Who Gets The Credit For Creating Mac & Cheese?

Macaroni & cheese is a favorite comfort food of nearly every person on earth. There's just something special about tasty noodles bathed in creamy cheese, especially the amazing home style version we sell in our Des Moines BBQ restaurant. It's one of the most popular side dishes on our menu, and today Wobbly Boots Roadhouse has looked into the history of this tasty dish to share it with you. 

Who loves Mac & Cheese? 
Americans aren't the only people that crave this delicious dish. Canadians are huge fans too, and they know it by the same name that we do: "Macaroni & Cheese." The United Kingdom leaves out the "and," simply calling it "Macaroni Cheese," and in Caribbean English, it's referred to as "Macaroni Pie." 

Regardless of the name, it is generally the same dish no matter where you get it, with slight differences or additions, depending on the chef preparing it. Traditionally it is a casserole, baked in an oven, but many people choose to prepare it in a sauce pan on top of the stove. In every instance, the two main ingredients are always there: pasta and cheese, most commonly cheddar. 

Mac & Cheese Origins
Recipes for macaroni & cheese have been found as far back as the early 14th century. In those days, fresh sheets of pasta were hand-cut, boiled in water, and then layered with grated cheese, most likely Parmesan, and butter. The instructions said to add powdered spices and layer, similar to how we make lasagna today.

Stories say that Thomas Jefferson is credited with bringing this amazing food to America. He was a well-known foodie of his time, and while visiting Italy, he brought a pasta maker home to recreate the wonderful food he discovered while traveling. There is a question as to how long the pasta maker was actually used, because apparently Jefferson was not happy with the pasta it made and instead began importing both macaroni and Parmesan cheese. He served it to guests at a state dinner, calling it "a pie called macaroni." Over time, cheddar was substituted for the Parmesan cheese. Today, depending on where you eat, you will find a wide variety of different cheeses used. 

Our Home Style Side Dishes
Creamy, homemade Mac & Cheese is one of the most popular side dishes on the Wobbly Boots BBQ menu. So much so that for a small additional charge, you can upgrade a cup of the amazing side dish to an entire "boat" of it. That's not the only choice we offer for you to have alongside your meal. You can also pick from:

• Legendary Baked Beans
• Seasoned Fries
• Green Beans with Bacon
• Creamy Cole Slaw
• Smashed Potatoes & Gravy
• Gourmet Potato Salad
• Cheesy Corn & Ham
• Baked Potato
• Sweet Potato Fries

What side do you prefer most often to eat along with the best BBQ in Des Moines? Just like with all of our main dishes, no matter what you order, you can't go wrong! Every item coming out of the Wobbly Boots Roadhouse kitchen is made with care, precision, and the best ingredients around. Come on in soon and give us a try! 

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

Burnt Ends - A BBQ Delicacy

The name "Burnt Ends" may give a person the wrong first impression of this mouth-watering treat. It may sound as if Wobbly Boots Roadhouse is offering meat that has been over-cooked, but on the contrary, a Burnt Ends' perfectly executed extra time in the smoker is what makes it one of the best pieces of BBQ you'll ever put into your mouth! 

It all starts with the brisket. 
If you're a fan of the Beef Brisket created at our Des Moines BBQ restaurant, then you're going to love our Burnt Ends. We begin the cooking process by generously rubbing the brisket with our secret house seasonings. Next, it's slow-smoked over hickory for ten hours, then carefully sliced to ensure the most mouthwatering, tender meat possible. We don't stop there, though...

From "trash" to Treasure!
While the center of the beef brisket is cooked perfectly, the pointy tips end up cooking faster, giving them a charred and burnt appearance, thus the name "Burnt Ends." Many years ago, most cooks would cut them off and toss them into the trash, and a few kept them around to flavor other dishes. Lucky for all of us, rather than cutting them off and tossing them aside, someone decided to give them a try, and that person discovered a true treat indeed! 

These pieces of beef may not be the prettiest food you've ever seen (although we do make a nice looking plate of them!) but they are sure to be one of the tastiest. Once our Wobbly Boots BBQ Burnt Ends are cut off the brisket, we cover them in extra rub, our house BBQ sauce, and Guinness beer, then we re-smoke them for hours, ensuring a tender, flavorful, one-of-a-kind piece of beef! The extra bit of smoking that these ends receive gives them an extremely intense, delicious, smoky flavor. 

