The Intriguing History of the Fried Pickle

There are lots of people that are surprised to see fried pickles on the Wobbly Boots Roadhouse menu because that is a food item that they've never heard of. It's actually considered a delicacy throughout the southern United States, and we've brought our own delicious version to Iowa at the best BBQ restaurant in Des Moines. 

Whether you decide to have fried pickles for a snack, an appetizer, or as a delicious side dish, it's an item that is sure to be a new favorite once you've tried it. (After all, just about everything tastes incredible fried!) Here at the Boot, each order consists of a half-pound of pickle chips that have been hand-breaded in our specially seasoned flour and then fried to a beautiful golden brown. We serve them with a side of chipotle ranch, and they even taste amazing dipped in our very own house-made BBQ sauce.

Who Created The Fried Pickle?
While Wobbly Boots Roadhouse has one of the best fried pickle recipes you'll ever experience, we can't take credit for inventing this tasty treat. As with most origin stories, more than one person takes credit for coming up with the recipe. There is record of a "French Fried Pickle" recipe being published as early as 1962 for the Food Editors Conference in New York. 

Another story, which sounds like it originated too late to truly be the original, is from the Hollywood Cafe out of Hollywood, Mississippi. Their tale from 1969 begins with a crowded restaurant and a cook without enough catfish to feed them all. In desperation, he reached for the industrial-sized jar of dill pickles that was handy, rolled them in the catfish batter, dropped them in the fryer, and served them to the patrons. They were an immediate hit.

The most popular story, which seems to fit into a more plausible time frame, is out of Atkins, Arkansas. In 1963, Bernell "Fatman" Austin owned the Duchess Drive-In across the highway from the Atkins Pickle Plant. (FYI: Atkins is known as the pickle capital of Arkansas!) Staring across the street at the pickle plant, Bernell was inspired to create a recipe. That particular recipe is a well-guarded, family secret to this day. You can now only get a taste of Bernell's original creation once a year at the annual Picklefest held in May in Atkins. The family dishes up about 2,500 orders of the "Fatman's Original Fried Dill Pickles" at every festival, and the money raised is used for scholarships and charities that Bernell supported.

At some point in the late 1990's, three high school friends brought the southern deep-fried pickle to the Minnesota Sate Fair, calling them the "Preferred Pickle." They were so popular, the same three friends began manufacturing them under KWF Foods and selling them to the food service industry.

Ready To Try Some?

Regardless of who gets the credit for inventing the fried pickle, our Des Moines family restaurant has perfected the recipe! If you're willing to try something new, ask for an order the next time you dine at Wobbly Boots Roadhouse. You won't regret it, and it's sure to become one of your favorite items from our appetizer menu. 

Award-winning BBQ right here in Des Moines! 

Don't forget you can take home 16 oz. bottles of Wobbly Boots House Recipe BBQ Sauce!!

Open EVERY DAY at 11:00 AM!

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Wobbly Boots Roadhouse

1301 NW 114th St
Clive IA 50325

(515) 223-5700

Nominate Wobbly Boots Pork Tenderloin as the Best in Iowa!

If you've had the chance to try our famous tenderloin, chances are you've fallen in love with it! Well, now is your chance to share that love with the rest of Iowa by nominating Wobbly Boots Roadhouse's take on this classic sandwich as being the Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin in Iowa! 

Cast Your Vote 
The Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) began hosting their Annual Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin contest in 2003. Iowa produces more pigs than any other state in the U.S., and the breaded pork tenderloin has been an Iowa tradition for as long as any of us can remember.

The way that IPPA decides who has created the best tenderloin is by listening to all of you. Everyone is invited to nominate their favorite tenderloin sandwich from any restaurant in Iowa between April 19-June 7. You can use the form in the May issue of the Iowa Pork Producer magazine, or simply click here to vote directly on their website. 

Judging takes place over the summer and early fall, and the winner plus all of the runners-up will be announced in October, which happens to be National Pork Month. In addition to your own contact information, you'll need to know a few things about the restaurant you are nominating to fill out the nomination form. Just in case that restaurant happens to be Wobbly Boots BBQ, (wink,) we've got those details for you right here. 

• Restaurant Name: Wobbly Boots Roadhouse
• Restaurant Address: 1301 NW 114th Street 
• City/State/ZIP: Clive, IA 50325
• Restaurant Phone No.: 515-223-5700
• Restaurant Phone Days, Hours of Operation: Open Daily at 11:00 am

Wobbly Boots' Famous Tenderloin

Not only can you get the best BBQ in Des Moines from our kitchen, but we believe we make a pretty amazing breaded tenderloin sandwich too! We start out with a more-than-generous portion of meat. (This is one gigantic sandwich!) The next step is is to hand-dip it in buttermilk, then bread it in our expertly seasoned flour and bread crumbs and fry it to a beautiful golden brown. It takes a big appetite to tackle this gargantuan sandwich! 

