A restaurant in north-central Iowa this year’s king of the breaded pork tenderloin.
The Iowa Pork Producers Association announced today the Grid Iron Grill in Webster City has the state’s best pork sandwich for 2017. Owner Burke Risetter is thrilled with the title and says it all starts with top quality Iowa-grown pork.
“It’s an everyday process,” Risetter says. “We shop a certain product, a center-cut pork loin product is what we’re always looking for. It just yields out better. It’s got a great flavor.”
There were more than 3,000 nominations this year for 271 different establishments across Iowa. A panel judged 43 restaurants this summer on the quality of the pork, taste, physical characteristics and eating experience. Risetter says his staff has been specially-trained to make this Iowa delicacy.
“We treat it with a lot of TLC as far as the trimming and the cutting and the tenderizing,” Risetter says. “Just from start to finish, it’s handled with care. We’ve learned from some of the best people in this pork business in making the tenderloin, some secrets that they’ve taught us.”
The Grid Iron Grill first opened for business in 2008. The eatery serves about 400 tenderloins each week and Risetter says winning this state title is a tremendous honor. He notes, he knew the winner was being named today. “I’m on Cloud Nine,” he says. “I heard that and couldn’t wait and hardly slept last night. My Cubs won last night and this honor this morning, I don’t know what’s next. I couldn’t be happier and I couldn’t be more proud of our team here at the restaurant.”
The Grid Iron Grill will receive a check for $500, a plaque and a large banner to display. The runner-up was the Northside Café in Winterset. It will receive a check for $250 and a plaque. The Buffalo Tavern in Burlington, Lake View’s Thirsty Carp and the Double Dip in Chariton rounded out the top five finalists.
(By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)