Dishin' Up Gameday
Ravens VS. 49ers
LOCATION New Orleans—Super Bowl XLVII and it's time to plan your Gameday party for the biggest sporting event of the year is taking place. Why not plan a buffet-style party as a fun way to celebrate this year's Super Bowl.
In New Orleans they'll sure love the flavor of the grill; so whether your party is indoors or out, plan a menu with a little outdoor style for ultimate flavor!
A good game plan to consider is serving finger foods such as Hush Puppies, Sausage & Artichoke Calzones, Pork Sliders and steaming bowls of Crock of Beer Chili. There's a whole lot of corn in the midwest so be sure to have my Pecan Cornbread ready before the pre game action. But, don’t forget to honor the host city with my favorite Grilled Schweinefilet Sandwich. I’ll be serving it myself on gameday – so you know it’s got to be good.
Practical tips for preparing your biggest sports party of the year:
Pre-Gameday
• Every winning team has key players. Select your team of key players for your “GameDay Party” who can assist in menu planning, preparation, and clean up. And don’t forget to assign the grill chefs.
• Consider a buffet. Serving your main foods buffet style takes the pressure off of timing in respect to the game action.
• Include in your party plan mix; preparing some foods from home and buying some prepared foods from a local restaurant or specialty food market to remove GameDay party pressure off the home chef.
• If part of your party menu includes catered or prepared ready-to-eat or take out foods from your local restaurant or market make sure you instruct them if you want your food ready hot or cold; so you won’t be getting your ribs hot at 11AM - when not serving until 3PM.
• Create the party shopping list several days before the Big Game and be prepared to do your shopping three to four days in advance, except breads.
• Take inventory of your bowls, dishes, silverware, glassware, coolers at least three days in advance (or just go with eco paper products for easy cleanup). Short on glasses? No sweat, use mason jars.
• You’ll need about 1 pound of ice per person for drinks, and chilling soft drinks, wine and beer. BTW, craft beer is huge in Indiana, so you may want to set up a micro brew bar in lieu of standard brew.
• It may be chilly outside the Stadium, but a batch of margarita or sangria will add a tropical warmth to any crowd. Serve it in a large glass infusion jar - served up with a ladle into mason jars for a fun beverage option.
• Prepare hot foods a day ahead and keep in the refrigerator for easy heating on Gameday.
Game Day Recipes
- Recipes w/ Game Day Plan
Game Day
• Kick Off is approximately 6:30 EST PM, but you need to ready all the party foods early in the day so you do not miss any pre-game action
• Prepare all dips, finger snacks and foods by 1pm or earlier if your party includes watching pre-game shows.
Set up the bar one hour before guests arrive
• Have all cold finger snacks out before guests arrive.
Pre-Game
• Serve finger snacks such as nuts, cheese, crackers, assorted chips and dips. If serving hot hors d’ oeuvres, stagger heating so guests will enjoy them while they are still hot.
• Now’s the time to cook-up any grilled foods so the grill chef doesn’t miss the coin toss.
• Heat hot foods one hour before game time and serve before kick off.
• I’m not much for betting, but a fun wager could be for the losing team’s fans to assist in party clean up. Washing cars?
1st Quarter
Load up your plates & enjoy the first quarter action.
Half Time
• Serve sandwiches and cold foods for half time. If serving hot foods have them fully prepared prior to the game. This makes no fuss serving, and you will not miss any game activities.
3rd Quarter
• As 3rd quarter closes it’s time to close the bar and put out desserts and coffee.
4th Quarter
• Two minute warning- a close game will keep everyone glued to the TV set. Serve finger sweets such as cookies and candies. Make extra George’s Chocolate Brownie Cookies and Blondie Bars the day before the GameDay to send home with party guests.
A Guide to Turkey
FOR MY APPLE BRINE TURKEY RECIPE
Buying Guide: Allow 1 pound of turkey per person. I prefer to use young turkeys which are more tender; about 12-14 pounds vs. larger turkeys. If you need to serve a large group, cook two smaller turkeys, or roast an additional breast, drum sticks or wings as they will cook faster than cooking a large bird.
Self basted: (Not a preferred choice): Some turkeys are sold as "basted" or "self-basted," meaning they have been injected or marinated with a solution usually containing edible fat, natural broth, stock or water and seasonings. Self-basted turkeys are labeled with the percentage of the solution and its ingredients. Do not use self-basted turkeys when brining.
