It’s the big game, people. No more messing around. It’s time to put on our warrior faces and go to battle… with the stove, the oven, and the crockpot. Game day finger foods are not a game. They’re serious business, and we’re going to help you win big with easy-to-make game day meat appetizers. It’s showtime, baby.
Flag on the Play: Lame Food
Tepid wings. Soggy pizza. Stale chips and a bottle of soda. Ten yard penalty. You gotta punt and hope for the best next quarter. Regroup and serve some amazing game day meat appetizers that’ll make you the MVP. When you’re watching your favorite football team take the field, nothing beats the excitement of a great matchup. While you may be on the edge of your seat about the next play, you can make sure your snacks are a surefire winner.
We promise: no more bad sports puns – but a few terrific recipes:
Try These Game Day Finger Foods
We’ve taken traditional game day meat appetizers and made them not only healthier but tastier as well. Swapping FATTY smoked meat sticks for other meat products that are packing more fat, calories, sugar, sodium, and artificial ingredients than nutrition makes for a satisfying snack.
Tickle your taste buds with:
1. FATTY Smoked Meat Stick Marys
Does the idea of watching football make you thirsty? Us too. Trick out your Bloody Mary with garnishes like olives, pickles, celery… and then use Sweetwood’s FATTY smoked meat sticks as edible stir sticks. Want a kick? Use our Jalapeno Flavor FATTY smoked meat sticks to spice things up.
2. FATTY Smoked Meat Sticks in a Blanket
Who doesn’t love pigs in a blanket? We know they’re not great for us… but they’re so good! Swapping out those nitrate-filled cocktail weenies for Sweetwood’s all-natural FATTY smoked meat sticks introduces quality protein into this tailgating staple.
To make, you’ll need two cans (8oz) of refrigerated crescent rolls and 12 Original Flavor 2oz FATTY smoked meat sticks, cut into bite-sized pieces.
Heat your oven to 375 °F. Pop open both cans of rolls and separate them into 16 triangles. Cut each triangle lengthwise into three narrow triangles. Put a piece of a FATTY smoked meat stick on the short side of the triangle, roll it up, and place it point side down on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm. Enjoy.
3. Saucy FATTY Smoked Meat Sticks
You want to spend time enjoying the game and shooting the breeze with friends and family, right? Forget slaving away over the stove and fire up that crock pot. Cocktail weenies are another favorite – and another chance to up the ante on taste and nutrition. Substitute FATTY smoked meat sticks and try these amazing sauces:
Mouth-Watering BBQ
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- ¾ cup grape jelly
- 16 Original Flavor 2oz FATTY smoked meat sticks (cut into bite sized pieces)
Sweet and Savory Honey Garlic
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup honey
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 16 Original Flavor 2oz FATTY smoked meat sticks (cut into bite sized pieces)
Tangy Teriyaki
- 10oz jar apricot preserves
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tbsp teriyaki sauce
- 15oz can pineapple chunks, drained
- 1 green pepper, cut into ¾ inch squares
- 16 Original Flavor 2oz FATTY smoked meat sticks (cut into bite sized pieces)
No matter what sauce you select, stir all the ingredients together in your slow cooker. Add the FATTY smoked meat stick pieces, stir, and leave it alone for 2 – 3 hours on low. Serve, and don’t get trampled by the horde of hungry guests who’ll be racing for these babies.
4. Mini Corn FATTY Smoked Meat Sticks
Oh those mini corn dogs. Let’s trade artificial ingredients for all-natural, grass-fed beef. You’ll need:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornmeal
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- Dash of onion powder
- 3 tbsp shortening
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 8 Original Flavor 2oz FATTY smoked meat sticks, cut into bite-size pieces
- Oil for frying
- Spicy ketchup
Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and onion powder in a small bowl. Cut in the shortening and make a crumbly mess. In another bowl, whisk the milk and egg. Stir this into the flour mixture until moistened into a batter. Dip the FATTY smoked meat stick pieces.
