Recipes
Our Favorite Grilled Finger Foods for Super Bowl
Call them appetizers, hors d’oeuvres, or canapes, but finger foods are the order of the day on Super Bowl Sunday, coming up on February 12 this year. The objective is to serve a variety of foods that don’t require utensils and that can literally be eaten with the fingers of one hand. The opposite hand is free to hold a beer or another adult beverage.
Nearly every culture has them, from Argentina’s empanadas to Italian bruschetta to Mexican queso fundido.
Finger foods got a big popularity boost in the United States in 1920 after Prohibition was imposed: illegal speakeasies began serving small savory bits of food with cocktails to discourage customers from becoming publicly inebriated (and sloppily revealing the establishment’s existence to the authorities).
Just in time for Super Bowl Sunday, we’ve rounded up recipes for several of our favorite grilled finger foods. Stay tuned…we’ll share our favorite dip recipes on a future blog.
Grilled Finger Foods for Super Bowl
Peachy Sriracha Sticky Wings
If you ask us, wings are meant to be a simple pleasure. We’re happy as long as they taste good, are easy to make, and hit these three marks: Spicy. Sticky. Messy.
If that’s enough to satisfy you, too, you’ll also love this simple, sweet-and- just-a-little- spicy recipe. If you want more than just a little spicy, simply add more Sriracha.
Pork “Shooters”
Sports lovers of all persuasions get pumped up for tailgate parties because a good barbecue makes the perfect prelude to the game. Here’s how Steven’s home state of Florida reimagines a tailgate classic. Get ready for pork shooters stuffed with briny Gulf shrimp, cheese and andouille sausage.
Smoked Deviled Eggs
These may be the most flavorful deviled eggs you will ever experience—thanks to an invigorating blast of wood smoke. For even more flavor, top them with bacon, brisket, caviar, or smoked seafood.
Smoked Chicken Nachos
Great for game day or a casual Sunday night supper, these nachos are colorful and satisfying. (No chicken? Feel free to substitute shredded pork, beef, or turkey.) A perforated pizza pan ensures that smoke flavor reaches each chip.
Maple-Sriracha Glazed Chicken Drumsticks
Meatier than chicken wings (and more economical, too!) these chicken drumsticks—easy to eat standing up—have been a hit every time we’ve served them. In all likelihood, you already have the ingredients for this explosively-flavored sauce in your pantry.
Plank-Smoked Camembert
This simple smoked Camembert delivers big flavors (and great looks) by combining two distinctly American live-fire cooking techniques: planking and smoking. The former imparts the aromatic taste of charred cedar; the latter endows the cheese with complex smoke flavors undreamed of by French cheesemakers. The prep time is a couple of minutes; the wow power is off the charts.
Jalapeño Poppers
A diminutive version of Mexican chile rellenos, jalapeno poppers first appeared north off the border in the 1950s. Later, they elbowed their way into the appetizer/finger food scene, and began appearing on bar and restaurant menus all over the U.S. We prefer this smoke-roasted version to those that are deep-fried. We’re betting you will, too.
Tiki Beef Kebabs
The tiki is making a comeback, and modern American bartenders are rediscovering the colorful Polynesian drinks that once beguiled our parents. They were customarily served with cocktail snacks. We suggest tiki beef kebabs, redolent of ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. For a real period touch, pick up some tiny Sterno-fueled braziers and serve the sizzling kebabs on them.
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