Man v. Food Season 3 Episode 17: Des Moines
Adam travels to Des Moines, Iowa to take on Jethro’s BBQ’s Adam Emmenecker Challenge. The Adam Emmenecker Challenge is a sandwich named after the former Drake University basketball star, and consists of five pounds of meaty goodness with one pound of waffle fries to be consumed in fifteen minutes. Hundreds have tried the Adam Emmenecker Challenge, but only two challengers have succeeded. If Adam completes the sandwich challenge he receives a t-shirt and his photo on their wall of fame.
Adam stops off first at the High Life Lounge, a vintage tavern that serves down home dishes like sloppy joes, spam and eggs, and burgers topped with powdered donuts. Two of the most popular dishes at High Life Lounge are the broasted chicken and the bacon wrapped tater tots.
Adam heads back to the kitchen to meet with Andy Massoth, co-owner of the High Life Lounge, who shows Adam how the broasted chicken and bacon wrapped tater tots are made. Andy uses eight pieces of specialty thick bacon and cooks it on the grill. A tater tot is wrapped in the middle of the bacon, along with a slice of pickled jalapeno pepper. The bacon wrapped tater tot is dipped into the fryer and fried until crispy. Adam tries the tater tot and is in heaven. Andy marinates the chicken in salt brine twenty four hours, then places it into a pressure cooker fryer. Eleven minutes later the chicken comes out of the fryer golden brown. Sexy music plays as Adam tries a bite of the chicken and is seduced by the flavor. Adam tells Andy he loves the way the chicken is cooked, saying “The juice of the chicken breast is unbelievable!”
Next Adam visits Black Market Pizza, where they take favorite sandwiches and convert them into amazing original pizzas. Adam jokes around and hides a piece of the pizza in his jacket, opening it to reveal the pizza as he tries to sell it on the black market. Some of the favorite pizzas at Black Market Pizza include the BLT, Reuben, Chili Cheese Dog, and Bacon Cheeseburger.
Adam heads back to the kitchen to meet pizza master and Black Market Pizza owner Greg Harvey. Greg creates a Reuben pizza for Adam. First Greg brings out their homemade sixteen inch sweet potato crust; covers the crust in thousand island dressing; layers on swiss cheese; layers on lots of sliced corned beef; sprinkles on caraway seeds for the rye bread flavor; tops the meat with sauerkraut; and tops it all with mozzarella. Twelve minutes in the pizza oven and the pizza comes out steaming hot. Each piece of pizza is topped with a slice of pickle to complete the Reuben pizza. Adam tastes a piece of the Reuben pizza and tells Greg “That’s SO amazing! You nailed it!”
Adam arrives at Jethro’s BBQ ready to take on the Adam Emmenecker Challenge. The Adam Emmenecker sandwich must be consumed in fifteen minutes for Adam to win a t-shirt and his place on their wall of fame. Adam heads back to the kitchen to meet kitchen manager Mike Booth. Mike tells Adam that Adam Emmenecker has indeed eaten his self-named sandwich, no doubt taking longer than the fifteen minute challenge time. Mike constructs the five pound Adam Emmenecker sandwich, starting off with a twelve inch breaded pork tenderloin that is deep fried then placed on a bun; next the buffalo tenders are cooked, tossed in sauce, and layered in the sandwich; an Angus beef burger is cooked and topped with cheese, then added to the sandwich; Applewood smoked bacon is cooked on the grill and layered on; beef brisket slices are layered next on the sandwich; two squares of cheese are deep fried and added to the stack of meat; then the entire meat stack is smothered in white cheddar cheese sauce and topped with a spicy hot pickle; last but not least, a pound of waffle fries are deep fried and added to the sandwich platter.
Adam heads out to the dining room where he is greeted with cheers from the restaurant crowd. The Adam Emmenecker Challenge platter is placed before him with the clock starting at fifteen minutes. Adam’s strategy is to split the sandwich into segments to make smaller portions to eat and in order to cool down the meat before eating. Adam starts in on the chicken tenders and brisket and downs them within the first three minutes. A bite of the hot spicy pickle sidelines Adam for a minute, but he charges forward. At five minutes into the challenge, Adam has devoured the chicken tenders, brisket, fried cheese and half the waffle fries. As the crowd chants Eat that meat! to support Adam, Adam Emmenecker stops by to give Adam a pep talk. An inspired Adam dives into the remaining sandwich, but time is not on his side. As he fights to eat the last two pounds of sandwich and fries, the clock runs out at fifteen minutes and Adam admits defeat. Adam thanks Des Moines and tells them even though he lost, he calls shaking Adam Emmenecker’s hand a win. Adam tells the crowd that today, in Man vs Food, food won.
