Weirdest Food From Every State [United by Strangeness]

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There’s no denying that food is a staple in every culture all over the world.

Living in the United States there’s a wide range of climates, cultures and topography, which leads to some very diverse food staples depending on where you live. Every state has its own unique way of cooking and some food combinations you would never expect!

We’ve gathered a list of the weirdest food by state.

Weird is definitely a subjective term, and we have definitely not tried everything on this list but are fascinated by the dishes and staples across the country. We will let you decide which state eats the weirdest food.

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Alabama – Biscuits with Chocolate Gravy

Biscuits and gravy are undoubtedly one of the tastiest combinations out there. Normally, you see them with sausage or mushroom gravy, but in Alabama, they eat their biscuits with chocolate gravy. Chocolate for breakfast? We are into it.

Alaska – Akutaq

Akutaq, also known as Eskimo ice cream, is typically made up of a variety of meat lard, snow or water, fresh berries (blueberries, salmonberries or cranberries) and fish. All of this is mixed together and eaten cold. This is definitely a resourceful and locally sourced way of eating ice cream.

Arizona – Scorpion Lollipops

James Cobb, RN, MSN of The Dream Recovery System, shares that the scorpion lollipops are the weirdest food you can find in Arizona.

He also adds, “we have a lot of taco shops where they serve up every part of the steer. Some might consider tacos to be made out of brain or tongue meat to be weird. They’re not.”

Cobb continues, “It takes a lot of skill to make these less-desirable cuts of meat palatable but many of our taco shops succeed at this remarkably well.”

Arkansas – Possum Pie

Don’t worry; this is not a meat pie, as you might imagine.

This weird pie from Arkansas consists of chocolate, cream cheese, and a pecan crust. No one is ever disappointed with extra whipped cream. It gets the name possum pie because it’s hiding what it really is, a pie full of chocolate under a bed of fluffy whipped cream.

Here is a recipe you’ll thank us for from Home of Nash Eats.

California – Sushirrito

We know the people of California love anything to do with avocados, but did you know that they eat sushi in the form of a burrito?

A sushirrito is all of the ingredients you’d normally find in a roll of sushi, all wrapped up and shaped like a burrito. Easy to eat sushi on the go, we like it!

Colorado – Rocky Mountain Oysters

Coloradans eat bull testicles, better known as rocky mountain oysters. They are usually served deep-fried, so you forget you are eating an animal’s testicle. This is definitely an acquired taste.

Connecticut – Clam Pizza

The weirdest dish people in Connecticut eat is clam pizza. This is a savory pizza pie, with the main ingredient being clams, fresh or canned work for a clam pizza.

Some common toppings or other ingredients you’ll find on a clam pizza are onion, celery, corn, potatoes, clam juice and hard-boiled eggs.

Delaware – Creamed Chipped Beef (SOS)

In Delaware, a common breakfast food is creamed chipped beef. This weird dish is chopped dried beef in a creamy sauce and normally served over bread, but also tastes great with eggs and potatoes.

Florida – Gator Tail

It makes sense that Floridians would eat alligators. Gator tails are deep-fried, and we can only assume they taste like chicken!

Georgia – Boiled Peanuts

Susan Stitt from Front Edge Publishing, says boiled peanuts is the weirdest food in Georgia.

In case you were wondering, she also adds that they are, “so gross!”

Hawaii – Ube

Ube is a bright purple yam that you can find in a variety of dishes throughout Hawaii. Ube is a staple in Filipino cuisine and is often found in ice cream, pancakes, boba tea, cupcakes and more.

This purple yam has a nutty and creamy taste, making it a great addition to baked goods.

Idaho – Ice Cream Potato

The weirdest food in Idaho is something we are dying to try. An ice cream potato has a base of vanilla ice cream shaped to look like a potato and then rolled in cocoa to give it the traditional potato color, then topped with Oreos, nuts and whipped cream.

Sounds like the sweetest potato ever! You can even book a food truck dedicated to making ice cream potatoes for your next party.

Related: The Origins of Your Favorite Holiday Cookies

Illinois – Gravy Bread

Illinois is known for Italian beef, Chicago dogs and Garretts Popcorn, but did you know that they also love gravy bread?

Gravy bread is basically two pieces of bread saturated in beef juice, but there is one main component missing from gravy bread, the meat. There is no meat on this bread, just soggy bread soaked in lots of beef juice.

Indiana – Sauerkraut Balls

Sauerkraut balls are found throughout the Midwest, but Indiana residents pride themselves on these balls. Made up of bratwurst, cream cheese, spices and, of course, kraut, then they are rolled in flour and fried.

Everything tastes better fried, right?

Iowa – Walking Taco

Are walking tacos tasty? Yes!

Usually made with Doritos, ground beef and all of your standard taco toppings. And the best part? It all fits in the chip bag so you can take it on the go.

The honorable mention is the turkey and dressing sandwich. Iowans crave these carb-loaded sandwiches year-round.

Kansas – Beirock

Also known as cabbage rolls, beirock is the weirdest food that people in Kansas eat. Beirock is essentially a German-style Hot Pocket, filled with beef, onions and, of course, cabbage.

