Pork reigns as champion in the Super Bowl Sunday food line-up. Not only is it tasty, but it’s versatile and pairs well with so many different flavor combinations. Whether you’re cooking on a grill, in a crockpot, on a Big Green Egg or in your oven, pork is always a win.
Here’s what some of our friends in the pork industry are fixing for the second biggest “food holiday” of the year. You can’t go wrong with any of these tried-and-true crowd-pleasers from “Applewood Smoked Strawberry Glazed Ribs” to the “Ultimate Pig in a Blanket.”
Image from Jason Menke
Menke’s Soon-To-Be Infamous Queso Dip
Recommended and tested by Jason Menke, director of marketing communications at the National Pork Board
“We normally put this on our pellet smoker, but the forecast in most of pig country for the ‘Big Game’ may make it harder to manage temperatures. I won’t judge you if you decide to oven bake this at 450 degrees,” Menke says. “This can be made as mild or as spicy as you like – just adjust the cheese or peppers as necessary. I’ve even used canned fire roasted tomatoes in this recipe, which add depth to the flavor.”
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground pork or pork sausage
½ lb. chorizo pork sausage
3 lbs. of cubed cheese and cheese product
(1.5 to 2 lbs. of that block cheese product than melts really well. Use real cheese – Colby Jack, Monterrey Jack, Cheddar – for the remainder)
2 cups fresh diced tomatoes OR
1 can drained diced tomatoes (w/green chilies optional)
½ white onion, diced
1 cup diced jalapenos (Pickled are fine. Fresh is our preference.)
½ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions:
1. Fully cook the pork in a skillet and drain well.
2. Put the pork, cubed cheese, tomatoes, onion and jalapenos in a large disposable foil pan, because no one wants to scrub dishes after a few beverages.
3. Place in a 450°F oven. Stir frequently until melted and combined – 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Top with fresh cilantro. Serve with your favorite chips or pork rinds.
Buccaneers or Chiefs? I just want to see a good game. If you’re going to pin me down, this Arizona Cardinals fan is cheering for the Chiefs.
Image by National Pork Board and the Pork Checkoff
Applewood Smoked Strawberry Glazed Ribs
Recommended and tested by Michael Formica, assistant vice president and general counsel for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC)
“While my grill is cooking ribs, I plan to use my crockpot to make BBQ,” Formica says.
Instructions:
1. Get a rack of St. Louis ribs.
2. Peel off the membrane.
3. Add seasoning of choice (I use one package of Luscious The King’s BBQ seasoning).
4. Top with a thin middle layer of mustard (I use plain old French’s yellow mustard).
5. Cover with strawberry jam (I make my own with Wegmeyer Farms Strawberries) strawberries and actually use the “strawberry foam” that is skimmed off the top when making strawberry jam. It’s a more subtle flavor and a good use of a product that most people would otherwise discard.) and then some more BBQ seasoning.
6. Place them standing on their edge on a rib rack and smoke them low and slow, indirect heat using charcoal and applewood. Target temperature is 275°F. Notes: It usually takes about 3.5 hours. After 2 hours, I remove from the grill, add some more seasoning and turn the ribs over to evenly cook both ends.
Image by National Pork Board and the Pork Checkoff
Formica’s BBQ Pork
Instructions:
1. Season pork shoulder picnic roast with salt and pepper.
2. Line the bottom of the crockpot with sliced onion.
3. Add a bottle of Pierce’s BBQ sauce to crockpot.
4. Add pork shoulder to the crockpot.
5. Cook low and slow (I use the 8-hour option).
6. When done, shred the pork with a fork.
7. Serve on buns with BBQ sauce and coleslaw on the side.
Buccaneers or Chiefs? I’m rooting for a good game. (But, go Giants...the team which twice defeated Brady in the Super Bowl!)
Image by Selina Hoffman
Pork Belly Sliders
Recommended and tested by Steve Rommereim, pig farmer and director of membership, outreach and engagement for the South Dakota Pork Producers Council
“This has been a winner at our annual pork kickoff party several times. Very easy and quick to make,” Rommereim says.
Ingredients:
(1) 12-oz. package pre-cooked pork belly
¼ cup honey
1 tbsp. sriracha sauce
½ cup shredded red cabbage
½ cup shredded cabbage
¼ cup shredded carrot
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. sriracha sauce
1 tsp. honey
12 party sized buns
Instructions:
1. Mix together honey and sriracha sauce. Mix 1 tablespoon of honey sriracha sauce into mayonnaise. Set aside.
2. Toss mayo, cabbages and carrot together (I add a bit of sriracha sauce, too), then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Slice pork belly into thin slices and place on hot griddle over medium high heat, then cook until crispy on both sides. Before removing from the griddle, glaze with honey sriracha sauce and turn once, glaze again. Remove from griddle and glaze with more sauce if desired.
4. Assemble sandwiches as follows: Spoon a teaspoon of honey sriracha mayo on bottom half of bun. Top with pork belly slider, then cabbage slaw and cilantro. Drizzle a little more sriracha mayo over top if desired.
Buccaneers or Chiefs? Chiefs
Image by Jim Monroe
Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Recommended and tested by Jim Monroe, assistant vice president of communications for NPPC
“I’ll be making pork belly burnt ends for Super Bowl Sunday,” Monroe says. “And bacon…because when you have extra smoker space, it’s a good practice to fill it will bacon.”
