Behind the story of The Wilder's Iowa Gold burger, one of the best in the state

The Wilder's Iowa Gold burger is a product of time management and collaboration.

Nearly a year ago, head chef Mike Bolin set out to make a great burger. He contacted local farmer Sarah Bailey of Jiyu Wagyu to help make it happen.

The Iowa Beef Industry Council has held the best burger contest for the past 15 years. While JJ's Tavern and Grill in Ankeny ruled the 2024 contest,

The Wilder at the Graduate Hotel in Iowa City was chosen as one of Iowa's 10 best.

An intricate process created a great burger

The Iowa Gold burger took four months to create, Wilder banquet chef Bradley Kastantin said.

The path to the award-winning meal is meticulous, from sourcing local, high-quality meat to precise preparation before being cooked.

"From the raising process to the time it comes into the back doors, the time we get it prepped to get it on the skillet, to put it on the plate to sit down on the table," Kastantin said. "There's so much love, care, and detail going into every last second of that particular nine ounces of beef that it's noticeable,"

While the burger might seem simple at first glance, this is intentional, and the quality of the ingredients makes it stand out.

The Iowa Gold burger is made with nine ounces of Jiyū Wagyu beef, complemented by gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, and grain mustard aioli. Its richness and tenderness often captivate diners, and many have declared it the best they've ever had.

The Wagyu beef is sourced from a nearby farm.

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Tapping an expert in beef

Bailey approaches her Wagyu beef farm in the same way The Wilder chefs cook their burgers − with precision and patience.

Bailey, who has been raising cows for more than 40 years, initially started with show cows, which aren't known for their meat.

She switched to Wagyu in 2006.

Wagyu beef comes from a Japanese horned cattle breed. Because of their physical endurance, they were originally draft animals used in agriculture. They eventually became known for their highly marbled cut and were bred for meat as far back as 35,000 years ago in Japan.

The first Wagyu came to the U.S. in 1972 though Bailey did not breed her first Waygu until 2006. Her goal was simple − she didn't want to reinvent the wheel but embraced it.

"The Japanese have been doing this for a very long time. I think one of the issues people in the United States have is that when they raise their Wagyu, they try to find ways to make it better. How do you make what they do better," Bailey said. "I paid attention. It's an artwork."

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Now, 18 years into strictly raising Wagyu, Bailey and her farm, Jiyū American Wagyu, which translates in English to "Freedom," have garnered many awards.

She was named the 2023 grand champion of the Triple Crown Steak Challenge, an event organized by Auburn University aimed at assessing the quality of beef carcasses, particularly those from Wagyu and Wagyu-influenced cattle. Jiyū American Wagyu won the F1 category, for a half Wagyu and half Angus cow.

"The competition looks at 14 different characteristics," Bailey said. "The only tests that are subjective are the taste test and cooking."

That award-winning cow is the base of the Wilder's Iowa Gold burger.

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Simplicity is best

The Wilder's philosophy echoes Bailey's approach to Wagyu farming: they don't overdo anything. Instead, they focus on the essence of the ingredients—meat, cheese, onions, mustard aioli—using only the finest quality.

"It's just so satisfying, and I know I sound biased because I work here, but the first time I had it, I kind of went into a daze," Kastantin said.

Bailey adds, "Wagyu is really at its best when it's not overstated."

The Wilder is located at 210 S Dubuque St., Iowa City inside the Graduate Hotel. It is open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Thursday, and 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Jiyū American Wagyu is located at  5224 280th St NE., Iowa City and is open by appointment for meat pickup.

Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: How Wagyu beef makes The Wilder's Iowa Gold burger special