Kentucky – Soup Beans

Soup beans are pretty much what it sounds like, a soup full of beans!

Normally served with cornbread, greens and potatoes and topped with ramps or onions. Soup Beans are made up of pinto beans, white beans, back-eye peas and butter beans and for the people of Kentucky, this dish provides them comfort and reminds them of their roots.

Louisiana – Nutria

Yep, the people of Louisiana, eat these cute little river rodents. We will pass on the swamp rat and stick to the beignets!

Maine – Tomalley

Yes, people in Maine eat a lot of lobster, but did you know that there is a green goop that comes out of a lobster’s digestive tract? Well, they spread that green goop (tomalley) on toast, in a sauce or even better on top of a lobster roll.

Maryland – Stuffed Ham

Stuffed ham is pretty self-explanatory.

You make big slits in the smoked ham and stuff them with kale, onions, cabbage and a lot of spices. A stuffed ham is a staple for the holidays for many families in Maryland, but a few restaurants serve it year-round as a stuffed ham sandwich.

Massachusetts – Chow Mein Sandwich

According to Massachusetts resident Steve Silberberg from Fitpacking Fat Loss Backpacking Adventures, Chow Mein Sandwiches are the weirdest food in his state.

Chow mein sandwiches are made up of brown gravy mix with chow mein noodles in between hamburger buns. You can order these sandwiches “strained” (with vegetables) or “unstrained” (without vegetables) depending on your mood.

Michigan- Detroit Style Coney Dog

You might think of NYC when you think of a traditional coney, but in Michigan, they love their coney dogs and you’ll see them everywhere!

A true Detroit style coney dog is a beef hot dog, topped with chili (without beans), mustard and raw onions. The difference between a coney dog and a chili dog is the chili sauce. In Michigan, they put Worcestershire sauce, cumin, celery seed, brown sugar and a healthy amount of tomatoes in their chili sauce to make an authentic coney.

Minnesota – Pickle Dog

This is not a hot dog with a giant dill pickle on it, but a pickle on a stick, with sauerkraut, a healthy amount of Thousand Island dressing all wrapped up by a big slice of roast beef.

We are not sure how we feel about all of those strong flavors, but it’s a staple at the Minnesota state fair every year, so locals must love them!

Mississippi – Koolickle

If you thought Minnesota locals ate weird things with pickles, Mississippi locals take it up a notch. They soak their pickles in Kool-Aid, formally known as a koolickle.

Missouri – Provel Cheese

Missourians love Provel cheese, and we don’t blame them.

This cheese is a combination of swiss, cheddar and provolone all mixed together. You can put it on pretty much anything, but you’ll see it the most on St. Louis style pizza, a thin cracker crust pizza with a bunch of Provel cheese and cut party style.

Montana – Pasties

People in Montana eat pasties, and no we are not talking about nipple covers. A pasty is a traditional dish that originated in the U.K.

Typically this savory hand pie is stuffed with potatoes, steak, onions and turnips. You can also add cheese or any other vegetable inside and if you are a true Montanan, you’ll likely pour some gravy on top.

Nebraska – Hot Beef Sundae

This is a lot different than Idaho’s ice cream potato; the hot beef sundae is a savory sundae.

This sundae is mashed potatoes, roast beef, gravy, sour cream and a tomato to resemble a cherry, of course. We will stick to sundaes with ice cream…

Nevada – Cotton Candy Burrito

Looking for the ultimate sugar rush? The people in Nevada eat cotton candy burritos! This burrito is filled with ice cream, sprinkles, and loads of fluffy cotton candy. You are going to need a nap after eating one of these sweet treats!

New Hampshire – Grape-Nuts Ice Cream

If you’ve had Grape-Nuts before you know they taste sort of like rocks. Why not add them to ice cream? You can find this healthy cereal added to ice cream shops all around New Hampshire.

New Jersey – Sloppy Joe (New Jersey Style)

Andrew Farinaccio, head website content writer for Hotels4Teams shares that in New Jersey they have a different take on your average sloppy joe.

Farinaccio shares, “this isn’t the kind of sloppy joe the rest of the country is used to, but rather a sandwich consisting of Swiss cheese, coleslaw, Russian dressing, and one or more types of meat. It typically comes on rye bread and is always served cold.”

New Mexico – Green Chile Sundae

In New Mexico, they put green chile on pretty much everything, including ice cream… A green chile sundae is custard topped with green chiles and some pecans. Like any sundae, you can add whatever toppings you like to go with it, like marshmallow creme, whipped cream or maybe even some sprinkles!

New York – Garbage Plate

The people of New York eat garbage plates. A garbage plate is guaranteed to fill you up!

You can find pretty much anything on a garbage plate, potatoes, macaroni and cheese, baked beans, french fries, chicken tenders, eggs, and much much more. Plus, most garbage plates come with a side of bread to soak up the extra sauce at the end. The garbage plate will undoubtedly put you in a food coma.

North Carolina – Livermush

The weirdest dish in North Carolina is livermush. Livermush is made up of pig liver, cornmeal, parts of the pig head and some spices. Usually it is formed into a hamburger like patty and served on a piece of toast.

North Dakota – Lutefisk

Ben Myhre from Ramshackle Pantry says lutefisk is the weirdest dish that North Dakotans eat.

“Lutefisk is a traditional Norwegian dish that is whitefish pickled in lye. Another weird dish you might not have heard of is klubb, which is a stuffed potato dumpling” Myhre shares. You can find Ben’s recipe here.

Ohio – Goetta

The weirdest dish that people in Ohio eat is goetta. Goetta is a German dish that is made up of ground meat, pinhead oats and a generous amount of spices. It is up to you whether to make this with ground beef, pork or a combination of pork and beef if you are feeling up for it!

Oklahoma – Lamb Fries

Similarly to Coloradans, the people of Oklahoma do not let any part of the animal go to waste.

Lamb fries are fried lamb testicles, normally served with some sauce on the side for an appetizer or served with a baked potato to make it a full meal. Apparently if you add some lemon and pepper to them they taste like chicken.

Oregon – Gooseneck Barnacles

The weirdest food people in Oregon eat is Gooseneck barnacles. In Portugal and Spain, these barnacles are considered a delicacy and are said to taste somewhere between a clam and a lobster. Gooseneck barnacles are boiled whole and then you pull out the tube, remove the claw and enjoy!

Pennsylvania – Scrapple

According to Abby Karasick from Philly Food Girls, Scrapple is the weirdest dish in Pennsylvania. “It’s basically a mush of pork scraps & trimmings and comes in a loaf. It’s usually sliced and then pan-fried” Abby shares.

Rhode Island – Chop Suey Sandwich

The sandwich might not look the most delicious, but it is bound to fill you up!

A Chop Suey Sandwich is a specialty in Rhode Island. Filled with chicken or pork, onions, celery, bean sprouts and a soy gravy. It might look like something you’d find up washed up on the shore, but rumor has it that it’s quite tasty.

South Carolina – Chitterlings

Again, another state that doesn’t let any part of the animal go to waste.

In South Carolina, they eat chitterlings or chitlins, which is normally pig intestines, but they can really be any cattle intestines. They are also sometimes called “wrinkle steaks” and normally served with some apple cider vinegar or hot sauce on the side.

South Dakota – Chislic

South Dakotans are like a lot of other states on this list and love their meat. Chislic is bite-sized cubes of meat that are deep-fried and served with a toothpick. While steak is probably the most common form of chislic, it can also be made with game meat, like venison or other game meat.

Tennessee – Slugburger

Shockingly a Slugburger is not made out of slugs! You might be surprised to hear that this Tennessee burger is actually a beef burger mixed with soybean grits that have been deep-fried. These burgers originated during the Great Depression to make their meat last longer by mixing it with other fillers. And to this day southerners choose to eat the Slugburger.

Texas – Rattlesnake

Texas is known for a lot of things, but the weirdest thing people in Texas eat is fried rattlesnake. A word of advice, if you are going to try to fry up a rattlesnake at home, make sure to skin it first! We also do not recommend doing this at home since rattlesnakes are very dangerous and if you want to try this Texas dish it might be best to try it at a restaurant.

Utah – Jell-O Salad

People in Utah love Jell-O a little too much. They add anything and everything to it, including carrots, oranges, pineapple, you name it, they’ve put it in Jell-O. And particularly green Jell-O. Don’t ask us to make sense of it, but they eat it and enjoy it!

Vermont – Sugar on Snow

Maple syrup is everywhere in Vermont, but did you know they make a meal out of it? Sugar on snow with a side pickle and donut, also known as Sugar on Snow Supper. We don’t really understand this combination, but apparently that flavor combination is a popular dish for people in Vermont.

Virginia – Peanut Soup

The weirdest dish the people in Virginia eat is peanut soup. The soup is pretty simple and only has a few ingredients. Virginia peanut soup is usually made with onion, cream, hot sauce, butter, peanut butter, chopped peanuts and lime juice. Sometimes it is also called groundnut soup. It is sure to warm you up on a cold day!

Washington – Geoduck

Basically Geoduck is a clam that looks a little freaky. But people in Washington eat them and they supposedly taste great! Probably one of those foods it’s better to eat before you see what it looks like.

West Virginia – Fried Squirrel

Yes, squirrels can be pesky little critters, but did you know that people in West Virginia eat them? I guess frying them gives them a little extra crunch. You can find squirrels paired with mashed potatoes, gravy, peas and more.

Wisconsin – Butter Burger

We all know Wisconsin is known for its cheese. But with a plethora of cows, people in Wisconsin add butter to their burgers. Might sound gross, but don’t knock it until you try it. If you’ve ever been to a Culver’s and had a burger, that is a butter burger.

Wyoming – Chuckwagon Breakfast

A chuckwagon breakfast is just a BIG plate of breakfast foods. Traditionally cooked over an open fire. A chuckwagon breakfast is everything you can think of, eggs, sausage, beans, and if you are lucky, some biscuits. The weirdest part about this breakfast is that’s all cooked in one single pot.

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