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