Game day recipes to make at home

LENOIR COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) – We’re a few days away from Super Bowl LV and no matter who you’re rooting for, we can all agree some good snacks will help you win big on game day.

Culinary Arts Program Chair/Instructor Jeff Yourdon appeared on WITN News at Sunrise Tuesday morning to share some at-home recipes you can make while you cheer from your couch.

Cuban Sandwich (Tampa Bay favorite)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 Cuban bread rolls (white sub roll)
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 8 ham slices
• 2 cups roasted pork (carnitas meat)
• 8 long dill pickle slices
• 8 Swiss cheese slices

Directions:

1. Slice bread in half then layer the sandwich with yellow mustard, one slice of Swiss cheese, 2 slices ham, 1/2 cup roasted pork, 2 pickle slices then another slice of Swiss cheese. Place other roll piece slathered with yellow mustard on top.

2. Place sandwich in a Panini sandwich press and cook on 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes per side until the sandwich has compressed to about a third of its original size and the bread is crispy.

3. If you don’t have a Panini sandwich press available heat a large cast iron skillet or any grill pan over medium heat. Place the sandwich on the skillet and top with another heavy skillet and a couple of heavy weights (cans of soup, tomatoes work well). Carefully press down firmly and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side until the sandwich has compressed to about a third of its original size and the bread is crispy. Serve warm and sliced in half.

BBQ Beef Ribs (Kansas City style)

Beef ribs ingredients:

• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 tbsp. celery salt
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 ½ tsp. ground cumin
• 1 ½ tsp. ground black pepper
• ½ tsp. ground dry mustard
• ½ tsp. ground sage
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 5 pounds bone-in meaty beef chuck ribs

KC style BBQ sauce ingredients:

• 1 c. ketchup
• ⅓ c. molasses
• ¼ c. white vinegar
• ½ tsp. curry powder
• ½ tsp. seasoned salt
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. hot pepper sauce
• ¼ tsp. allspice
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• ¼ tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Combine sugar, paprika, kosher salt, celery salt, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, mustard, sage, and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle rub mixture on all sides of ribs. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.

2. Soak wood chips in water at least 1 hour. Preheat smoker according to manufacturer’s directions to maintain a temperature between 220 degrees and 225 degrees. Use wood chips and water pan as directed.

3. Unwrap ribs and place, bone sides down, on rack in smoker directly over water pan. Cover or close smoker and smoke ribs for 8 to 10 hours or until meat thermometer in thickest part of meat not touching bone reaches 200 degrees to 205 degrees. Add additional soaked woodchips as needed to maintain smoke.

4. Remove ribs from smoker. Wrap tightly in double sheet of heavy foil, then wrap package in a heavy bath towel. Let rest at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes.

Sauce: Combine ketchup, molasses, white vinegar, curry powder, seasoned salt, ground cumin, paprika, hot pepper sauce, allspice, ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and black pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Set aside.

Unwrap ribs and place in a large foil pan. Brush with BBQ Sauce. Place pan, uncovered, in smoker and smoke for 1 to 2 hours more or until sauce begins to caramelize. Serve ribs with remaining BBQ Sauce.

Italian Sausage Rolls:

Serves 12

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red pepper
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green pepper
• 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1 egg
• ½ cup shredded mozz cheese
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• Fresh made pizza dough or 1 roll of store-bought pizza dough
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• marinara sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°

2. Roll out dough on lightly floured work surface. Roll out to rectangle. Cut dough into two strips lengthwise. Mix the egg, mozz cheese and garlic in a bowl. Spread the peppers, sausage and onion evenly on the dough. Spoon the egg mixture in narrow strip lengthwise down center of each dough strip on top of sausage. Fold long sides in, covering filling and overlapping slightly in center; press seam to seal. Arrange rolls seam side down on prepared sheet. Brush with lightly beaten egg. Cover and chill until rolls are firm, at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 425° F. Bake about 30 minutes. Take out when golden. Let stand about 10 minutes before you cut. Serve warm with marinara sauce.

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 (2 to 3 pound) flank steak
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Place the flank steak in a large, plastic resealable bag. In a 2-cup measuring cup combine the remaining ingredients. Pour the marinade mixture
into the bag with the steak, seal and marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours in advance.

2. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill or a saute pan on the stove. Remove the steak from the marinade. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer the marinade for 10 minutes. Remove saucepan from the heat and keep warm. Place the steak on the grill and cook to desired doneness, about 6 minutes per side for rare. Transfer the steak to plate and let stand for 5 minutes before carving. Cut the steak across the grain into thin diagonal slices, and serve with the marinade sauce.

Grilled Blackened Grouper Sandwich

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Slaw:

• 2 cups thinly sliced purple cabbage
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Fish:

• 2 large Grouper fillets
• 1 tablespoon blackened seasoning of your choice
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha Dry Seasoning, optional

Blackening seasoning:

• 2 T Sweet Paprika
• 3 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Onion Powder
• 2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1 ½ tsp White Pepper
• 1 ½ tsp Black Pepper
• 1 tsp Dried Thyme
• 1 tsp Oregano
• Mix all together and store in an airtight container

Serve:

• 4 soft sandwich rolls
• 4 thick slices of Swiss cheese

Directions:

1. Slice the cabbage and place in a medium bowl. Whisk together the vinegar and honey and pour over the cabbage. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

2. Sprinkle the fish fillets with the blackened seasoning.

3. Preheat grill to 350 degrees. Grill the fillets about 4 minutes or until charred and crispy. Carefully turn and cook another 4 minutes or so until done. Remove using a large spatula. Cut each fillet in half and set aside lightly covered with foil.

4. To assemble the sandwiches cut each roll in half. Place a piece of cheese on the bun, then top with a generous scoop of slaw and half a fillet. Serve immediately.

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