SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – The burger battle champion is also the pork champion. 

Crawford’s was announced the winner of the 2023 Downtown Sioux Falls and Smithfield Foods pork showdown on Wednesday. Crawford’s beat out 16 other local businesses that offered new menu options showcasing pork. 

Crawford’s, which also won the 2023 downtown burger battle, won the event with a pork wellington dish. The pork wellington was pork tenderloin, jalapeno bacon and braised mushrooms all wrapped in flaky puff pastry. It was served with boursin mashed potatoes, asparagus and carrots and finished with strawberry pepper jam.

Crawford’s pork wellington for the 2023 DTSF pork showdown. Photo from DTSF.

DTSF Marketing Director Tenley Schwartz presented Crawford‘s with the pork showdown trophy Thursday. Schwartz said there were 1,211 votes counted, 5,718 pork dishes sold and 498 pork dishes sold at Crawfords. 

The 5,718 pork dishes sold was an 11% increase from 5,130 pork dishes sold in 2022. 

Schwartz said the economic impact of the pork showdown was $173,541 with $119,381 spent on pork showdown dishes. 

Maribella Ristorante finished in second place with the “Duroc Pork Chop” and Chef Lance’s on Phillips finished in third place with the “Pork Au Gratin.”

Tyler Ode, a co-owner of Crawford’s, told KELOLAND News winning the pork showdown helps promote the business and staff. 

“It gets more people to experience what we offer,” Ode said. 

Ode said he believed the presentation of the pork wellington made a huge difference. 

“Not only did it taste good, but it looked good,” Ode said.