slow-cooking.

For gas grills, this means adjusting individual burner controls. For charcoal grills, bank coals to one side for direct heat and leave the other side cooler for indirect cooking. This setup gives you flexibility when cooking multiple items on your grill at the same time. Looking for a grill that offers multiple fuel sources in one? The American Outdoor Grill Muscle Hybrid has the ability to burn it all and great for the grilling enthusiasts looking to bring pro level status grilling to their backyard.

5. Create a Game Day Cooking Schedule

Organization is key to stress-free entertaining. One of the best tips for grilling on Super Bowl Sunday is creating a cooking schedule. List every dish you're making, it's required cooking time, and when it needs to go on the grill to be ready by kickoff.

For example:

• 11:00 AM: Start ribs on indirect heat
• 2:00 PM: Put chicken wings on grill
• 3:00 PM: Grill vegetables
• 3:30 PM: Burgers and hot dogs for kickoff at 3:30 PM (adjust for actual kickoff time)

It might feel overwhelming, but this schedule will free up your time to enjoy crucial game moments, instead of being stuck at the grill the entire time. Your guests will appreciate hot, fresh food, and you'll actually get to watch the game!

Ready for Kickoff

If you follow these tips for grilling, you'll be ready to host a Super Bowl BBQ that delivers great food, minimal stress, and plenty of time to enjoy the game.  Proper grill maintenance, smart planning, and creative menu choices transform a simple game day gathering into an event your friends will talk about long after the final whistle.

So fire up that Alfresco, Lynx, or Twin Eagles grill and get ready to score big with your Super Bowl Sunday party. After all, whether your team wins or loses, everyone's a winner when great BBQ is involved.

Now the only question remains: Who are you rooting for this year?

Something in your grill not working?  Need last minute supplies?  We've got it all at The BBQ Depot!  From grill parts, to outdoor kitchen appliances, we're here to not only help provide you with the proper equiptment for your cookouts but our team of experts are here to walk you through any issues you might be having on gameday or anyday after. Call or message us today at 1-877-983-0451 to speak to one of our BBQ experts.