It’s tailgating time. And this season, rather than the usual wings and chili, think about treating fellow fans to pizzas on the grill.

Portable grills have made it easy to cook great meals in stadium parking lots. If you really want to wow your gang, cook individual pizzas on the Freedom Grill. It attaches to the back of any vehicle with a standard 2-inch receiver hitch, locks into place while traveling, and leaves room in the SUV for all the food.

The Freedom Grill sells for about $800, but there are less expensive grills, such as the Thermos Char-Broil Grill-2-Go portable propane grill and the Weber charcoal Go-Anywhere grill.

If you’ve got to have the latest gadget, pick up the new Zagrill, which sits on the grill grate for cooking homemade pizzas. But if you just want some good-tasting pizza at the stadium, any charcoal or gas grill can make terrific pizza.

To save time, cook meat and vegetables on the grill at home and cut into bite-size pieces. Almost any topping can be used. If choosing meats, fish or shellfish, be sure they are fully cooked before adding them, as the pizzas are not on the grill long enough to cook thoroughly, according to James McNair, creator of Pizza Deck, a box of 50 recipe cards and tips for making pizza at home.

Ingredients for toppings can be in separate containers, and your tailgate buddies can make their own pizzas. Or, you can have everyone bring different toppings.

McNair recommends freshly made dough, but not everyone has time for that. Many recipes suggest using Pillsbury refrigerated pizza crusts. Tote the cans in the cooler; one pop-open container easily can make two small circles. Or you can roll out the crusts before leaving home. Separate the circles with waxed paper, spray with nonstick spray, and keep in a cool place. Rounds of puff pastry make a good base for lighter toppings such as artichokes, goat cheese and fresh herbs. This chars quickly, so watch it, but it has the best flavor.

Travis Bewley, general manager at Mad Mushroom Pizza in Lexington, Ky., recommends brushing the dough with garlic butter or beer before adding the toppings.

“It brings out a lot of the flavor of the bread,” he said. “The bread is really important to how the pizza tastes.”

When it’s time to cook, place the dough onto the rack of the uncovered grill directly over medium-hot coals or on a gas grill. Grill from 1 to 2 minutes or until dough is puffed in some places and starting to become firm. When the dough is just starting to char on the underside, turn the crust. Cover with cheese and toppings and grill a few more minutes, until cheese is melted and crust is crisp.

Grilled Pizza With Sausage and Oregano Ricotta

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1/2 pound Italian hot sausage

1 large red onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

2 large yellow peppers, cored, seeded and quartered

2 large red peppers, cored, seeded and quartered

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 recipe favorite pizza dough, rolled into 4 (6-inch) rounds

1/2 pound grated fontina cheese

1 cup sheep’s milk ricotta

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

Basil vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Preheat grill. Grill sausage on both sides until golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes per side. Brush onions and peppers with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Grill onions and peppers until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove sausage from grill and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices. Remove onions, separate into rings and roughly chop. Remove peppers and slice. Heat grill to high. Brush dough with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Turn over and grill from 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from grill and place on a flat surface.

Divide fontina cheese among the four pizza rounds. Divide sausage, onions and peppers over the cheese. Place pizza on the grill, close the cover and grill until the cheese has melted, from 3 to 4 minutes. To make in oven, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place pizza on sheet pans and bake until the cheese has melted, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Mix together the ricotta, extra-virgin olive oil and oregano in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove pizzas from grill or oven and drizzle with basil vinaigrette. Top with dollops of ricotta cheese mixture and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

Source: Food Network.

Basil Vinaigrette

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1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

Combine all ingredients and blend. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.

Artichoke and Goat Cheese Pizza

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Pizza dough, homemade, or refrigerated pizza crust, or puff pastry

Olive oil

3 cups or about 12 ounces crumbled fresh mild goat cheese

2 jars (6.5 ounces each) high-quality marinated artichoke hearts, well drained and thinly sliced

1/4 cup or 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chervil or flat-leaf parsley

Stretch and shape dough as desired and place on grill from 3 to 5 minutes or until bottom of dough is golden brown. Remove from grill and brush dough with olive oil, then top with goat cheese, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges. Distribute artichoke slices over cheese and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan and chervil or parsley. Bake an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Slice and serve hot.

Adapted from “The Pizza Deck” by James McNair.