Super Charge Super Bowl LVI With Pork, Projectors, And Smart Punch Bowls

It’s one week until the Rams and the 49ers (yes, really) face off in Super Bowl LVI (that’s 56 for those of us that never made it past 10 in Roman numerals). That means it’s time to gather provisions and some fun technology to make the experience memorable. 

Traeger Provisions Pulled Pork Sliders

Traeger’s meal kits have quickly become my favorite way to feed a bunch of people. Their new Pulled Pork Sliders are the perfect way to satisfy a gang of hungry football fans. All you need to do is select the sliders, pick your sides (though you get all four sides with the sliders, so “picking” is perfunctory), and maybe throw in a dessert. Traeger packs it all up in dry ice and it arrives at your door, ready to thaw and prepare. 

When my pork shoulder, mac and cheese, collard greens, cornbread, and bourbon baked beans arrived, I was impressed. Traeger makes unboxing an experience, with little messages and instructions sprinkled throughout the box inserts. There’s never a moment where you’re at a loss for what to do next. The kit comes with a fold-out instruction poster for your cook, with QR codes that take you to extremely helpful videos. 

In addition to the protein and sides, the sliders come with a trio of barbeque sauces, hot sauce, pickled jalapenos and onions, twelve buns, plus everything you need to season and complete your meal. Brining salt, spice rub, even a resting tray for the shoulder are included. Additionally there are bread crumbs for the mac and cheese, whipped butter for the cornbread, and jerky and churro-flavored almonds in case you need “chef snacks.” 

Prepping the shoulder for cooking is pretty much a no-brainer if you follow the instructions. The thorough pamphlet and videos show you exactly how to season the meat and score and season the pork skin so that you end up with homemade chicharrones at the end of the cooking process (yum!). 

Once everything is prepared and brined, it takes the better part of a day to actually cook the pork—Traeger likes to do things low and slow. All you need to do is make sure you have enough pellets (I like Traeger’s Bold mix for smoking) and ensure that you’ve calibrated your thermometer (a really good ice bath will do the trick). 

Once the shoulder is cooked and resting, you crank the temperature up on the Traeger and finish off your sides. Mostly this involves bringing them up to temperature (you did let them thaw in the fridge, right?) with the occasional sprinkle of toppings. 

Traeger’s Provision Box is a phenomenal success. It takes complex dishes and, in true Traeger fashion, breaks them down into clearly-communicated, easy-to-follow steps. The videos are informative, and the little extra touches make it fun and special. 

Pricing starts around $18 per person and you can feed up to 12 people. Slots are still open to get yours by the 11th (don’t forget, you need a day for the pork to brine). Get started at the Traeger Provisions site. 

Captain Morgan Super Bowl Punch Bowl

Captain Morgan, the official spiced rum of the NFL (yes, that’s really a thing) has teamed up with Matty Benedetto of Unnecessary Inventions fame to actually create a Smart Things punch bowl that you totally don’t need but that you’ll totally want for the Big Game. 

Unlike “Avocado on a Stick” twenty lucky winners will actually get to own a Super Bowl Punch Bowl. What does this amazing, useless combination of IoT and drink science do? You’re better off asking “what doesn’t it do?”

Internet-connected, the Super Bowl Punch Bowl keeps track of the game score via Genius Sports and displays it on a front-facing LED display. The Bluetooth speakers in the base pump out sounds of the game and the waterproof bass motor in the bowl itself “sonically mixes” the contents. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s a special ladle with a little kickstand that rests on the side of the bowl without falling in. To top it all off, the bowl has two multi-color LED rings that look like they’d be at home in any Razer gaming accessory. They’re reactive as well, so whenever a team scores, the punch bowl puts on a light show. 

Oh, and it also holds four gallons of liquid refreshment. Sadly, no alcohol is included if you win the punch bowl, but there is a yummy-sounding recipe on the contest entry site. 

Do you need it? No, you do not. Will it add a bit of ridiculous fun to your Super Bowl LVI experience if you win? Yes, it certainly will. But be quick—the last day to enter to win is today, Sunday, February 6. 

Samsung Freestyle Projector

Finally, you need to be able to actually, y’know, watch the game. Do it on the largest possible screen. Grab a projector screen, set it up outside (weather permitting) and point the new Samsung Freestyle projector at it!

The Freestyle can display a picture anywhere from 30′ up to a whopping 100′! Not only is it compact and easy to set up, it’s compatible with USB-C batteries, meaning that you can set it up anywhere. Find a big wall in your house, use the side of your house, find a barn to point it at! There’s even a socket adaptor (sold separately), so you can screw the Freestyle in a convenient light socket. 

You can use the Samsung app to calibrate the image or let the Freestyle auto-calibrate itself for the optimal image based on viewing conditions. It’ll also align the image with keystone correction so that you’re not left with a crick in your neck from viewing the game on an angle. 

With 360-degree sound, you’ll have full-volume enjoyment of the game no matter where you’re sitting (assuming you’re not listening to the game through your punch bowl). You can even rest it on its base and use it as a tabletop speaker when you’re not watching something (or watch the game on the ceiling, we won’t judge). 

The Freestyle is smart as well, connecting to all the apps and streaming services you need to access your content (there’s no weird limited, one-off apps like with some TV manufacturers). If there’s an app that isn’t compatible with the Samsung TV interface, you can also mirror your screen on the Freestyle and stream that way as well. Plus, in addition to Samsung’s Bixby (which, honestly, I’ve never actually seen anyone use) you can use Alexa to control the Freestyle’s functions. 

I love that Samsung has packed so much functionality into such a portable package. Plus, they get huge props for mounting the Freestyle on a stand that lets you quickly and easily adjust the angle and direction (no more stacking books underneath or adjusting fiddly projector feet). 

At $899, the Freestyle is pricey to grab just for the game but considering that you can press the projector into service anywhere you want to watch something, there’s no reason you can’t use it around your house, year round. Learn more on the Samsung website.