Conventional: Conventional turkeys are raised in scientifically designed, environmentally controlled barns that provide maximum protection from predators, disease and bad weather. They are given medications to prevent illness and to suppress organisms that are potentially harmful. This is the type of turkey that most Americans associate with Thanksgiving. These turkeys are typically sold fresh and frozen in supermarkets across the United States.
Free Range: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says the term "free range" or "free roaming" can be used to describe poultry that "has been allowed access to the outside." There are a limited number of "free range" turkeys being produced and most of them are for the holiday season. There are fewer "free range" turkeys because of geographic and climatological considerations, making warm weather the most conducive for allowing birds access to the outside.
Organic: A turkey labeled "organic" has the approval and certification of the USDA. The government standard includes strict regulations on organic feed and free range access and allows no antibiotics. There are also fewer "organic" turkeys for some of the same reasons that there are fewer "free range" turkeys.
Broad-Breasted White: This is the most common type of turkey raised in the United States. This farm-raised domesticated turkey has been transformed in shape and size to meet the demands of consumer's taste preferences. This turkey yields a higher breast meat content, which is highly regarded by the U.S. consumer.
Heritage: The term refers to the turkey breeds indigenous to the Americas, dating to early Colonial times. They are Beltsville Small White, Bourbon Red, Jersey Buff, Narragansett, Royal Palm, Slate, Standard Bronze and White Holland. As a result of the market dominance of the conventional Broad-Breasted White, these breeds had been slowly shrinking in population. In 2001, Slow Food USA launched an initiative with the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy to work with small farms to return the heritage turkey to the marketplace. Heritage turkeys grow at a much slower rate than Broad-Breasted Whites. The result is a smaller bird with flavor some describe as gamy; and a thicker layer of fat surrounding the breast.
Fresh and Frozen Handling tips
Fresh Turkeys
-Keep it stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook it. Place it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak.
-Do not buy fresh pre-stuffed turkeys. If not handled properly, any harmful bacteria that may be in the stuffing can multiply very quickly.
-Buy your turkey a few days before you plan to cook it.
Frozen Turkeys
-Turkey can be thawed in the refrigerator, or in cold water.
-Whole turkey takes about 24 hours per five pounds to thaw in the refrigerator. In cold water, changed water every 30 minutes; in water turkey takes about 30 minutes per pound to thaw.
-Never defrost turkey on the kitchen counter.
-Once thawed, keep turkey refrigerated at 40 degrees F. or below until it is ready to be cooked.
-Keep frozen until you're ready to thaw it.
-Turkeys can be kept frozen for six months, ideally up to one year.
Thawing Your Turkey
There are two ways to thaw your turkey safely — in the refrigerator or in cold water.
In the Refrigerator (40 °F or below)
Allow approximately 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds
4 to 12 pounds 1 to 3 days
12 to 16 pounds 3 to 4 days
16 to 20 pounds 4 to 5 days
20 to 24 pounds 5 to 6 days
Keep the turkey in its original wrapper. Place it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak. A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. If necessary, a turkey that has been properly thawed in the refrigerator may be refrozen.
In Cold Water
Allow approximately 30 minutes per pound
4 to 12 pounds 2 to 6 hours
12 to 16 pounds 6 to 8 hours
16 to 20 pounds 8 to 10 hours
20 to 24 pounds 10 to 12 hours
Wrap your turkey securely, making sure the water is not able to leak through the wrapping. Submerge your wrapped turkey in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes. Cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed. Do not refreeze.
FOR MY APPLE BRINE APPLE TURKEY RECIPE
chefgeorgehirsch.com
Entertain, Made in Spain
How about entertaining with a bit of Northern Spain/ South of France influence? Stock up on Olives and Anchovies. Tip: Give Arbequina olives a try - they are grown in Catalonia, Spain and have a buttery flavor with hints of pepper.
Tapenade comes from the word tapeno which means capers in Provence. The addition of sun dried tomatoes adds a little sweetness.
Olive Tapenade
Recipe by George Hirsch | Makes 1 cup
2/3 cup black oil cured olives (Kalamata or Nicoise), pitted and finely chopped
2 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and finely chopped
4 cloves caramelized garlic
2 Tablespoons capers, drained, rinsed under cold tap water and finely chopped
2 small sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped
4 Tablespoons virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 basil leaves , chopped
In a bowl, mix together the olives, anchovies, garlic, capers, sun dried tomatoes, oil, pepper, and water. Spread Tapenade on toasted French baguette bread, top with fresh basil, or serve with your favorite sandwich.
