Sac County Cattle Company wins title

The Sac County Cattle Company of Sac City has won the bragging rights to call their Mushroom Swiss Burger the 2010 Best Burger in Iowa, and the Grinnell Steakhouse was among those listed in the top five.

The 2010 Best Burger in Iowa Contest was sponsored by the Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa’s Cattlemen’s Association. After traveling through the state in March and April, a three-person judging team selected The Sac County Cattle Company’s Mushroom Swiss Burger — a 100 percent ground beef patty loaded with sautéed mushrooms and topped with melted Swiss cheese on a toasted bun — as Iowa’s top burger.

“We take a lot of pride in our work, and I think our customers recognize that,” said Doug Krutchen, owner of The Sac County Cattle Company. “I’m also blessed with a great wait staff that goes above and beyond what is expected of them, which contributes to our success.”

Krutchen is no stranger to Iowa’s beef industry and has been involved on both ends of the beef production chain. He started out raising purebred Charolais in Iowa and then later in Missouri before getting the itch to get into the restaurant business. He enjoyed raising cattle but thought an opportunity existed to provide consumers with a really great burger or steak. After looking at several different locations for a restaurant, he settled on Sac City, which seemed like the perfect fit for a steakhouse.

Krutchen admits that he makes great burgers, but what his restaurant is really known for are the steaks. The steaks are hand cut from the loin as the order comes in, which guarantees freshness and a great eating experience.

“The reputation of this restaurant is built on our Ribeyes,” he said. “Our most popular Ribeye, which we call ‘The Dude,’ is a 16-ounce tender and juicy Ribeye lightly seasoned and flame broiled to your taste. We have regular customers that drive more than 60 miles to get here, with some coming from as far away as Madrid, for one of our burgers or steaks.”

The judging team judged burgers on appearance, taste and proper cooking temperature. The judges were looking for a burger that was visually appealing and had a nice plate presentation, as well as being full of flavor, juiciness and cooked to the proper degree. The other four restaurants rounding out the top five included The Farmers Kitchen in Atlantic for their Cy-Hawk Burger, Beck’s Sports Brewery in Waterloo for their Jack Daniel’s Burger, The Grinnell Steakhouse located in Grinnell for their Steakhouse Burger and Rube’s Steakhouse in Montour for the Rube’s Burger.

The Sac County Cattle Company opens for business at 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. The restaurant holds 190 people at one time, but on an average Saturday night they will serve 350 people. It is advised to call ahead for reservations on Friday and Saturday nights, (712) 662-4655.

Visit www.iabeef.org and click on the 'Best Burger in Iowa Contest' link to see the top ten restaurants in this year's contest based on the number of votes for their hamburgers.