Let’s first talk about the classic game day dishes. You can’t go wrong with the tried-and-true favorites that have been gracing our tables for generations, These are the crowd-pleasers, the ones that disappear from the platter before you even get a chance to sit down. This includes wings, meatballs, nachos—you get the picture!

But don’t be afraid to spice things up a bit either. Add a twist to those traditional game day food favorites or introduce something new and exciting, like these End Zone Egg Rolls and BBQ Chicken in Cornbread Cups. It’s all about balance, y’all!

So, whether you’re cheering for your favorite team or just there for the food and fun, remember that game day appetizers are all about bringing folks together. It’s the food that fuels our passion and keeps our spirits high, so roll up your sleeves, get those snacks prepped, and let’s make this game day one to remember!

Now, what football food recipes are you making? Who are you cheering for this year? Let us know in the comments below!

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First of all, chicken tends to get a lot of credit for being the inexpensive meat option, but pork is often even more economical than chicken! We’re always game for a cheap and easy dinner—aren’t you?

Plus, each cut of pork is so very different. From a pork tenderloin to a pork shoulder and ground pork sausage to a pork chop, it’s incredible how vastly different they taste.

And as we mentioned earlier, pork and rice recipes are found the world over, which means it’s a versatile combo, and a universally tasty one at that. It works in every type of cuisine from Japanese to Mexican and everything in between. Truly, could we love pork and rice recipes any more than we do? We don’t think so!

From a fabulous dirty rice recipe to a wonderful pork and rice casserole recipe, your family is sure to love these pork and rice recipes as much as our families do. What’s your favorite pork and rice recipe? Will you be making any of the pork and rice recipes we shared below? Let us know in the comments, friends!

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As with other proteins, environment, texture, and fat content will determine which cooking methods are best, but as a general rule, fish with darker flesh have higher oil content and stronger flavor, though many people, even children, find salmon and tuna surprisingly palatable. Most fish fall into the category of flat (flounder, fluke, sole, turbot), round (sea bass, snapper, grouper, tilefish, salmon, tuna, pompano, mahi-mahi), or cartilaginous (swordfish, shark, monkfish, skate). They can also generally be classified as saltwater, freshwater, or anadromous (migrating between the two through rivers, like eel, salmon, or ocean trout).

Your fishmonger and recipe can help find the type, cut, and accompanying ingredients that are right for you. Zesty sauces, deep-frying, and butter are reliable ways to get almost anyone to appreciate fish, but healthier, easy options, like steaming, poaching, grilling, and baking with herbed lemon or a light vegetable topping, can also produce delicate, enjoyable results.

Here are some fun recipes, highlighting Southern standards…

Whip up an elegant fish dish just like a restaurant chef by searing and finishing in the oven, like this Pecan Coated Fish with Remoulade Sauce. We like grouper, but you can play around with other fish, like flounder, or go even healthier and faster by omitting these standard nut crusts and side sauces.

Or make it a club or po’ boy sandwich:
Grouper Club
Grilled Tilapia Po Boys with Homemade Tartar Sauce

Tilapia is a mild and widely available fish, commonly used in baking or grilling or for the popular Southern specialty of a blackened fish sandwich:

Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise
Bobby’s Baked Tilapia
Zesty Grilled Tilapia

Another excellent grilling fish is tuna, which provides a tasty alternative to a high-cholesterol red-meat steak, Grilled Tuna with Olive Tapenade.

Southerners are known for catfish, fried or baked with Old Bay seasoning or heavily sauced:
Southern Fried Catfish
Oven Fried Catfish
Saucy Catfish

For some large-pot Southern group meals, consider a gumbo or a seafood stew:

Savannah Seafood Gumbo
Seafood Cioppino Stew

And remember these tips for the freshest and most delicious fish (aka, for some, the least “fishy” tasting):

• Look for bright, clear, bulging eyes; tight scales and shiny (not slimy) skin; elastic flesh with a clean, pink belly; and no strong odor—essentially, as close to alive as possible.
• Fish degrades extremely fast in the air, so most chefs prefer to buy their fish the day of or the day before cooking. It should be chilled, if not iced, for display, storage, and transport.
• Frozen fish should be properly thawed and gently dried before cooking.

