Summer is that time of year when everybody’s just itching to fire up the grill! After all, it’s when juicy burgers get flipped, steaks get a good sizzle, and eating outside makes dinnertime a little more fun. Grilling is one of those all-American traditions shared all across the country, but what you end up cooking sure does vary depending on where you call home.
To find out what America grills up every season, Innerbody analyzed Google Trends search data across all 50 states and the results would make The Pioneer Woman herself proud. According to the research, the most popular grilling food statewide isn’t hot dogs or hamburgers—it’s grilled steak! In fact, a slab of beef reigns supreme in 18 states (primarily in the West). The type of steak that each state prefers cooking up, however, varies. Based on the results, ribeye takes the lead with four votes from Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, and New Mexico, while flank steak and carne asada come in at a close second, each winning over three states.
The runner-up, chicken, snagged the second spot, stealing the hearts (and stomachs) of 10 states. Again, each state has a particular preference when it comes to the type of chicken they like to grill: While the South (Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, and Florida) favors chicken wings, chicken breast is a go-to among the Midwestern states of Michigan, Indiana, and Iowa. Then, there’s Ree Drummond’s home state of Oklahoma, which is a lone ranger with chicken legs as the top choice.
Coming in third place—with the same score as burgers and hot dogs combined—is grilled vegetables. Eight states (including Washington, D.C.) have a veggie listed as their favorite grilling food: mushrooms in Kansas and Maine, zucchini in Nebraska and Rhode Island, peppers in Kentucky, green beans in Minnesota, and eggplant in D.C. Speaking of produce, two states selected fruit as their grilled food of choice: grilled peaches in Ohio and grilled pineapple in Idaho.
Some states, however, didn’t deviate from the classics. As it turns out, Arkansas, South Dakota, and Wisconsin can’t get enough of burgers, while the Mid-Atlantic states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and North Carolina love hot dogs above all other grilling foods. As for seafood, unsurprisingly, grilled fish and shellfish won over the coastal states, specifically oysters in South Carolina, cod in Massachusetts, and tuna steaks in Louisiana and Virginia.
In addition to statewide trends, Innerbody also looked at the national rankings, compiling a list of the leading grilled dishes that the whole country craves. When taking all 50 states into account, burgers actually are the premiere grilling food. After burgers, America opts for chicken breast, ribeye, corn, and chicken thighs (in that order) when firing up the grill.
While plenty of states are bonafide grill masters, based on the search data, one state is more passionate about grilling than the others: Minnesota. Wisconsin, South Carolina, Maine, and New Hampshire occupy the following four respective spots.
Then, the research team did a bit of trend forecasting to pinpoint what America is getting ready to grill (or, at least, what they’re interested in grilling). After analyzing search trends across every state from the past three weeks, the researchers found that corn is the grilling food that people have been searching online. It’s corn season, after all!
Lilly Blomquist is the associate editor at The Pioneer Woman, where she writes lifestyle stories across a wide range of topics—including news, entertainment, holidays, food, and more.
