Featured image: Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery
It’s almost time for kick-off, and whether you’re gathering with friends and family to cheer on your favorite team or to instead indulge in funny commercials, enjoy a Kenrick Lamar concert, or catch glimpses of Taylor Swift, you’ll need a winning spread to fuel the festivities.
We gathered crowd-pleasing recipes from chefs around the South (including a few from the host city, New Orleans) to earn you VIP status at your watch party. From gooey dips to hearty sliders and spicy poppers, this list is all you need to score big points with your guests this year.
Hot Caramelized Onion Dip with Bacon and Gruyere | Chef Jim Hagy, Chef’s Market
Indulge in this hot caramelized onion dip, a rich, savory, and delightfully gooey appetizer built for the Big Game by chef Jim Hagy at Goodlettsville, Tennessee’s, Chef’s Market.
You’ll need: eight bacon strips, four sweet onions (halved and thinly sliced), two cups shredded Gruyère cheese, one cup each of sour cream and mayonnaise, half a teaspoon each of sugar, sea salt, Tabasco, and pepper, two tablespoons of dry sherry, and one teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme.
To prep, preheat the oven to 400°F and cook the bacon ‘til crumbly. We don’t waste bacon grease in the South, so keep it hot and add the sliced onions, sugar, and sea salt. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, then reduce to medium, stirring often until the onions turn a deep golden brown—this may take up to 20 minutes. If the onions begin to burn, lower the heat to medium-low.
Once caramelized, add the dry sherry and cook for a minute, then stir in the thyme and Tabasco before removing from heat. In a medium bowl, mix together the sour cream and mayonnaise, then fold in the crumbled bacon, shredded Gruyère, onion mixture, and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer it all to your favorite baking dish.
Twenty minutes later (or until bubbly and golden), this bad boy is ready to serve alongside your favorite dippers.
Sweet-and-Spicy Wings | The McLemore Boys, Gather & Grill Cookbook
Wings and football are a match made in heaven, and we consulted father/son Southern duo The McLemore Boys to shed light on the perfect sweet and spicy recipe. This one is from their cookbook, Gather & Grill.
Grab your spices: you’ll need equal parts salt, pepper (maybe a little extra), garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder, then coat six chicken wings in the mixture and let sit for a half hour. Then, smoke the wings on indirect heat for an hour or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Meanwhile in a saucepan, combine a cup each of honey and BBQ sauce (your favorite will do) with a quarter cup of apple juice over low heat. When the wings are ready, drizzle the sauce on top and return them to your grill or smoker to finish off. Cook them at 350°F until the internal temperature reaches 180–200°F.
Crawfish Deviled Eggs | Birdy’s behind The Bower
With the Big Game being hosted in New Orleans, it’s only fitting to serve up Louisiana-inspired fare for the occasion. These crawfish tail-topped deviled eggs are a no brainer, the recipe coming to us from Birdy’s in the Big Easy.
Start with 12 boiled eggs with separated yolks. Combine them with mayonnaise to taste (this is subjective, as Southerners well know), plus a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, and return the mixture to the egg whites however you prefer (piping from a snip-tipped plastic baggie works well).
Kick things up a notch with the topping—marinate a half pound of crawfish tails in a cup of buttermilk and a half cup of hot sauce. After a half hour or so, toss the tails in a cup of flour and a half cup each of corn flour and corn starch, plus a couple tablespoons of Creole seasoning. Fry them until crispy (just a few minutes), and pop them on top of your deviled eggs.
To finish it off, reduce a half cup of hot sauce in a saucepan until thick, drizzle it on top, and make it extra fancy with a sprinkle of chopped green onions.
Fried Green Tomato Sliders | Chef Chris Borges, Commons Club at Virgin Hotels New Orleans
Fried green tomatoes are a delicacy here in the South, and these are a swanky version dressed up just for the Big Game. Make your tomatoes how you like (we recommend slicing them thin, dredging in seasoned flour, buttermilk, and cornmeal, then frying in canola oil).
Here’s where things get snazzy at the Commons Club, inside the Virgin Hotel in New Orleans—char a slicer tomato under the broiler, then slow roast it at 200°F until wilted. Add it to a blender with a roasted and peeled red bell pepper, a clove of garlic, a quarter cup of tomato puree, two tablespoons of sherry vinegar, a half cup of EVOO and toasted pecans, plus herbs like parsley, paprika, cayenne pepper. Blend until smooth to make a pecan romesco.
