PITTSBURGH Football fans love to throw tailgates both big and small before games. Whether it’s a humble spread of chips, dip and chicken wings out of a car trunk or a catered smorgasbord feast, the goal is the same: to have a good time while cheering on the home team.

Such is the energy of a tailgate that it’s often the backdrop for other important celebrations, like the bachelor party Dave Brandon of Georgetown, Beaver County, threw for his cousin, Daniel Mackall, at the Steelers’ preseason game against the Detroit Lions. Organized at the last minute, it featured a simple menu of grilled bratwurst, chicken and shrimp from Costco with plenty of Miller Lite beer to wash it down.

“It’s a fun time. I love to entertain and cook,” says Brandon.

Then there are people like Johnny Dusch, who approaches his pre-game parties with such vigor that you might call him a tailgate fanatic.

The Greenfield resident and volunteer diving coach at the University of Pittsburgh, where he was a standout diver in 1984-87, has been throwing tailgates ever since the late 1980s, when the Steelers still played at Three Rivers Stadium. It wasn’t until 2009 that he figured out how to do it right, after running into a University of Pittsburgh tailgater partying out of the back of a Winnebago.

“He showed me how to do it with class,” he says.

Dusch then bought a retired 1980s ambulance and turned it into the Pittsburgh-themed Mobile Tailgating Unit. Upgrades included a 20-inch flatscreen TV and onboard restroom inside the cabin. The vehicle with a custom paint job paying homage to Steel City sports teams quickly became a fixture at Steelers and Pitt Panthers tailgates.

Dusch created a second MTU in 2013 after crashing the original on the way to a game. “But we tailgated anyway,” he says, noting how all the food and supplies were transported in friends’ cars to Heinz Field.

What really makes the Mobile Tailgating Unit special is the food Dusch dishes up in it before each game. For the Steelers’ first home game, he planned to serve his 50 guests five or six main courses, including grilled lobster and steak and mac ‘n’ cheese with either shrimp or lobster.

He loves to go all out on tailgates, he says, because nothing beats a good party. And the people who come together before games at Heinz Field “are a blast.”

“It’s the atmosphere. We’re all like a big team, helping each other out and having a great time.”

Who doesn’t love crunching on a taco and not having to worry that it will fall apart in your hand? This simple salad has all the flavors of a hardshell beef taco but can be eaten with a fork. If you like your tacos a little spicier, simply add salsa or hot sauce. Other optional toppings include diced avocado, chopped cilantro, sour cream or corn. I made the taco seasoning from scratch but there’s no shame in using a pre-packaged mix. – Philip Jandrokovic, Brighton Heights

Make taco seasoning mix: Measure out all the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well. Taste and adjust salt or spices as desired.

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until it’s no longer pink and breaks into crumbles. Drain and stir in taco seasoning and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 4-6 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, toss lettuce with tomatoes, olives, green onions, beans and cheese. Top with beef mixture and crushed chips; drizzle with dressing and toss to combine.

Every party needs some sort of dessert, and brownies fit the bill for a tailgate. These get the black-and-gold treatment with the addition of yellow M&Ms. It’s a pain to sort them from the bag, but they add a colorful home team touch. I added chopped pecans, but you could sub in walnuts or almonds. Adapted from marthastewart.com.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter 8-by-8-inch baking pan. Line bottom with parchment or wax paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Butter paper; set pan aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

Place butter and semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, and heat in microwave, 10 seconds at a time, until smooth, stirring occasionally. Stir in cocoa powder and oil. Add sugars, eggs, vanilla and flour mixture; stir to combine well. Stir in M&Ms and pecans, if using, then transfer batter to pan with a spatula.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs attached (or sooner to make sure they’re soft). Cool completely before slicing into squares.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. These also freeze well.

If there’s one given at a tailgate party, it’s that someone will bring Buffalo chicken dip. My go-to is shredded rotisserie chicken. For a handheld twist on this old favorite, I stuffed the dip inside a refrigerated pie crust, creating an empanada-like treat. – Gretchen McKay

Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together shredded chicken, cream cheese, cheddar and blue cheeses, blue cheese dressing and hot sauce. If it’s not saucy (or spicy) enough, add a little more hot sauce.

Unroll a pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface. Using a floured 3-inch round cookie cutter placed halfway on the edge of the pastry, cut dough into circles, or if you want to get really creative, 4-by-3-inch football shapes. Repeat with remaining dough, chilling and rerolling scraps as needed.

Transfer half of the cutouts to greased baking sheets. Place a spoonful (about 2 teaspoons) of chicken mixture in the center of each one and flatten with your finger, being careful to leave room on the edges.

Top with a little chopped cilantro and a pickled jalapeno. Brush edges of pastry with egg. Top with remaining cutouts and press edges with a fork to seal. If using football shapes, cut slits in the tops to resemble football laces. Brush tops with egg wash.

Bake 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan and serve hot, or allow to cool to room temperature. Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping.