Pasture to Pen

REDFIELD, Iowa (DTN) -- I am a child of the 1980s and fondly remember the late TV personality Clara Peller -- an octogenarian at the time -- yelling "Where's the Beef?" in the famous Wendy's commercial when searching for a hamburger patty under an oversized bun.

I don't have the iconic character's gray hair or wear a navy-blue dress with white lace collar when dining, which may be why it was easier for me to find where the best beef is in Iowa without attracting attention.

Each year, the Iowa Beef Industry Council sponsors Iowa's Best Burger. Friday is the first day of May Beef Month and the day the winner is announced. For the past two years, I have served as a secret judge. That didn't mean I wore a mask and sneaked into each restaurant, hiding in the corner, or that I had someone else order me a burger while I sat in the parking lot, waiting for the meal. Rather, I went into the places and ordered a burger off the menu. I didn't ask many questions, nor did I reveal I was a judge. I did get asked a couple times if I was from around that area or why I had stopped in, to which my answer was I was just passing through and was craving a burger.

HOW THE CONTEST WORKS

The search starts the first part of February each year with the public's nominations of their favorite burger at any restaurant across the state during a month of voting. Those ballots are counted, and the list is narrowed down to the top 10. I can assure you that none of the nominated restaurants would be the target of finding whether there is, in fact, a ground beef burger under the bun. These burgers are also way better than any fast-food joint.

Next, three anonymous "secret" judges travel to each of the restaurants to have a burger, judging the ground beef patty in several categories, giving it a final score.

Sounds like a great job, doesn't it? But let me tell you, it's not an easy one. As a beef producer myself, I do have pretty high standards when it comes to hamburgers and beef in general. These 10 aimed for excellence.

I was able to select any burger on the menu since I was judging the actual ground beef patty, not the toppings. Smash burgers are currently all the rage. It somewhat makes sense to me even though I previously wouldn't have understood. It's likely easier to assure proper doneness of a smashburger due to the nature of its preparation of being smashed on a hot surface.

In this year's contest, over half of the finalists were smashburgers. It is harder to determine juiciness of a typical smashburger since there is less thickness than a traditional burger. I can tell you, there is more of a difference between one smashburger to the next than I expected. Top-notch-quality beef has a lot to do with flavor and palatability.

When it comes to doneness, I'm always surprised when the waitstaff asks how I would like my hamburger cooked. I learned about food safety in cooking hamburger at a young age. Burgers need to be cooked to medium doneness or 160 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature to help prevent food-borne illnesses. I just wonder what they would say if I ordered medium-rare.

There is also the other extreme. A burger never needs to be well-done, in my mind. I want a good eating experience, not a hockey puck. My advice to a restaurant is to teach its cooks to be consistent. Don't send a burger out of the kitchen that is underdone or overdone. Consistency is one of the reasons there are three judges for this contest. I may not have had a good eating experience, but the next judge may have.

EXPERIENCES AND ENJOYMENT

Traveling across the state to judge Iowa's Best Burger contest led to many miles on the road, including one drive of four hours in the rain. I brought family and friends along to several of the finalists, because I thought it was then less obvious that I was a judge. The best part of my experience was traveling across my home state and enjoying 10 really delicious burgers.

Take the time to visit www.iabeef.org to find out more about the contest and see who some of the past winners were. Some of my favorite past winners include the 2011 winner, just a 12-mile drive from my house at The Rusty Duck in Dexter. They also serve one of the best ribeyes in the state. Just off Interstate 880 in western Iowa, you'll find the 2020 winner at The Twisted Tail in Beebeetown. Last year's winner was Halftime Bar & Grill in Pleasantville, another enjoyable experience.

AND THE WINNER IS

This year's winner was my favorite and received high marks on my judge's card. The drive was farther, but worth it, and I hope to make it back there again soon.

When I got out of my truck at this place, I knew the atmosphere would be to my liking since the truck next to me had mud on the tires and a cattle lick tub in the back. I walked in and was told to belly up to the bar and give them my burger order and select an Iowa craft beer of my choice.

Once I found my seat at a table in the middle of the room, I observed those around me. A long table in the sunroom was filled with a fun group watching the NCAA basketball tournament. Other tables had people chatting and laughing, and many were enjoying a burger.

All the restaurants I went to were nice, but when my burger arrived and I took the first bite, I knew it was one of the best. Two 4-ounce patties made of beef from the chuck and brisket, topped with American cheese, fried onions, lettuce, pickles, tomato and smash sauce on a toasted brioche bun. Giving that description makes my mouth water. It ranks right up there with the previously crowned champions I had eaten, which made me happy to hear the Biergarten Smashburger was, in fact, the winner.

If Decorah was closer to home, I'd frequent Dixie's Biergarten, not just because they are the 2026 winner of Iowa's Best Burger, but because the restaurant is comfortable. Not like your dad's recliner, but comfortable because the people are friendly, the atmosphere is welcoming and the burgers, well, they are top notch. You won't hear, "Where's the Beef?" if you are there. You'll know you've found the best -- Iowa's Best Burger.

Jennifer Carrico can be reached at jennifer.carrico@dtn.com

Follow her on social platform X @JennCattleGal

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