Heat up your oil to 375 °F. Use a thermometer or drop a bit of water onto the oil: if it bubbles, it’s ready. Fry the battered FATTY smoked meat stick pieces a few at a time for 2 – 3 minutes, or until they’re golden brown. Drain them on paper towels and serve with that spicy ketchup – or sriracha (or a sriracha aioli if you’re feeling sassy).
5. Bacon-Wrapped FATTY Smoked Meat Sticks
Doesn’t bacon just make everything better? For this game day meat appetizer, you’ll need a pound of sliced bacon, ⅓ cup brown sugar, and 8 Original Flavor 2oz FATTY smoked meat sticks (cut into bite-sized pieces).
Cut each strip of bacon in half width wise. Wrap each FATTY smoked meat stick piece in a strip of bacon and place on a foil-lined baking pan. Sprinkle a little brown sugar magic over the top and bake at 400 °F for about 30 – 40 minutes. Done when the bacon is nice and crispy.
6. Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno FATTY Smoked Meat Stick Poppers
Just when you thought jalapeno poppers couldn’t get any more delicious. Get:
- 16 jalapeno peppers
- 4oz cream cheese, softened
- 8 bacon strips, cut in half widthwise and partially cooked in microwave or skillet
- 4 Jalapeno Flavor 2oz FATTY smoked meat sticks (you know the drill… cut into bite-sized pieces)
Cut a lengthwise slit into each pepper, removing the seeds and innards. DO NOT TOUCH YOUR EYES! Smear a teaspoon of cream cheese into each of these little devils and stuff a FATTY smoked meat stick inside. Wrap a piece of bacon around each stuffed pepper, and use toothpicks to keep them secure. Place the peppers on an ungreased baking sheet and pop it in the oven at 350 °F for 30 – 35 minutes. And then invite us over.
7. FATTY Smoked Meat Stick Sliders
We love these little crowd pleasers, and they’re so adaptable to any taste. A basic recipe requires:
- 21 frozen bread dough dinner rolls, thawed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp water
- ¾ tsp poppy seeds*
- ¾ caraway seeds*
- 3 tbsp cheese blend (Mexican, Italian, whatever)*
- 8 Original Flavor 2oz FATTY smoked meat sticks (surprise: cut into bite-size pieces)
*Kind of optional – it depends on what you want to do with your slider.
Cut each dinner roll in half and roll them into oblong shapes. Place them on two un-greased baking sheets and cover. Let them rise for about 30 minutes in a warm place until they’ve doubled in size.
Whisk the egg and water in a bowl, and brush over the rolls when they’re done doing their rising thing. Sprinkle a third with poppy seeds, a third with caraway seeds, and a third with cheese (or whatever you want to do). Bake them at 350 °F for about 15 minutes, or until they’re golden. Let them cool.
Place the FATTY smoked meat stick pieces on a baking sheet and pop them in the oven at 350 °F for 12 – 14 minutes or until heated thoroughly. (No reason you can’t do this at the same time you’re baking those rolls.)
Next… well, it’s up to you. If you want to make a “Chicago Dog,” put a FATTY smoked meat stick piece in a bun, top with mustard, relish, onion, tomato, and pickles. Fancy a “Chihuahua Dog”? Top with salsa, pineapple, cilantro, jalapeno, and lime zest. Have some leftover sauerkraut? Put that up on there and enjoy with some diced onions. Feeling wild and cheesy? Make some mac & cheese, stuff it in there with the FATTY smoked meat stick, and top with toasted panko or breadcrumbs.
Straight-Up FATTY Smoked Meat Sticks
Forget all the bells and whistles and simply enjoy some FATTY smoked meat sticks as they are. After all, they’re deliciously slow smoked using real, sweet American hickory, and they’re available in Original, Jalapeno, Honey BBQ, and Teriyaki flavors.
You Win With These Game Day Meat Appetizers
From stuffed peppers to chicken fried sausage to just eating the darn things right out the package, FATTY smoked meat sticks make any game day finger food better. You keep this up, and no one’s going to even remember the score.