Three House-Made Dips to Serve at Your Bar During the Big Game
Football season is here, and customers are probably flocking to your bar in droves to catch the big games. If you want them to keep coming back and treating your bar and grill like the go-to place for sporting events, then you need to offer something special. Serving some complementary snacks during the big game will keep their taste buds satisfied. House-made dips are easy to make in big batches and set out from time to time during the game. Here are three dip recipes to get you started.
Creamy Onion and Garlic Dip
This dip will remind you of the onion dip you purchase at the store but with so much more flavor. The recipe makes about 10 cups of dip, which you can portion out into crocks and set out two or three at a time along the bar.
Ingredients:
- 2 large, sweet onions, chopped finely
- 10 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 5 cups mayonnaise
- 5 cups sour cream
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet. Add the onions and sauté them over low heat until they are nicely caramelized. (This will take about 20 minutes.) When the onions are almost fully caramelized, add the garlic to the pan and sauté gently. Remove the onions and garlic from the heat, and let them cool to room temperature.
Combine the garlic and onions with the remaining ingredients, and stir well. Store in a covered container in the cooler for 2 hours before portioning into crocks to serve. This dip is great with plain potato chips, pretzels, and even veggies.
Hot Bacon and Cheddar Dip
This hot dip features cream cheese, melted cheddar, and crispy bacon with a hint of green onion and hot sauce. The recipe makes four baking dishes worth of dip, so you can keep them in the cooler and heat them up one at a time as needed.
Ingredients:
- 8 cups of cream cheese
- 8 cups of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 pounds bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup hot sauce, such as Tobasco
- 1 cup green onions, sliced thinly
Spread 2 cups of cream cheese into the bottoms of four small baking dishes. Scatter 2 tablespoons of hot sauce over each one, and top this with 2 cups of cheddar and one quarter of the bacon. Place these prepared dip dishes in the cooler until needed.
About 30 minutes before you plan on serving the dip, place it in a 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with 1/4 cup green onions and serve. This dip is great with sturdy dippers like pita chips and bread cubes.
Buffalo Blue Cheese Dip
It's like Buffalo wings in a dip! This wonderful creation features tender chicken, hot sauce, cheese, and even blue-cheese dressing (which is what true Buffalonians dip their wings in). The recipe makes four baking dishes of dip that you can heat up one at a time.
Ingredients:
- 8 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- 8 cups cream cheese
- 4 cups blue-cheese dressing
- 4 cups hot sauce
- 8 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Place the cream cheese in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave it for about 2 minutes on low power to soften it. Stir in the chicken, hot sauce, and blue cheese until the mixture is uniform. Divide the mixture between four baking dishes. Top each with 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, cover, and store in the cooler.
When you're ready to bake the dip, place it in a 375 F oven for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips, plain crackers, or slices of pita bread.
Serve one or more of these dips during each game, and word will spread. Customers will start flocking to your bar and grill during the big games. You can also check out what other restaurants, such as Mugshots Burger N' Brew, are doing.