The fennel chow chow is a labor of love, but well worth it: in a big pot, combine a cup of finely chopped Napa cabbage, a cup of fresh corn kernels, a cup of diced yellow onion, four cups of finely chopped fennel (bulb and stalks), a cup of diced shishito peppers, one-and-a-quarter cups of cider vinegar, three-quarters of a cup each of water and sugar, and seasonings: ground ginger, ground fennel seeds, yellow mustard seeds, turmeric, red pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce by half, and let cool.
To assemble the sliders, spread some mayonnaise on the bottom of 12 split and toasted mini buns, add the fennel chow chow, top with a warm fried green tomato, and spread the pecan romesco on the top bun.
Texas Twinkies | Chef Christopher Prieto, Prime BBQ
When it comes to the South, few snacks spark as much debate—and delight—as Twinkies. Sweet, nostalgic, and undeniably indulgent, they’re a treat that’s earned its rightful place as a staple. But who says this iconic dessert can’t have a savory twist? Not pitmaster Christopher Prieto behind Knightdale, North Carolina’s Prime BBQ.
Meet Prieto’s stuffed jalapeños, lovingly nicknamed “Texas Twinkies” for their stuffed-and-wrapped resemblance to the classic snack. Loaded with smoky barbecue pork, creamy cheeses, and just the right kick of spice, these bad boys are the ultimate blend of bold Southern flavors, all wrapped in a crisp, smoky bacon hug. Serve these and you’ll be the winner no matter the outcome of the Big Game. Get the full recipe here.
Hot Pimento Cheese Dip | Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery
Tennessee’s original whiskey brand, Nelsons’ Green Brier, doesn’t excel in bottled spirits alone. Their whiskey-forward menu at the distillery restaurant is a draw all its own, and they’re sharing a decadent Southern appetizer to whip up for the Big Game.
Mix 12 ounces of softened cream cheese with a cup of sour cream, a pound of shredded white cheddar cheese, and eight ounces of diced white American cheese. Slowly add an eight-ounce can of diced green chilies, a cup of diced and roasted jalapeños, 10 roasted garlic cloves (minced), some cayenne, granulated onion, rosemary, and chopped green onions.
Once fully incorporated and seasoned with S&P to taste, pop the mixture in a cast-iron skillet and bake at 325°F for 25 minutes. Serve with pretzels, veggies, or pita, and of course, a bold glass of Tennessee whiskey.
Boiled Peanuts | Chef Kevin Gillespie, recipe from Fire In My Belly
Skip a stop at your roadside favorite and try your hand at your own boiled peanuts, perfect for snacking during the Big Game. Chef Kevin Gillespie shares a peek inside his cookbook, Fire In My Belly, with this simple recipe.
Boiled peanuts come with some caveats: green peanuts (which refers to them being freshly harvested, not green in color) are not always available, so chef Gillespie says the occasion befitts calling out of work.
Soak three pounds of cleaned green peanuts overnight (if you’re reading this and said, ‘Whoops, I’m making these today,’ you can just boil them a little longer in the next step). Rinse and place in a Dutch oven with four ounces of diced bacon, a good bit of salt, some dried tyme, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and celery seeds. Cover with water (there should be about a third more water than peanuts) and simmer for three to five hours. Don’t overcook or they’ll absorb too much salt. The best way to ensure this? Taste them every 15 minutes after the three-hour mark.
Once soft, let them cool and dish ‘em up just in time for kickoff.
P.s. If you’re new to boiled peanuts, don’t eat the shells.
Classic Queso | Chef Erik Niel, Little Coyote
Queso is a must at any app-centered gathering, and Chattanooga chef Erik Niel has you covered with his classic recipe served at Little Coyote. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a sauce pan, then add half a small onion (diced), a diced and seeded jalapeño, and a diced and seeded red bell pepper, then sauté for a few minutes until all are softened. Then, stir in a diced Roma tomato and cook for two more minutes.
Bring on the cheese – start by pouring in two cups of half-and-half and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Gradually add in eight ounces of American cheese and stir until melted, then double down with eight ounces of Chihuahua cheese (or any melty Mexican cheese). Whisk it all until it’s smooth and creamy, then serve nice and hot with your favorite dipper.
Looking for more recipes? Check out our cookbook.
