It’s that time of year, once again, for arguing about statistics with a beer in hand with friends, coworkers, and anybody rooting for the other team.
Super Bowl LI kicks off Sunday, Feb. 5 at 6:30 p.m. with what’s sure to a gunslingers brawl between Tom Brady and the New England Patriots and Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons.
Despite the fact that this should be one hell of a showdown, the experience just isn’t complete without stuffing your face with the best food, be it at home or out in the city.
Luckily, we’ve assembled some of the best Boston-area Super Bowl foodie events and football-ready recipes from the kitchens of local chefs for man cave parties that’ll surely impress your friends.
Smoked Potato Skins
Dan Whalen, food blogger/entrepreneur, The Food in My Beard (Boston, MA)
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes
- Cheddar Cheese
- Bacon
- Sour Cream
- Scallions
Directions
- Preheat your smoker to 275 degrees and get it smoking really good. I used hickory wood for this recipe.
- Toss the potatoes with a little oil and salt and put them into the smoker until their internal temp reaches 210.
- Remove and allow to cool.
- Preheat oven to 500
- Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the insides with a melon baller. Place skin side up on a greased baking sheet and brush the skin with additional oil and salt.
- Bake the potatoes for about 15 minutes to brown and crisp.
- Flip them and add the cheese and bacon. Cook another 5 minutes just to melt the cheese.
- Top with sour cream and scallions and serve.
Dorchester Brewing Company Chicken Wing Throwdown
When: Super Bowl Sunday 12pm-3pm
Where: Dorchester Brewing Co 1250 Mass Ave Dorchester
Description: Pregame for the Patriots big day with a Chicken Wing Cookoff at Dorchester Brewing Company. We’re bringing you some of the best restaurants in Dorchester and beyond to offer you up a tasting of the best wings around. The event will run from 12-3pm and it’s FREE to attend and sample the wings – all you need to do is vote on your favorites for all of our categories.
More info here
The competitors in the running are:
Ashmont Grill
Steel & Rye
BRED Gourmet
Lower Mills Tavern
Molinari’s Pizzeria
Fuji at WoC
Bacon-Infused Popcorn
Darren Sylvin, executive chef, Aloft Boston Seaport (Boston, MA)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. bacon
- 1 cup popcorn kernels
- ½ cup coconut oil
- Pinch of salt
Directions
- Rough cut bacon into 1-inch cubes.
- In a deep and wide soup pot, render bacon under low flame until completely crispy (about 20 minutes).
- Once fully rendered, separate bacon and fat through a fine strainer. Reserve bacon pieces on the side for later.
- Clean out pot and return to medium flame with all of the reserved bacon fat and coconut oil.
- Add kernels and a pinch of salt and stir until kernels are fully coated with fat and oil.
- Put lid on pot and begin to vigorously shake pot back and forth over flame until kernels begin to pop. Continue to shake until the popping fades. (Not shaking will result in burnt popcorn.)
- Once popping has stopped or reduced significantly, remove from flame and stir in remaining bacon pieces.
- Place in bowl and serve.
Baby Back Ribs
Marco Porlles, executive chef, Newes from America Pub at Kelley House (Martha’s Vineyard, MA)
Ingredients
- 8 racks baby back ribs (about 10 lbs.)
- 2 tbsp. paprika
- ½ tbsp. brown sugar
- ½ tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. celery salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. cayenne
- ½ tsp. dry mustard
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
Directions
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.
- Place ribs on an unlined sheet pan and coat each slab liberally with rub.
- Cover with aluminum foil, leaving an opening that you will close later.
- Place pan on bottom oven rack.
- Fill each pan with 1 ½ qt. beer through opening in foil; close opening.
- Cook for 5 ½ hrs. Ribs should have a good crust on top and be very tender.
- Let cool. Serves 15-20 people.
Olde Magoun’s Saloon: 12th Annual Great Chili Cookoff
When: Super Bowl Sunday 12pm-3pm
Where: Olde Magoun’s Saloon, Somerville
Description: We’re excited to announce the 12th Annual Great Chili Cook-Off at Olde Magoun’s Saloon! Bring a gallon of your best chili and compete against up to 30 other contestants to see who has the best chili in Somerville! We provide everything you need from bowls and spoons to hot plates that keep the chili temperature hot. You could win great prizes like tickets, great beer prizes and more! Plus, every entrant gets a free T-Shirt.It’s absolutely free to enter and free to taste! But it’s only from 12pm-3pm!
More info here
Super Bowl Beef Chili
Richard Doucette, executive chef, Lighthouse Grill at Harbor View Hotel (Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.)
Ingredients
- 28 oz. ground beef
- 4 Spanish onions (diced)
- 1 head of celery (diced)
- 8 red bell peppers (diced)
- 2 bunches cilantro (chopped)
- 2 jalapenos (seeded and diced)
- 2 cups Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- ½ bottle Cholula Hot Sauce
- 111 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 111 oz. ketchup
- 111 oz. canned red kidney beans (drained)
- 111 oz. canned black beans (drained)
- 12 oz. canned chipotle peppers in adobo
- 2 cups ground ancho peppers
- 1 tbsp. granulated garlic
- 1 tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 8 tbsp. whole cumin
- 2 tbsp. black pepper
- 4 tbsp. dried Mexican oregano
- 4 tbsp. smoked paprika
- Kosher salt – season to taste
Directions
- Combine all liquids, set aside.
- In a large pot on medium-high heat, brown ground beef. Strain off excess fat.
- Add all vegetables and cook until tender.
- Add all spices and toast until fragrant.
- Add beans and all liquids. Reduce heat to low.
- Cook slowly for two hours.
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