While the tenderloin is the star of the show, we never send it out to you alone. Every sandwich comes with your choice of one of our incredible home style side dishes. Think you're up to the task? It tastes so good, it's hard to stop eating once you stop.

Please take a few moments to head on over to the IPPA website and nominate our Famous Tenderloin as the best in Iowa. Only one vote per household is accepted, so tell all your friends that they need to vote too!

If you haven't had the chance to give it a try, grab the gang and come on by to taste the deliciousness for yourself. Wobbly Boots Roadhouse in Clive opens daily at 11 am, ready and willing to cook up the tastiest Iowa tenderloin you've ever had! 

Award-winning BBQ right here in Des Moines! 

Don't forget you can take home 16 oz. bottles of Wobbly Boots House Recipe BBQ Sauce!!

Open EVERY DAY at 11:00 AM!

Like us on Facebook!

Follow us on Twitter!
Follow us on LinkedIn!
Follow us on Google+!

Wobbly Boots Roadhouse

1301 NW 114th St
Clive IA 50325

(515) 223-5700

Relax & Enjoy - We'll Cater Your Upcoming Celebrations

There are lots of great reasons to get your family and friends together coming up soon: graduation parties, family reunions, Memorial Weekend gatherings, and summer! Take some of the stress out of planning those parties by hiring the best caterers in Des Moines to do the cooking! You deserve to have fun with everybody else. Wobbly Boots Roadhouse will take care of the cooking and delivery while you simply enjoy the party.

Party In Our Private Room
Go one step further and avoid not only the cooking, but the setup and cleanup too! Instead of hosting your celebration in your own home, bring the party to Wobbly Boots BBQ. Our party room is the perfect place to gather with family and friends, and if there are more than 25 in your group, you can reserve the room and have it all to yourselves. It has the capacity to hold up to 65 party-goers. 

You can choose to order off of our everyday menu, or take advantage of a few options available only to special groups. This includes an in-house buffet, prime rib dinner (any day of the week!) and specialty platters. 

• Plated Prime Rib Dinner: This amazing dish is usually only offered on Friday & Saturday nights after 5 pm at the Boot, but for you and your friends, we'll make an exception! Each plate will have a tender, juicy 12-oz. smoked prime rib, baked potato, and green beans, plus a garden salad.
• Platters: We make up small trays that can serve 15-30 people, and large trays that can serve 30-50 people. Platter choices include: 
• Chicken Wings
• Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
• Vegetables
• Fruit
• Dessert
• In-House Buffet: Your buffet setup will come with slider buns, our famous house-made BBQ sauce, and pickles. From there, you choose the hickory-smoked meats and homemade side dishes that you want to serve your guests.
• Smoked Meats: Pulled Pork, Beef Brisket, Burnt Ends, Smoked Turkey, Smoked Pit Ham, Sweet Italian Sausage
• Homemade Side Dishes: Baked Beans, Cole Slaw, Cottage Cheese, Green Beans, Potato Salad, Cheesy Corn w/ Ham, Smashed Potatoes & Gravy, Mac & Cheese, Baked Potato Soup, Soup of the Day

Don't hesitate to ask if you have a specific food in mind that you don't see on the menu. There's always a chance that we can accommodate your request. If not, our creative chefs will be able to come up with something everyone will love.

A $100 deposit is required to hold your date, but that amount will be deducted from your final bill. (The deposit is nonrefundable if cancelled within 7 days of the party.) There is a minimum purchase of $100 required Sunday-Thursday, and a minimum of $300 for events taking place on Friday or Saturday. If you would like to have a personal bartender or servers for your event, we can make that happen for a small additional charge. 

Wobbly Boots BBQ Delivers Too

If your party is larger than our private room can handle, or if you simply prefer to host your event at another location, we're happy to bring the best BBQ in Des Moines to you instead! We've even got a special catering van all souped up and ready to deliver our portion of the party. 

All we need from you is a date, an address, and an order of $100 or more. If you'd like for us to send a few of our friendly staff members along to serve or tend bar at your celebration, we can make that happen too. As long as we have those things and at least 24 hours notice, you're all set. (If you'll be ordering more than 10 pounds of meat, we'll need at least 48 hours to give it the proper amount of time in the smoker.) Payment is due at the time of delivery, and there may be a 15% service charge for orders outside of the Des Moines area. 

