No matter which teams are playing in the big game on Super Bowl Sunday, the event is an excuse to eat well.The thing about most “big game” table fare is that few chefs want to be cooking close to kickoff. Here are a few Super Bowl party pleasers that can be prepped the day before and then just packaged for easy plate assembly just prior to the coin toss. Heads or tails? Doesn’t matter when you’re munching these super snacks.
Ken’s Apple Smoked Venison Sandwich
Thinly sliced smoked venison roast.
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced and peeled cucumber
Sliced red onion
Sliced cheeses
Toasted and sliced French or Italian bread
Sauce (mixture of about 3/4 mayonnaise and ¼ horseradish, to your taste)
Pickles and kettle chips nicely round out the plate
Smoked Fish Sandwich
Fillets of smoked fish
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced and peeled cucumber
Sliced red onion
Sliced cheeses
Toasted and sliced French or Italian bread
Sauce (mixture of about mayonnaise, lemon pepper and Old Bay seasoning or crab boil seasoning)
Smoke the venison and fish slowly with apple wood chips. For the meat, use a nice hindquarter round or splurge with a backstrap. For the fish, make sure you have at least a fillet that’s a half-inch thick or a little more. You can smoke the meats and fish a day ahead of the game if desired, but game day morning is best. When ready to serve, thinly slice the venison roast across the grain. Slice onions and tomatoes. Peel and slice cucumbers. Slice a variety of cheeses. Combine mayonnaise (we like Hellman’s) and horseradish sauce for meat. Mix mayonnaise, lemon pepper and Old Bay for fish. Slice and lightly toast bread, brushing it with a light coat of butter if you use a toaster oven. Slap sauce, meat, and condiments together. Delicious!
Venison BBQ
Venison roast (about ¼ pound per serving)
Pork Boston Butt or country style ribs – about ¼ to 1/6 the amount of venison
Broth or stock to keep moist while cooking
Salt and pepper
BBQ sauce (we like KFC original and Sweet Baby Rays)
Season the meat very lightly with salt and pepper and place in roasting pan. Add enough broth to cover bottom of the pan and cover tightly with foil. A Dutch oven can be used instead. Roast meat at 325 degrees for several hours until it easily breaks apart with a fork. The amount of time needed will depend on the cut of meat. Keep it wet! Add broth if needed during cooking. When done, cool and shred or chop the meat. Add BBQ sauce. This can be made a day ahead and stored in your refrigerator in plastic zip-lock freezer bags. Warm in microwave before serving. Serve with buns, coleslaw and extra sauce. Pork is optional, but many folks like the little extra fat and flavor the pork adds.
Venison Chipotle Bean Dip
1 pound ground venison (we add 8 to 10% beef fat for this recipe)
½ pack taco seasoning (the pack seasons 1 pound for tacos, but we like a more subtle taco flavoring here)
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons (more or less to taste) chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 cans (20.5 ounces) refried black beans
½ cup salsa
½ cup Shredded cheese (we like to combine Monterey Jack, cheddar, and mozzarella, but several varieties of already shredded cheese combinations are available)
Brown ground meat in a skillet, adding chopped onions and cook until soft. If you decide not to add any beef fat, use a tablespoon or two of olive oil to prevent sticking and promote browning. Add the seasonings and water and peppers, mixing well and cook for another minute. Set the meat aside to cool. Combine the beans and salsa in a large mixing bowl and add the meat mixture. Spoon into baking dish and top w/ cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until hot and cheese has melted. Serve with corn chips or vegetables. This’ll serve 6 to 8 people, but likely not for long. Better have a second half dish ready to heat up.