The post Learn All About Fish appeared first on Paula Deen.

Like we said—there are a million ways to make wings. After all, there are whole restaurants dedicated to chicken wings! But we want to know your preference. What’s your favorite flavor of wing? Oh, and we’ve got to know—what’s your dipping sauce of choice? Classic blue cheese? Ranch? Something custom of your own making? Let us know in the comments section below!

Whether you like buffalo wings or lime-marinated, just a little heat to spiciness that’s ringing the alarms, or anything in between, Paula’s got game day wing recipes that will have you shouting “TOUCHDOWN!” with every bite. Now what are you waiting for? Stock up on those wet naps, and get to eating, y’all!

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Today we’re sharing some of our favorite recipes for a football tailgate or watch party. From burgers, ribs, and wings to dips galore, we’ve got just what your favorite football fans will love.

What are your must-have recipes for football season? Who are your favorite football teams? Share them with us in the comments below!

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Not letting the grill preheat properly: We know plenty of impatient grillers, and they do one of two things. They either put the food on before the grill is hot enough or they blast their charcoal with lighter fluid. If you don’t let your grill reach the right temperature, you’ll either burn the outside of the food or undercook the inside—and even worse, you could do both. And if you go wild with the lighter fluid, it can actually take even longer for your grill to be ready because it needs to burn off the lighter fluid—otherwise you’re eating burgers and veggies that take on a very chemical taste, and that’s neither healthy or delicious. And if you’re using a Kamado grill, never use lighter fluid—the ceramic body will trap that lighter fluid in there. The only solution to this mistake is having a little patience—and starting the grill 30 minutes or so before you’re wanting to start cooking.

Opening your grill too often: The key to creating spectacular dishes on a grill is consistent heat. Every time you open the lid of your grill to check on your food’s progress, your grill loses heat, and it takes time to reach your desired temperature again. Give it a reasonable amount of time before you open it up to check—after all, a watched pot doesn’t boil and an open grill doesn’t cook. If you’re concerned about the doneness of your food, invest in a grill with an internal meat probe that can check the temperature for you with the grill lid down.

Not using a meat thermometer: We take this one very seriously. Coming from a background in the restaurant industry, we’re super mindful of food safety. Chicken and pork have to reach specific temperatures in order to be safe for consumption. And when it comes to beef, we don’t want it to be under- or over-cooked. We always use a meat thermometer to make sure our dinner is safe and delicious. Again, we love a grill with an internal meat probe—the LIFESMART pellet grill has this feature and it will show the meat’s internal temp on an external display.

Not cleaning your grill: Some people say they don’t clean their grill because it adds more flavor to their food, but we have to disagree. That’s like saying you don’t wash your dirty casserole dishes because last week’s lasagna adds flavor. Baked on food bits and burnt bits of who-knows-what isn’t helping anyone—trust us. If you just hate doing it, you’ll save yourself a whole lot of elbow grease by giving it a quick scrape as soon as you finish grilling. The hot grease and food bits will come right off, and then you’re grill is ready for the next time you decide to fire it up.

Piling everything on the grill at once: We know y’all know this, but not all foods cook for the same amount of time. Zucchini takes considerably less time than a burger, which takes less time than a whole chicken. Be sure you pay attention to the different cook times and stagger when you put them on accordingly. This will ensure that everyone is eating everything all at once. Or if you’re waiting to serve the food until everything is done, your guests won’t have to eat cold brats. Take 5 minutes to make a plan of what time everything needs to go on. These few extra minutes will make mealtime a little extra enjoyable.

Pressing down on meats when cooking: For whatever reason, people seem to think that by pushing down and flattening a burger or steak that they’ll get to eat quicker. And sure, it may cook a little bit faster, but all you’re really accomplishing is that you’re pressing all the juices out of the meat. All that will be left when you’re done is a dry piece of meat, and let’s be honest—no one wants that. The solution to this one is simple—put the spatula down!

