The best of Missouri beef and Florida seafood come together in tasty appetizers for your family’s game day gathering.
Super Bowl this year sure will feel and look different. Fewer fans will physically gather to watch the game at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, and around the U.S. If you’re planning to tune in with (hopefully only) your immediate family members, you still can plan a fun menu. And because Kansas City (barbecue) and Tampa Bay (seafood) are going head-to-head in the game, why not do a sort of surf ‘n’ turf appetizer combo?
Spicy Slow Cooker Brisket Sliders will pair nicely with Sweet Shrimp Cups. And the great thing about the brisket recipe is you’ll have plenty left for a meal the following week. I’d recommend making just enough of the shrimp cups to enjoy the day of the game. Beef won the coin toss, so let’s go!
I tweaked a brisket recipe from the Missouri Beef Industry Council for these sliders that are topped with a vinegar cole slaw. Honestly, you had me at brisket.
To answer the question, "Where's the beef," it was in Kansas City for more than 100 years. The Kansas City Stockyards opened in 1871 on the Kansas City of the Missouri River, and played a significant role in the West's ongoing expansion. In 1923, more than 2.6 million cattle were received. The stockyards closed in 1991 but the area is attracting businesses, restaurants, and city dwellers.
It’s no accident that Kansas City’s barbecue scene also began in the 1920s. According to the Kansas City Barbecue Trail page, Henry Perry is credited with setting up the city’s first pit. Today, places like Gates and Arthur Bryant’s anchor the trail, but I’ve got to give a shout out to Jones Bar-B-Q in Kansas City, Kansas, because of the two sisters (Deborah and Mary) that smoke the meats and make the family’s special sausage and barbecue sauce. Check them out if you’re in town, but back to our brisket.
Be sure to set up and start cooking the brisket the morning of the game (or the day before) so your sliders are ready by kickoff. Put the Kansas City spin on the sliders with the right sauce.
In Missouri, we like the tomato-base barbecue sauce that usually has the right balance of sweet and tangy. Great debates have been made over Kansas City versus St. Louis barbecue styles, but honestly, can’t we just gather around the table?
To make a sauce for the shredded brisket, combine a cup of ketchup with ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup of molasses, ½ cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes in a medium sauce pan over a medium-high heat and once it looks ready to begin a boil, turn it down to a low simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. If you need to thin it out, use some of the liquid from the slow cooker.
I know it’s considered a “Carolina thing,” but I love topping a barbecue sandwich with crunch coleslaw. My grandma’s recipe combines a cup of sugar with a few shakes of dry dry mustard, celery seed, a good pinch of salt, ¾ cup vegetable oil, and 1 cup white vinegar. That’s enough to dress a bag of cole slaw mix.
Sweet Shrimp Cups
I know a lot of people will have chicken wings, pizza, and dips for the game, but why not try something a little different—appropriate for a historic Super Bowl. These tasty bites come together in almost no time (it takes longer for them to cool than to bake and fill) and will make 24 cups. If it’s just the two of you this year, just use one of the pie crust sheets for an even dozen.
These seafood cups would also make a good lunch if you pair it with a salad or a cup of soup, so even if your family wants to stick with the traditional appetizers for game day, you can have these in your recipe box for another day (like virtual happy hour with your girls).
So there’s a surf ‘n‘ turf idea for Super Bowl. Who will you be cheering for? As a Missouri girl, I have to hope the Chiefs will pull out a victory, but honestly, I’ll likely be tuned into Puppy Bowl XVII; I’m more of a baseball fan. Go Cards, and to the team owners, just sign Yadi already!
Try these other appetizers for game day: British Sausage Rolls
Was going to do chicken wings, but not now! I haven't done my brisket in the slow cooker - I usually marinate overnight in liquid smoke, then cook low & slow the next day. I'm going to love cooking it in the crock pot!