How will you have yours? 
Our Burnt Ends are available under the *Best in the Midwest* BBQ Sandwiches and Smoked Meat Plates section of our menu. The sandwich is served wet (with the sauce it was smoked in) on a fresh toasted bun and comes with one or our famous side dishes. 

If you don't need the bun, just that savory, hickory-smoked meat, we're happy to serve it up to you that way too! We'll still give you a slice of Texas Toast plus two of our home style side dishes. Our smoked meat plates are available with one, two, or even three different meat choices.  

So, is your mouth watering yet? We smoke our meats daily here at Wobbly Boots Roadhouse, and we're open 7 days a week at 11 am, ready to serve you the best BBQ in the Des Moines area. Stop in soon and give our amazing Burnt Ends a try. It just may be your new favorite meal! 

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!

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Wobbly Boots Roadhouse

1301 NW 114th St
Clive IA 50325

(515) 223-5700

Calling All Turkey Lovers... June Is Your Month!

It seems like every month we discover something from our incredible Des Moines BBQ restaurant menu is being celebrated across the world, and this month is no exception. Apparently, June is National Turkey Lovers Month, and Wobbly Boots Roadhouse in Clive has plenty of delicious, hickory-smoked turkey to satisfy your cravings. 

We specialize in serving the most amazing 100% white meat turkey breast. First, we add our special rub, smoke it over hickory, and then slice that tender, juicy meat for you to enjoy. The most popular way to eat it is on one of our smoked meat plates, where you can order the turkey alone alongside one of our savory side dishes, or you can choose to have your turkey along with 1 or 2 more of our other mouthwatering smoked meats on the same plate. 

     

If you prefer your BBQ in sandwich form, well, we've got it that way for you too! We didn't stop there, because all of the following menu items also contain our incredible smoked turkey breast as one of the main ingredients.  


SLIDERS
Three slider buns filled with your choice of one of our smoked meats. Choose one,two, or even three different meats. A meal in itself!!

TURKEY BACON RANCH
The original Wobbly Boots wrap! Lightly grilled turkey breast served in a warm tomato basil tortilla, stuffed full of bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar-jack cheese & ranch dressing.

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

COWBOY COBB
The king of salads! A chilled bowl of crisp greens generously topped with smoked ham & turkey, crumbled bacon, hard-boiled egg, avocado, tomatoes, red onion, cheddar-jack and provel cheese.

WOBBLY STYLE CLUB
Hickory smoked ham, turkey & bacon with lettuce, tomato, Mozzarella cheese and avocado mayo served between two pieces of sourdough toast. 

THE GRILLER
A customer favorite! Two slices of sourdough bread, American & Swiss cheeses, crisp bacon, and smoked ham & turkey all grilled to perfection.

THE WOBBLY BOOTS BIG LOADED BAKER
A full one-pound baked potato loaded with cheddar-jack cheese, bacon crumbles and green onions, then stuffed with your choice of any of our smoked meats: pulled pork, ham, turkey breast, brisket, sausage or burnt ends. Topped with our house BBQ. This is a Meal!

TURKEY & SWISS with SOUP or SALAD
A bowl of one of our featured soups or a crisp garden salad with a delicious Turkey & Swiss Melt on golden toasted sourdough bread.

SMOKED TURKEY DINNER
A generous portion of our all white meat smoked turkey breast served open faced with smashed potatoes, then covered with delicious turkey gravy, and served with a side of our homemade cheesy corn. 

If you aren't already a turkey lover, we're willing to bet any one of the incredible menu items above will turn you into one! You don't have to wait until Thanksgiving to celebrate your love for turkey. Simply come to our family restaurant in Des Moines any day of the week for lunch or dinner and we'll take care of  those turkey cravings for you. On the other hand, if turkey isn't your favorite meat, Wobbly Boots Roadhouse has lots more hickory-smoked goodness for you to choose from! Stop by soon and taste for yourself! 

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!

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Wobbly Boots Roadhouse

1301 NW 114th St
Clive IA 50325

(515) 223-5700

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!

Like us on Facebook!

Follow us on Twitter!
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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