Sitting down for the Super Bowl on Feb. 7 might look a little different this year, but one thing remains the same: you need the perfect game day protein to fuel up for the Big Game. America has spoken and it’s down to chicken wing or pork rib – which team will you be on?
Data shows that chicken wings are the perennial favorite.
Chicken wings have three parts, but only two are typically eaten: the drum and the flat (also called wingette) – the tip is often discarded. Years ago, the wing’s small size and limited meat often meant it was discarded – but now it makes the perfect finger food. Wings are typically barbecued but they can be fried, baked, or grilled. Barbecued wings have dominated sports game snacks since the ’60s and the first Super Bowl, held in 1967.
USDA’s 2021 Super Bowl trends report shows that how fans prefer their wings varies by region. The South Central region – especially Texas – leads this year in preference for fresh wings. The Northeast, which used to lead the nation in its fondness for fresh wings, has gradually developed a preference for store deli-prepared wings in a variety of flavored sauces. The Southeast favors quick frozen and pre-cooked frozen wings over the rest of the nation. The Southwest prefers deli fried and baked chicken, especially for big packs of 100 or more pieces. The Midwest is a close second for deli wings and is a strong contender for fresh/frozen uncooked wings and for pre-cooked wings.
The increased demand for chicken wings on Super Bowl weekends sometimes exceeded availability, leading to higher prices for fans.
Enter the top challenger: the pork rib.
Another perfect finger food, pork ribs are inexpensive, widely available, and gaining popularity in many parts of the country. Like the chicken wing, the pork rib was once considered a low value item that was prepared simply, typically boiled. That changed in early 20th century with the increased popularity of slow-cooked barbecuing. With leg and shoulder cuts most in demand, low-cost pork ribs were widely available and, by the 1920s, barbecued pork ribs were being eaten across the nation. In the late 1940s, the “St. Louis” style of cutting ribs was developed and the square-shaped rib tip, or riblet, became an alternative to the chicken wing.
Southeasterners lead the nation in preference for fresh rib offerings of all types. Fans in other parts of the country support their own favorites with the Northeast a close second for St; Louis ribs, the Central U.S. for baby back ribs and for country or western-style ribs (cut from the butt and technically not part of the rib but delicious nonetheless), and the Northwest for boneless country ribs. Pork riblets have seen increasing popularity and fans in the Southeast and Southcentral regions favor them over all other areas.
Not a chicken wing or pork rib fanatic? No problem. Alternatives like pulled pork and sausage have entered the game.
- Boneless, barbecue-flavored pulled and shredded pork is perfect on a bun and easily held in one hand leaving the other hand free for a beverage.
- Pork dinner sausages and bratwurst, typically summer grilling favorites, get their first big marketing boost of the year during the Super Bowl and are increasingly popular with football fans.
So, this Feb. 7, will you be on Team Chicken Wing or Team Pork Rib, or will you go for something entirely different? Does your preference line up with your region or are you a trail blazer?
Team Pork Rib card. Photo credit: Emily Garman