Ingredients:
1 lb. piece of pork belly
Your favorite barbecue rub
Your favorite barbecue sauce
Honey
Apple juice
Instructions:
1. Set the EGG for indirect cooking with the convEGGtor at 275°F/135°C with hickory smoking chips or chunks.
2. Trim the pork belly and cut the pork belly into 1” cubes. Cover the pork belly pieces in your favorite BBQ rub. Place pork belly pieces on the cooking grid and smoke for 3 hours, spraying with apple juice every hour until the pork reaches and internal temperature of 190°F.
3. Remove the pork pieces from the EGG and place them in an aluminum pan. Toss the pork belly pieces with BBQ sauce until evenly covered. Drizzle with honey and put the aluminum pan back on the EGG. Cook the pork belly and cook for another hour until the sauce has reduced and caramelized.
Buccaneers or Chiefs? I only root for the Washington Football Team. Otherwise, I root for a good game. Ideally, overtime excitement!
Image by Mike Porth
The Ultimate Pig in a Blanket (Pork Fatty)
Recommended and tested by Mike Porth, chief operating officer at Partners for Production Agriculture
“Invite friends over and enjoy their company with this Ultimate Pig in a Blanket. Why ‘Ultimate?’ Because where else can you get three pork items wrapped into one ultimate entrée?” Porth says. “Leftovers? No problem! Slice a half-inch piece and fry in pan next morning on both sides and add egg over top and you have your breakfast protein meal.”
Ingredients:
1 lb. package of bacon
1.5 – 2.0 lbs. Pork Loin, butterflied and tenderized to ~ ¼ inch thick
1.5 lbs. of Italian seasoned pork sausage
1.5 packages of cream cheese
2-3 small sweet peppers, diced
1-2 jalapeno peppers, diced
3-4 green onions, diced
2-3 tbsp. of crushed pineapple
2-3 tbsp. brown sugar
Instructions:
1. Mix peppers, onions, crushed pineapple, cream cheese and brown sugar together. Set aside.
2. Take 1 lb. of bacon and weave it, stretching bacon on all ends.
3. Take 1.5-2.0 lb. of pork loin tenderized to 1/4-inch thick and spread over bacon weave. Season with your favorite seasoning.
4. Take cream cheese mix and spread over pork loin layer.
5. Take about 1.5 lb. of seasoned Italian pork sausage and spread evenly over cream cheese mix.
6. Layer the Italian sausage with the rest of the cream cheese mix.
7. Flip over three of the sides of bacon.
8. Roll “pig in the blanket” towards bacon end not flipped over. Cooking string could be used to hold shape if you want.
9. Cook on a Traeger grill, set temperature to 250°F and cook for approximately 2.5-3 hours until meat thermometer reaches about 150°F. Pull off and wrap in aluminum foil for about 20 minutes.
Additional Option: Start with Italian sausage with step two and do tenderized loin with step four. Will need cooking string and cook to 160°F to get sausage cooked.
Buccaneers or Chiefs? The Bears, oh, they’re not in! Going with KC as it’s a great BBQ City, so why not!
Image by Lucy Russell
Flavorful Slow Cooker Kalua Pork
Recommended and tested by Lucy Russell, accounting administrator for NPPC
“This recipe is so good. Even my three-year-old loves it. Have it on a sandwich or on its own, it is a delightful change from the typical BBQ pulled pork,” Russell says.
Ingredients:
1 5-7 lb. pork shoulder roast, trimmed (can be boneless or bone in)
1 lb. sliced bacon
1 small head of green cabbage, about 4-5 cups sliced thin
2 tbsp. coarse sea salt
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. Soy sauce
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. molasses
Instructions:
1. Liberally coat the pork roast with salt, pepper and onion powder.
2. Line the bottom and sides of a large crockpot with the bacon.
3. Add the pork, then top with the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and molasses.
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until meat is very tender.
5. Add the cabbage, turn cooker to high and cook for an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour or until the cabbage reaches your desired softness.
6. Remove pork and cabbage from the cooker with tongs or a spider strainer. You can add a bit of the cooking liquid to prevent over drying. Enjoy!
Buccaneers or Chiefs? As a Broncos girl, the Chiefs are a sworn enemy. I love rooting for the underdog, but we really don’t like Tom Brady because of his history against the Broncos, ha!
Image by National Pork Board and the Pork Checkoff
Oven Pork Chops
Recommended and tested by Kim Caldwell, 4-H livestock mom
“This recipe is always a win at our house,” Caldwell says. “We love it!”
Ingredients:
6 pork chops
1 onion
1 green pepper
1 lb. mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 tbsp. milk
1 can French’s crispy fried onions
Instructions:
Brown the pork chops in frying pan. Single layer in baking dish. Sauté the onion, pepper and mushrooms in butter. Place on top of chops. Top with spoons of cream of mushroom soup diluted with 2 tbsp. milk. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Top with French’s fried onions and bake an extra five minutes.
Buccaneers or Chiefs? I really don’t care! I just cook food so we have something fun to eat!
More from Farm Journal:
How Much Cheese do Americans Eat During the Super Bowl?
Ready to Please Your Crew? Try These 5 Pulled Pork Favorites
