If you’re anything like me, it’s been tough to swallow the fact that the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams are in the Super Bowl this year instead of the Tennessee Titans.
Fortunately, PlayTenn has just the recipe of game-day snacks to help the matchup go down a bit smoother.
Here are five tasty ways to put a Tennessee spin on your Super Bowl LVI food this Sunday.
1) Top Tennessee Super Bowl food: Nashville hot chicken
The right game day food can make all the difference. It has the power to console a losing team’s hangry fan, or even turn a disinterested onlooker into a football fanatic.
Chicken wings have long been the staple comfort food at Super Bowl parties over the years. But ask any Tennessee native, and they’ll tell you not just any flavor will do. If it’s gonna be chicken, it’s got to be Nashville Hot.
For one of the most authentic examples of the meal, look no further than Nashville’s own Hattie B’s Hot Chicken.
If you’re not in the Tennessee area, not to worry. This family-run restaurant now offers nationwide delivery — available in your choice of style and spice level.
2) Barbeque and Southern sides
If, for some reason, you’re looking to stay the cluck away from chicken this Super Bowl Sunday, you’re in luck. The Volunteer State also happens to be known for its delicious barbeque.
Whether you’re in the mood for a juicy pulled pork sandwich, some mouthwatering brisket or a meaty rack of fall-off-the-bone ribs, Tennessee’s got you covered.
Pair this with a heapin’ helpin’ of hearty fixin’s like mac ‘n cheese, coleslaw, baked beans and cornbread, and you’ve got a meal fit for a king – or for a Titan, rather.
3) Fried pickles
When making preparations for your Tennessee-themed Super Bowl Sunday feast, it’s important to remember one tried and true rule of Southern cookin’ — if it ain’t fried, it probably should be.
Here in the Volunteer State, we’ve chosen pickles as one of the latest tributes to the cause.
Regardless of your pickle preference — dill, sweet, sour, hamburger or kosher — you can find a joint here in Tennessee serving up one fried pickle variety or another.
If you’re feeling especially adventurous, whip out the trusty frying pan or your new air fryer and give it the ol’ homemade try.
4) Banana puddin’
No Super Bowl food menu would be complete without a little something sweet to cap it off. Luckily, us Tennessee folk came up with a brilliant way to get our daily serving of fruit and sugar all in one dose.
Banana pudding has become such a pride of the Southland; we even host a National Banana Pudding Festival right here in Centerville every year.
Quite a few restaurants serve up this delicious dessert. But if you have the time, try whipping up a bowl yourself. When making this delicious dessert, there are three crucial rules to remember. First, never skimp; always splurge for real Nilla Wafers, and layer ’em in thick. Second, add some vanilla extract to the recipe.
And finally, patience is key. Let it set before digging in to give those wafers the perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture. Then once it’s ready, dive in face first like Derrick Henry at the goal line.
5) Whiskey, sweet tea & Mountain Dew: 3 Super Bowl must-haves
Once you get done feeding your face with these Volunteer State favorites, you’ll need something cold to wash it down.
There’s no doubt sweet tea has a southern charm all its own. But why not drench that tea in even more Tennessee flavor by adding some Jack Daniel’s whiskey to the mix?
Tennessee tea’s blend of iced tea, lemonade, barrel-aged liquor and mint will have you sweetened up for kickoff in no time.
And if you’re not a sweet tea fan but still favor whiskey, here’s another option from the hills of Tennessee that might wet your whistle.
Initially coined as a nickname for moonshine, Mountain Dew took on its proper name when two brothers concocted a citrus-flavored mixer to improve the taste of whiskey.
Drink the soda straight or add it to your hooch. Either way, it’s guaranteed to get you all jacked up for the Big Game.
Combine it with these other tasty traditions, and you’re well on your way to a Super Bowl party worth remembering.
