By Victoria McNally // SWNS
NEWS COPY w/ VIDEO + INFOGRAPHIC
Is a well-done steak on a first date a dealbreaker? Sure is, say half of all Americans.
In a recent survey of 2,000 respondents, 53% claim they wouldn’t date someone who liked their steak prepared in a different way than they did.
That goes double for people in the Northeast, 59% of whom judge everyone for their steak choices, not just potential romantic partners.
Meanwhile, in the Midwest, people there were most likely to say (62%) they’ll eat whatever is put in front of them regardless of how it’s cooked — but they’re also the least likely to leave it up to chance.
In fact, three out of four Midwesterners insist on manning the grill themselves at barbecues and other friendly gatherings, as well as seven in 10 men compared to half of all women.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of JBS USA, the survey found plenty of other ways that various regions across the country differ in terms of their meat-eating habits.
The Northeast appears to eat steak more frequently than everywhere else, roughly seven times a month compared to the national average of five.
They also consume the most of it, too — around 16 oz a month, compared to 13 in the South, 11 in the West, and 10 in the Midwest.
At the same time, Northeasterners know the least about cooking steak; one out of five say they’ve never actually prepared one on their own before.
On the other side of the country, West Coast residents appear to be the least judgmental about steak preferences across the board.
That’s likely because almost three times as many vegetarians live there as anywhere else in the country, according to the survey’s results (14%).
And in the South, it’s all about getting the most out of your meat — they’re the most likely to repurpose their leftovers into an entirely new dish (30%), rather than putting in a sandwich like 32% of Northeasterners or simply reheating it to eat as is like the Midwest does (31%).
“While food can look very different across cultures, it is actually more universal than people realize,” said Trevlyn Trevino Carson, Marketing Manager at JBS Foods.“Dishes that are prepared and served in different ways all start with the same basic ingredients, from beef to veggies and even noodles. Each culture puts its own unique spin on these common ingredients.”
When asked to name their favorite type of cuisine, respondents most commonly cited Mexican, Italian, and Chinese.
But surprisingly, the panel’s favorite beef dishes in the country don’t come from any of those traditions.
Instead, the list was topped by a three-way tie between Korean Bulgogi (32%), Russian stroganoff (32%) and Philly Cheesesteaks (32%).
AMERICANS’ TOP 5 FAVORITE BEEF DISHES
- Bulgogi (32%)
- Beef stroganoff (32%)
- Cheesesteak (32%)
- Chicken-fried/country-fried steak (28%)
- Kebabs (23%)
TOP 5 STEAK SAUCES
- Barbecue (34%)
- Brown or compound butter (31%)
- Brown sauce (i.e., A1) (31%)
- Gravy (26%)
- Chimichurri (24%)