Jersey bracket challenge: ‘Corned Beef and cabbage’ vs ‘Thanksgiving Dinner’ vs macaroni and gravy

As we sit smack in the middle of March Madness with everyone checking their brackets, I've come up with a few more for you to consider. We've already had Great Adventure vs the Jersey boardwalks, now let's try food.

We just finished eating one of the two most traditional means in New Jersey as well as America. I'm talking about that St. Patrick's Day staple, corned beef and cabbage. Whether you make it at home or eat it out, it just wouldn't be St. Patrick's Day unless you had it. Personally, given the same ingredients, I'd prefer a "Reuben" sandwich but that's just me. Or is it?

The other meal that we pretty much only eat once a year is the traditional Thanksgiving dinner consisting of Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and cranberry sauce. When was the last time you saw that on the menu at your favorite Jersey diner?

So with this challenge, I pit these two meals against each other. But since it's New Jersey, I must throw in a third — macaroni with red gravy, complete with meatballs, sausage, braciola, and pork butt.  The macaroni could by anything from lasagna, to manicotti, to baked ziti to whatever you choose.

Since I've long been an advocate of macaroni on the Thanksgiving table, it's only fair that I include it here in the poll, which includes corned beef and cabbage.

So given the choice between corned beef and cabbage, traditional Thanksgiving dinner, or macaroni and gravy, which would you choose?

I polled both my listeners and social media following and here's what we came up with.

Mark Maher

You just started ww3. Way to go Steve!!!

Cindy Zwicker

Thanksgiving

Mike Butz

Macaroni ANY DAY!!!!

Gina Vogt

Do you know macaroni and gravy is a New Jersey New York thing. I have this argument with my husband all the time. My great friend parents are straight off the boat from Sicily grandparents still live there and own a bakery. Said if you order macaroni and gravy they will have no idea what you want. It’s pasta and ragu or pomadaro

Donna Blake Hacking

Macaroni and gravy and meatballs etc which is part of thanksgiving anyway lol macaroni day or night, hot or cold lol

Thomas Thomi Hawk Hickey

Well just say I like to be the odd man out ! Bring on the Corned Beef !!!

Amy Spagnuolo Higgins

Macaroni, gravy, meatballs, garlic bread and a salad! That is the perfect meal for any holiday! Turkey makes you sleepy.....corned beef and cabbage makes you gassy! LOL

Steven Keller

Cornbeef & Cabbage. We've had it twice this week!

Sheri-Lyn Champagne Barragan

Thanksgiving dinner!

Kelly Tweedly

Corned beef, meatballs, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy. Might as well throw in some green beans for the healthy aspect.

Lynette Taylor

Macaroni, gravy and meatballs!

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise only. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.

You can now listen to Steve Trevelise — On Demand! Discover more about New Jersey’s personalities and what makes the Garden State interesting . Download the Steve Trevelise show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now: