Dive into Alton's playbook for Buffalo Wings that can't be beat.

For Super Bowl Sunday, try tackling hot wings Alton-style, with a little science in your back pocket and a trick play up your sleeve. You’ll score a perfect touchdown, guaranteed, with these crispy-skinned wonders. Here are some of his hot wing secrets, step-by-step.

Steaming?: First, Alton loads up a steamer basket (yes, the one you usually use for broccoli) with the raw chicken wings and steams them for 10 minutes. Why would you do this? The extra fat will melt off and drip away into the pan, so you’ll be able to cook them at a higher heat later without smoking up your kitchen. And high heat = crispy skin.

Alton links a few steamer baskets together to fit all the wings. You could work in batches.

Drying: The steamed wings get spread onto a cooling rack set over a half sheet pan lined with paper towels, and the whole thing hangs out in the fridge for an hour. The cool air from the fridge dries out the skin completely, so a crisp cook-up is imminent.

Baking: Then the wings are baked, not fried. They contain enough fat to fry themselves when cooked at a high temperature, so no need to heat up vats of hot oil. And yes, they’re baked, but not at all healthy, light or slimmed down.

Saucing: Alton tosses the baked wings in a simple, classic hot wing sauce of melted butter and hot sauce (my favorite is Frank’s Red Hot Sauce). If you want the sauce to stick to the wings, make sure to do this step right away, while the wings are still hot out of the oven. And don’t worry, the super crispy skin won’t get soggy soon.

Browse more hot wing recipes from Sunny, Guy and more FN chefs.

If you’re searching for the most amazing + easy + classic-tasting hot wing recipe ever, Alton’s is it. But you can also check out top versions from Paula, Sunny, Guy and more Food Network chefs here. Or browse our entire collection of 100 hot wings or even more game-day apps, from top guacs to tater skins.

What hot wings are you making for the big game?

Follow Michael Symon's step-by-step and serve up Iron Chef-style tater tots at your big game bash.

Tater tots are hot this year, the coolest football-watching food for people in the know. And why not? They’re nostalgic, retro and unexpected. So tot it up like an Iron Chef with Michael Symon’s Crab Tater Tots (a recipe from his cookbook Live to Cook), a grown-up riff that’s totally doable with the help of Symon’s step-by-step how to.

Get more of this Iron Chef's best recipes.

Cook up more of Michael Symon’s football party picks:

• Greek Meatballs: Spice up lamb meatballs with coriander, cumin and a touch of cinnamon.
• The Lola Burger: Take burgers to the next level by layering on flavor – cheddar cheese, bacon, a sunny-side-up egg, pickled red onions and spicy ketchup.

More tots to try:

• Aaron McCargo Jr.’s Homemade Tater Tots
• Guy’s Parmesan Tater Tots
• Food.com’s Bacon-Wrapped Tater Tots

The big game game plan: For more tater inspiration, browse Food Network Magazine‘s NFL potato skins, with one skin for each of the 32 teams. Or just dive into our playbook to find more big game snacks.

Texas Chili Potato Skins are team-neutral and just celebrate this super Sunday in Dallas.

What snacks and apps are you planning to make for the big game?

Grill up meaty sandwiches for your big game bash, like this Pittsburgh Cheese Steak for Steelers fans.

Will the Green Bay Packers or the Pittsburgh Steelers steal Super Bowl 2011 away this year? I’m rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers and for good luck I am going to make ferocious Pittsburgh Cheese Steaks for the big game day!

The preferred meat for this recipe is a boneless rib-eye however if you prefer a thinner cut, a strip loin will also work well (although I would suggest popping the strip loin into the freezer for about 30-45 minutes before slicing so it’s easier to cut into super thin strips before grilling). The entire rib-eye can be cooked on an indoor or outdoor grill and then sliced after it has rested for 10-15 minutes.

So what makes a Cheese Steak Pittsburgh-style? It differs from the traditional Philly cheese steak because the toppings include crisp coleslaw, grilled potato wedges and tangy tomato relish. It’s a whole meal in a bun, all the so-called sides piled high. The sweet and sour coleslaw adds just the right amount of bite to cut through the rich meat and cheese, just like the Steelers are going to cut through the Packers!

Of course, for traditionalists (or non-Steelers fans) a great recipe to try is Bobby Flay’s Philly Cheese Steak. This hearty hoagie includes the classic provolone cheese sauce, sauteed onions, mushrooms and mixed peppers and could easily be served without meat for your vegetarian friends. No matter who you are rooting for either of these sandwiches will keep you warm from the recent snowmaggedon sweeping the nation!

What are you making for the Super Bowl? Browse all of our big game mains, from perfect pots of chili to beefy burgers.

—Reena Mehta

This Sunday, munch on Food Network Magazine's NFL-inspired riffs on the classic potato skin.

Four teams are just one win away from the Super Bowl. Sunday’s matchups will determine who’s going to the big dance in Dallas on February 6, and here on the FN Dish, we’re cooking up a potato skin showdown in their honor.

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