Who has the best pulled pork sandwich in Iowa? You can vote on your favorites
The Iowa Pork Producers Association is on a mission to find the best pulled pork sandwich in the state. And with March Madness kicking off this week for the men's and women's NCAA basketball teams, the association launches its own brackets challenge, with 16 restaurants across the state competing to be named the best.
Yes, Pulled Pork Madness returns for the sixth year.
“This contest is great at highlighting delicious pork on menus across the state,” Hannah Spurr, the Iowa pork association's consumer outreach director said in a news statement. “Iowans know a mouthwatering pulled pork sandwich when they bite into one. We’re asking them to lead us to the showstoppers.”
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Which restaurants are vying for the best pulled pork in Iowa?
Fans nominated their favorite restaurants in early March, the pork producers divided the 16 contenders by region. The association received 158 nominations for 63 Iowa restaurants and based seeding on the two restaurants with the most votes in eight districts.
The first round of voting pits:
District 1: Buffalo Joe’s Roadhouse, Smithland, vs. The Roadhouse, Orange City
District 2: Birdies, Burgers & Brews, Graettinger, vs. Smoke N Firehouse No. 20, Ringsted
District 3: Flip’s, Waterloo, vs. The Pub at the Pinicon, New Hampton
District 4: Backwoods Bar & Grill, McGregor, vs. Moski’s BBQ, Cascade
District 5: Boxer Barbeque, Council Bluffs, vs. The Buck Snort Restaurant, Neola
District 6: The Lucky Pig Pub & Grill, Ogden, vs. ShortE’s BBQ, Johnston
District 7: Bubba-Q’s, Ottumwa, vs. The Flying Elbow, Marshalltown
District 8: Pop’s BBQ, Iowa City, vs. Sugarfire Smoke House, Cedar Rapids
The top vote-getter will receive $250 and a Pulled Pork Madness plaque.
Of note, The Flying Elbow won the best burger contest from the Iowa Beef Industry Council last year.
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How to vote for the best pulled pork sandwich
The first round of voting runs through 10 a.m. on Friday to whittle the list down to eight. Those restaurants compete in the next round of voting that ends on March 22 to decide the Final Four. Voting for the championship contenders wraps up on March 27, and the title round ends March 30, with the winner announced March 31.
The public can cast their votes through pork association's Facebook page or on the Pulled Pork Madness webpage during each round.
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Who won Iowa's best pulled pork sandwich in the past?
Starbeck’s Smokehouse in Cedar Falls won in 2022.
Smokin’ Butt Barbeque in Davenport took home the top prize in 2021.
Luther's Whatcha Smokin? BBQ + Brew won top honors in 2020.
Warehouse Barbecue Co. + Brewhouse in Ottumwa nabbed the plaque in 2019.
Moo's BBQ in Newton won the first contest in 2018.
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Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Pork Producers want to find the best pulled pork sandwich in 2023
