Minden, IA: Pottawattamie County
The bratwurst universe revolves around many places, and near Council Bluffs is the town of Minden- and wouldn’t you know it….They had a meat market loaded with a mighty selection of house made sausages, jerky, fresh steaks, smoked meats, and a lot of great humor. Iowa’s Wurst Road Trip rolls into Pottawattamie County and you’ll want to make your own plans to support this local small business to get your fridge and freezer packed with their award winning products.
*The great folks at Minden Meat Market provided us with some complimentary samples of their sausages and we were honored to take them home and create some great meals. The views expressed are always of our own. Let’s get cooking!
The employees of Minden Meat Locker were just the kind of folks we love to meet on The Iowa Gallivant. They were eager to show us around and talk about the pride they have in their work and all with a fun atmosphere. Yes, you heard that right. Good times and plenty of it while you’re wielding knives, cranking up table saws, and passing ground meat through sausage casing. There is nothing better than seeing people enjoying what they do no matter what their occupation is. Ready to see what we made in our Iowa City-HQ or what!
We went pasta all around to show you some unique ways to prepare bratwurst outside the grill. We made a bacon-mushroom Stroganoff sauce and pan seared Minden’s bacon and cheddar brats to give this classic a fantastic smoky flavor. Serve it over egg noodles and show your family and friends the world of flavors you can have with a bratwurst. Would you look at those nice chunks of cheddar!
Onion and bell pepper brats were up next, and they had the right flavor combo to be paired with another pasta classic. Ricotta stuffed shells served over a creamy Parmesan- Mozzarella sauce and plenty of those juicy brats sliced up and in every bite.
Minden’s beef and pork Cotto salami with blue cheese is a specialty you’re not going to see everywhere. These are the kind meaty finds that make this project even more enjoyable. As you can see, they don’t skimp on the rich blue cheese that melts in your mouth in the gourmet salami. You can doctor your cracker up however you want, but no one will fault you if you eat these slices just the way they are. You ready to road trip for specialty meats yet? Make it happen.
Be sure to click here and see all the other great places we’ve visited on Iowa’s Wurst Road Trip!