A few of the savory meal choices that we cook up in bulk for big parties include:

• Baby Back Ribs
• 1/2 BBQ Chicken
• Burnt Ends
• Beef Brisket
• Smoked Turkey Breast
• Pulled Pork
• Smoked Pit Ham
• Smoked Sweet Italian Sausage
• Pickles
• Slider Buns, Texas Toast, or Full Buns
• All of the delicious homemade side dishes listed above, available by the pint, quart, or gallon.  

Doesn't That Sound Easy?

Why take on any more than you absolutely have to when planning your next party? Wobbly Boots Roadhouse can take over the food, and you and your guests not only get to enjoy each other, but also the best BBQ in Des Moines! Everybody's happy, everybody's satisfied, and you've just thrown the best party ever! That sounds pretty great to us. 

Award-winning BBQ right here in Des Moines! 

Don't forget you can take home 16 oz. bottles of Wobbly Boots House Recipe BBQ Sauce!!

Open EVERY DAY at 11:00 AM!

Like us on Facebook!

Follow us on Twitter!
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Follow us on Google+!

Wobbly Boots Roadhouse

1301 NW 114th St
Clive IA 50325

(515) 223-5700

Treat Mom To Brunch At Wobbly Boots Roadhouse This Mother's Day

Mother's Day is this Sunday, May 14, 2017, and Wobbly Boots Roadhouse in Clive wanted to do something special for that extra-special woman in your life. In addition to the best BBQ in Des Moines that we serve on a daily basis, we'll be opening early with a brunch buffet full of deliciousness especially for Mom. 

Honor Mom Sunday
Sometimes it's hard to think of the perfect gift to show your mother just how special she is to you. To help out, we've come up with a few easy ideas for things any mom would love to get from you on Mother's Day: 

• Let her sleep in late.
• Put together a slideshow or scrap book of your family through the years. 
• Bring her flowers, or better yet, plant some for her in the yard. 
• Go bigger than a regular card and write her an entire, heartfelt letter. 
• Let her teach you her favorite hobby.
• Do her "chores" for her, without being asked.
• Watch a movie of Mom's choosing. (No complaints!)
• Buy her brunch at Wobbly Boots Roadhouse! 

Special Early Hours
Normally, Wobbly Boots BBQ opens at 11 am, 7 days a week, but in honor of Mother's Day we're making an exception. We'll start serving our unbelievable brunch buffet at 9 am, and we'll keep it open until 1:30 pm. Reservations are not required, but they are recommended to insure that you get a seat at your preferred time. 

BBQ & More
A few of our savory smoked meats and delicious, down-home side dishes can be found on our Mother's Day brunch buffet, plus we've added some yummy breakfast options as well. As an added treat, there will also be FREE DESSERT FOR MOMS!!!

The price is $15.99 for adults, $6.99 for kids ages 7-12, and children 6 and under eat for free. Here is a list of the incredible foods you can treat Mom to this Mother's Day:  

Eggs

Fruit

Bacon

Sausage

Pancakes

Breakfast Pizzas

Hash Brown Casserole

Biscuits & Sausage Gravy

Assorted Muffins & Pastries

Turkey

Ham

Pulled Pork

Cole Slaw

Cheesy Corn

Green Beans

Potato Salad

Famous Mac & Cheese

Legendary Baked Beans

Smashed Potatoes & Gravy

Let Us Do The Cooking

Many families depend on Mom for a delicious, home-cooked meal. Honor her on Mother's Day by offering a break from the kitchen and bringing her to Wobbly Boots Roadhouse for our down-home dishes. We will also have our regular menu available to order from if you prefer to come in for dinner, or if your mother simply has a favorite dish from the menu she'd like to have instead of the buffet. It's her day, so Mom gets what Mom wants! The best family restaurant in Des Moines is here to help you make that happen.  

Award-winning BBQ right here in Des Moines! 

Don't forget you can take home 16 oz. bottles of Wobbly Boots House Recipe BBQ Sauce!!

Open EVERY DAY at 11:00 AM!

Like us on Facebook!

Follow us on Twitter!
Follow us on LinkedIn!
Follow us on Google+!

Wobbly Boots Roadhouse

1301 NW 114th St
Clive IA 50325

(515) 223-5700

BBQ Month At Wobbly Boots Roadhouse

May is an extremely flavorful month! It is designated as both National Hamburger Month (you can read all about The Best Black Angus Burgers in the Midwest in a previous blog) and National BBQ Month. Since we've already talked about the amazing burgers we make at Wobbly Boots Roadhouse recently, today is all about that savory, mouthwatering, can't-get-enough, hickory-smoked BBQ!

