Our Fried Pickles Are Kind of a Big "Dill"!

The southern United States, along with a few other BBQ meccas of the U.S.A., had a big influence on the hybrid-style of 'que we serve here at Wobbly Boots Roadhouse in Osage Beach. In addition to inspiring us to create the best hickory-smoked BBQ at the Lake of the Ozarks, we also borrowed a few other southern favorites to fill out our extensive menu. 

For example, fried pickles began as a delicacy throughout the southern United States. This delicious treat eventually headed north and we all fell in love with the taste too. Our Lake of the Ozarks BBQ restaurant found our own way to cook up this fantastic dish that makes it a "must-try" item from our appetizer menu.

Fried Pickles at the Boot
Here at the Boot, we serve up a half-pound of pickle chips with every order. They are hand-breaded in our specially seasoned flour, fried to a golden brown, and served with a delicious Chipotle Ranch dipping sauce. Either as a snack, an appetizer, or side dish, the fried pickles at Wobbly Boots BBQ are always an excellent choice.

So, Who Created the Fried Pickle?
As with many origin stories, there is more than one. There is a record of a "French Fried Pickle" recipe being published as early as 1962 for the Food Editors Conference in New York. That said, here are a few more claims which may be true. 

Another popular story, which seems to have come about much too late to 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 each 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.

Sometime in the late 1990s, three high school friends brought the southern deep-fried pickle to the Minnesota State 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 foodservice industry.

The Boot's Are the Best!
It looks as if no one can quite agree on exactly how or when the fried pickle was created. One thing that we do know for sure is that the fried pickles at our Lake of the Ozarks family restaurant are the best darn fried pickles you've ever tasted! There's only one way for you to truly know that's a fact though, and that's to come into Wobbly Boots Roadhouse soon and give them a try! Believe us, you won't regret the trip! 

BEST BBQ at the Lake of the Ozarks

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www.WobblyBootsBBQ.com

4717 Osage Beach Parkway

Osage Beach, MO 65065

573-348-2277