The United States is known for their creation of succulent meat dishes. However, only four states include meat as their official state food. One state in particular, Oklahoma, has three types of meat listed as their state meals, sausage and gravy, barbecued pork, and chicken fried steak. Other states have some catching up to do. In honor of America’s love for meat, every state has been assigned different honorary meat. Sandwiches, stews and soups are not included on this list.
Get into the Thick of It
Staying true to the nature of this list, since meat can come in different variations, some types of meat will be repeated. This applies to beef in particular since ground beef can have many different parts used in its creation, and even pork cuts can be versatile. Of course all of the meat is going to differ considering how it is prepared for consumption. So, different types of the same meat still count for other states and are not considered to be a repeat. In the spirit of assigning meat per state, it’s time to dig in!
Meats Assigned Per State
• Alabama – Traditional Meatloaf, Alaska – the Caribou, Arizona – the Delicious Carne Asada, Arkansas – Domestic Rabbit, California – Healthy and Meat-Free Tofu, Colorado – Home-Cooked Mutton, Connecticut – Ground Hamburger
• Delaware – Scrapple, Florida – Local Alligator, Georgia – Fresh Ham Hocks, Hawaii – Surprisingly Spam, Idaho – the Yak, Illinois – Tasty Porterhouse Steak, Indiana – Tender Pork Tenderloin, Iowa – Loose Meats
• Kansas – Crisp Burnt Ends, Kentucky – Legendary Lamb Fries, Louisiana – Traditional Andouille
• Maine – the Best of Surf and Turf, Maryland – Simply Corned Ham, Massachusetts – Slow Roasted Roast Beef, Michigan – Delicious Corned Beef, Minnesota – Homemade Meatballs, Mississippi – Tasty Pork Rinds, Missouri – Pit Cooked Pork Spare Ribs, Montana – Fried Rocky Mountain Oysters
• Nebraska – Grilled Bone-in-Ribeye, Nevada – Succulent Tongue, New Hampshire – the Smoked Pork Shoulder, New Jersey – Capicola, New Mexico – Carne Adovada, New York – the All-American Hot Dog, North Carolina – Slow Roasted Pulled Pork, North Dakota – Cut Summer Sausage
• Ohio – Kielbasa, Oklahoma – Freshly Cooked Chicken Fried Steak, Oregon – the Wild Boar
• Pennsylvania – Thin Sliced Top Round, Rhode Island – Steaming Hot Wiener, South Carolina – Braised Pork Chop, South Dakota – the Bison, Tennessee – Delicious Bacon, Texas – Seered Brisket
• Utah – Gelatin, Vermont – Slow Cooked Pot Roast, Virginia – Baked Country Ham, Washington – Thick Sliced Salami, Washington D.C. – Half-Smoke, West Virginia – the Squirrel, Wisconsin – Rich and Tasty Bratwurst, Wyoming – the Elk
Americans Are Proud Meat-Eaters
Over-all American’s are proud meat eaters that braise, grill, slow roast, fry, bake, and slow cook their meats of choice regardless of the state they may live in. With the exception of Luxembourg, the U.S. eats more meat per capita than any other country. Millions of meals being prepared in the U.S. right now typically consist of a main course that is meat-based. So tuck your napkin in your lap and get your utensils ready because it is time to eat meat America!