Our Unique Hybrid Style
While discovering our own method for creating magnificent BBQ, we came up with a hybrid-style which combines aspects of four different BBQ meccas of the U.S.A. - Kansas City, St. Louis, Memphis, and Texas. Hickory is our wood of choice for smoking our meats, and the secret recipe of our house-made BBQ sauce only adds the the burst of flavor your mouth enjoys every time you dine on Wobbly Boots BBQ! 

Mouthwatering Meats
The savory, slow-smoked meats from the Boot come in a variety of ways for your dining pleasure, served "wet" (with our delicious, house-made BBQ sauce) or "dry" (without the sauce.) Some people simply want to order up a plate full of 1, 2, or even 3 different kinds, while others prefer to eat them in sandwich form. Our chefs have come up with a few creative dishes utilizing these tender, flavorful meats, some of which even include that amazing BBQ sauce. 

-PULLED PORK
Our pork is slow-smoked over hickory for 16 hours, trimmed, and then hand-pulled.

The Wrangler Wrap
A wheat tortilla stuffed with three of our signature items: pulled pork, legendary baked beans & creamy coleslaw. We then place on our grill and toast the tortilla, blending all three flavors, which makes one incredible WRAP!

-PIT HAM
Apple wood, double-smoked pit ham. A lean outstanding choice.

Ham, Egg, & Cheese Burger
Now that's a mouthful! Our Farm boy burger topped with apple smoked ham, a fried egg, & good old American cheese. Add a little house-made BBQ sauce at your table for a delicious twist to this unbelievable burger.

-BEEF BRISKET
Our brisket is generously rubbed with our secret house seasonings and then slow-smoked over hickory for 10 hours. We then carefully slice it to ensure the most mouthwatering, tender brisket possible.

Smothered Brisket
Hickory smoked beef brisket smothered with sautéed mushrooms, onions & bell peppers and topped with melted Swiss cheese.

-BURNT ENDS
A Customer Favorite!! Our process begins with slow-smoked brisket. We cut it into small chunks, then cover it in extra rub, our house BBQ sauce, and delicious Guinness beer. We then re-smoke for hours ensuring a tender, flavorful, one-of-a-kind piece of beef.

-SMOKED SAUSAGE
A sweet and smoky Italian sausage. We slow-smoke our sausage rope then slice into pieces. A hidden house favorite... Try it & you'll love it.

-TURKEY
100% white meat turkey - rubbed, smoked, then sliced. Tender & Delicious!!

Turkey Avocado Wrap
Hickory smoked 100% breast of turkey served in a warm tomato basil tortilla with avocado, avocado mayo, lettuce, tomatoes and cheddar-jack cheese.

-WINGS
Jumbo Chicken Wings are coated in our house dry rub, then slow roasted over hickory, ensuring only the most flavorful juiciest wings possible. Served plain or with your choice of one of our signature sauces: Teriyaki, Hot Dijon, Jalapeno Garlic, Chipotle Buffalo, or Bar-B-Que.

Feed The Farm
A great sample of some of our best appetizers!! 4 Wobbly Wings - 4 Famous Onion Rings - 4 Bacon Wrapped Shrimp and 4 Baby Back Ribs. A mountain of food suitable for a BIG meal or for sharing!!

-RIBS
Slow-smoked, delicious dry rubbed baby back ribs, lightly grilled and basted in our house recipe BBQ sauce.

Chicken & Rib Combo
Yes, We Did!! A half rack of our Baby Back Ribs combined with our Hickory Smoked Half Chicken. A delicious combination.

-CHICKEN
Generously rubbed in our house spices, then slow-smoked over hickory and finished on our grill with a light glaze of our house BBQ sauce.

Spin-Art-Chicken Flatbread
Our creamy homemade Spinach Artichoke Dip spread out evenly on our flat-bread pizza crust, topped with mozzarella & provel cheeses, smoked chicken breast and diced tomatoes. Delicious and delightful!

Which Will You Start With?
Any one of our hickory-smoked meats is a great choice for celebrating National BBQ Month. Above you have only seen a small sampling of the delicious menu choices awaiting you at Wobbly Boots Roadhouse. There are 31 days in May, so you've got plenty of time to attempt to try it all! Don't worry if you don't, because we'll keep making these incredible BBQ dishes long after the month is over. 

Award-winning BBQ right here in Des Moines! 

Don't forget you can take home 16 oz. bottles of Wobbly Boots House Recipe BBQ Sauce!!

Open EVERY DAY at 11:00 AM!

Like us on Facebook!

Follow us on Twitter!
Follow us on LinkedIn!
Follow us on Google+!

Wobbly Boots Roadhouse

1301 NW 114th St
Clive IA 50325

(515) 223-5700