Not letting meat rest after cooking: We know it’s hard to wait to start chowing down on those burgers and steaks, especially if you’ve got hungry kids, but if you’ll give it just five to ten minutes, you’ll be so glad you did. The meats will be so much juicier. When you cut fresh-from-the-grill meats, you’ll often see the juices running out onto the plate, and if it’s running out onto the plate, guess where it isn’t. That’s right—it’s not in the meat! All you have to do to prevent this mistake is to have patience—or start cooking a few minutes earlier! Whichever you prefer.

Overcrowding the grill: We know—you’d rather spend your time eating with the family than standing over a hot grill, especially if you’re having a scorcher of a summer; however, by overcrowding the grill, you’re reducing some of the flavor you get from the grill. You’re not giving your food a chance to get that slightly smoky, charred crust that is so delicious. You’ll also have more time to move the food around as necessary.

Plus, think of it as a safety issue. If one piece of chicken catches on fire in a crowded grill, it will spread quickly. Goodbye, cookout. Hello, fire department!

All you have to do here is to cook in batches! Sure, it takes a little extra time, but isn’t a well-grilled meal worth a little extra effort?

If you’re in the market for an awesome grill, we love our grills by LIFESMART. They have one of the very best Kamado grills, and an awesome pellet grill, too, which is perfect for smoking and slow cooking. You can check out their line of LIFESMART grills right here.

Do you have any grilling tips or questions? Share them with us in the comments section below!

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When people think of Southern food, most people automatically think of fried foods and heavy comfort foods. And while those types of food certainly have a place in the Southern kitchen from time to time, Southern cooking is so much more than that.

The South is famous for more than just fried chicken and chicken pot pies! You can’t forget about the Po’ Boys of Louisiana, the coast’s incredible fresh oysters, Georgia peaches, barbecue, and those sweet Vidalia onions, just to name a few! And thanks to our warmer weather throughout most of the year, the grill has contributed quite a bit to Southern food, as well, and these grilling recipes all have a distinctive Southern flair!

Let us know what Southern dishes you’d like to see a grilled version of in the comments section. Now, go enjoy these Southern grill recipes, y’all. Happy grilling!

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If you’re like us, you admire those friends and neighbors who cook up fantastic creations every time that grill comes out. Well, guess what y’all! You’ve come to the right place! With the help of Paula, Jamie, and Bobby, you’ve got the inspiration you need to break out of that grilling rut. These BBQ grill recipes will surely make you feel like a grill master. Whether you’re looking to make exquisite ribs, a salmon that will satisfy the most refined palates, or trendy grilled fish tacos, you’ll find those recipes right here!

Next time you invite your friends over for a cookout, it will be you garnering the praise! Who is the next neighborhood grill master? Well, that would be you!

Share your favorite BBQ grill recipes in the comments below!

The post 9 BBQ Grill Recipes to Make You Feel Like a Grill Master appeared first on Paula Deen.

One great place to start is with fish and seafood—the Deens sure know their way around grilled tuna and grilled oysters. Of course, you can’t go wrong with making something simple like chicken and mixing things up with a fresh topping either! When it comes to grilling, the options are endless.

Whether you’re looking to try something classic, like Grilled Boneless Sirloin and Vidalia Onion Skewers or Chicken under a Brick, or you’re hoping to try something totally different from your usual grilled fare, like Grilled Sausage and Herb-Stuffed Pork Loin or Grilled Fish Tacos, you’ll find just the BBQ grill recipes you’re looking for.

What are your favorite dishes to make on the grill? Are you a traditionalist or do you like to mix it up. Let us know in the comments below!

The post 9 Grilling Recipes that Aren’t Burgers or Hot Dogs appeared first on Paula Deen.

When it comes to eating guacamole, we’ll eat it plain with tortilla chips, but we also enjoy it atop our tacos or spread on toast and topped with an egg for a flavorful take on avocado toast. Paula even has recipes for a guacamole and spinach dip and guacamole deviled eggs! Who knew guacamole could be so versatile? Paula has some great guacamole recipes, and we’ve shared them below. Enjoy!

What’s your favorite way to enjoy it? Do you have a guacamole recipe that you love? Share with us in the comments below!

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