Soul food is about family, history and recipes passed down through generations. This One Gotta Go card puts four favorites on the plate: collard greens, cornbread, black-eyed peas and smothered chicken. Every family has its own version, and everyone thinks theirs is the best.
Three dishes stay at Sunday dinner, and one disappears from the table forever. Think about the dish you look forward to most, the one your grandmother made best and the one you could skip. Then make your pick and share whose recipe is the best in your family.
Collard Greens vs Cornbread vs Black-Eyed Peas vs Smothered Chicken
A. Collard Greens
Collard greens, slow cooked with seasoning and often smoked meat, are a soul food staple. The pot liquor at the bottom is treasured. They also take hours to clean and cook, which makes them a fair cut for anyone short on time.
Keep it if: Sunday dinner is not complete without a big pot of greens and a little hot sauce on top.
B. Cornbread
Cornbread is the side that goes with everything, sweet or savory depending on the family recipe. It is simple and comforting. Since it is a side, some people feel they could live without it, which makes it a candidate for the cut.
Keep it if: You love a warm slice with butter and think cornbread belongs next to every soul food plate.
C. Black-Eyed Peas
Black-eyed peas are a New Year's Day tradition for luck and a hearty side the rest of the year. They are meaningful. Some people only eat them once a year, which makes them the easiest dish on this card to cut.
Keep it if: You eat them every New Year's Day for good luck and love them with rice and greens.
D. Smothered Chicken
Smothered chicken is cooked low and slow in rich gravy, perfect over rice. It is pure comfort. It is also the main dish here, so cutting it means losing the center of the plate, which few people want to do.
Keep it if: You love chicken falling off the bone in rich gravy over a pile of rice.
Our take
We would cut black-eyed peas, only because they shine brightest once a year on New Year's Day, while greens, cornbread and smothered chicken show up at Sunday dinners all year long. The most fun debate usually comes down to cornbread, since people have strong opinions about sweet versus savory. Ask everyone how their family makes it, and get ready for a lively conversation about sugar in the batter. Bring a dish from each family and hold a friendly tasting at the next gathering.
How to play this card with friends
- Read the four choices out loud.
- Everyone picks the one they'd eliminate at the same time.
- Explain your pick. This is where the fun starts.
- Use the follow-up questions below to keep it going.
Follow-up questions to keep the debate going
- Which soul food dish has the most debate about whose version is best?
- Sweet cornbread or savory cornbread?
- Who makes the best soul food in your family?
- What soul food dish would you add to this card?
Want more debates like this? Get the One Gotta Go card game for game night, family dinners and road trips. Shop the decks.
Soul Food Dishes: quick answers
Why do people eat black-eyed peas on New Year's Day?
Eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is a Southern tradition believed to bring good luck and prosperity in the coming year. They are often served with collard greens, which stand for money, and cornbread, which stands for gold.
What is pot liquor?
Pot liquor, sometimes spelled potlikker, is the flavorful broth left after cooking greens like collards with seasoning and smoked meat. It is full of flavor and nutrients, and many people dip cornbread in it or sip it straight. Some families even save it for the next day's meal, because it tastes even better after resting overnight.
