NJ’s great pork roll debate

If you like pork roll, New Jersey's capital city is the place to be on Saturday. That's when two competing pork roll festivals are scheduled to take place. 

In 2014, TC Nelson and Scott Miller teamed up to run Trenton's first festival last year, which drew 4,000 people to celebrate the pork-based processed meat that was developed in the city.

A disagreement over money and how the event was organized caused the the men to go their separate ways, resulting in two competing pork roll festivals this year.

Nelson's Trenton Pork Roll Festival 2015 and Miller's Official 2nd Annual Pork Roll Festival are both scheduled to kick off at 10 a.m. on May 23. In addition, a third festival called the Trenton Vegan Pork Roll Festival, will also take place for those that prefer a meatless option.

Developed in 1856 by John Taylor, New Jersey is often divided over brands made by Taylor Provisions of Trenton and rival Case Pork Roll. Both brands are expected to be featured at the two main pork roll festivals.

To try and determine which pork roll reins supreme, New Jersey 101.5 set up a blind taste test with on-air personalities and other employees. Pork roll sample A was Case's Pork Roll and sample B was Taylor Ham.

So which one came out on top? It depends on who you ask.

"I think I like A better because it has a fluffier texture. It's not as greasy. B was saltier and greasier but tastier. I think for the overall experience I'm going to go with A," said NJ 101.5 on-air personality Dennis Malloy.

The station's chief meteorologist Dan Zarrow agreed.

"Sample A was a little bit greasier, the cut, it seemed a little bit thicker. I think pork roll is supposed to be greasy so I'm going to go with A as my favorite."

Some people, like evening news anchor Patrick Lavery, preferred sample B.

"The crust when it fries up is a little tougher. A gets a little softer of a fry on it. I prefer B."

Representatives from the station's sales department also preferred sample B.

"B had more flavor. It had more of a tang to it," said Ken Wright. "I think sample B is a little more salt and a little bit more, the flavor that you look for in a pork," Ken Simmons said.

News producer Matthew White and Fast Traffic's Bob Williams also liked sample B, but Kira Buxton, Jim Gearhart's producer, disagreed.

"I preferred sample A. It had just the right amount of saltiness for my taste personally. The second one had a little bit too much salt. The second one, sample B, felt a little bit more rubbery, and the first one almost had a crunchy, yet smooth texture," Buxton said.

Midday news anchor Joe Cutter agreed.

"I think I like A. It had a more barbeque kind of taste. I'm not a gourmet of pork roll, but it had more taste to it than B did."

Pork roll is popular in New Jersey and parts of Pennsylvania and Maryland, often as a breakfast meat paired with egg and cheese.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.