Man v. Food: Des Moines

The Adam Emmenecker sandwich at Jethro's BBQ. (Credit: Eric Rowley/Metromix)

We want the Travel Channel's "Man v. Food" host Adam Richman to eat his way through Des Moines. Here are the three spots we think he'd visit.

Richman travels around the country highlighting the culinary culture of a city, and taking on outrageous eating challenges, whether gargantuan or explosively spicy. The show is all about indulging. And it got us thinking about the places "Man v. Food" would visit if he decided to stop in Des Moines. (Please decide to stop in Des Moines, Adam.) While we may not boast a 7-pound burger or a 72-ounce steak (see previous episodes), Des Moines has its own unique set of culinary delights to challenge the bravest of stomachs. Here's where we think Adam (and you) should head for a Des Moines "Man v. Food"-style tour.

Adam Emmenecker sandwich at Jethro's BBQ

Find it: 3102 Forest Ave.

Info: 279-3300, jethrosdesmoines.com

Named after Adam Emmenecker, the star of Drake's 2008 basketball team and MVP of the Missouri Valley Conference, this monstrous sandwich - weighing in at just shy of five pounds - includes a touch of almost everything on the menu and costs $19.95.

Between the top and bottom of an average-sized bun you'll find:

Two halves of Jethro's huge tenderloin, an 8-ounce Angus steak burger topped with melted cheddar cheese, 8 ounces of Texas brisket, several slices of applewood-smoked bacon, two large buffalo chicken tenders, two squares of fried cheese and a ladleful of white cheddar sauce.

And if that's not enough, the sandwich comes with a side of waffle fries and a pile of pickles, onions, lettuce, and tomato that's purely ornamental.

Manager Blake Wenzel said the sandwich is popular during football season, and that even the biggest of guys has to take part of it home in a doggy bag. Adam Emmenecker himself occasionally orders the sandwich, and has managed to finish it a few times. Sounds like the perfect culinary challenge for "Man v. Food."

Tenderloin sandwich at Kelly's Little Nipper

Find it: 1701 E. Grand Ave.

Info: 265-2031

Iowa doesn't necessarily have a signature regional food. But we are known for our pork. And the tenderloin is the ultimate deep-fried pork creation. Des Moines has an abundance of tenderloin options, but one of the biggest and best is the version made at Kelly's Little Nipper - one of Iowa tenderloin food blogger Tristan Frank's Top 5 tenderloins in Des Moines (des-loines.blogspot.com).

At Kelly's, each made-by-hand tenderloin measures in at a whopping 10 to 12 inches and costs a mere $4.75. The classic tenderloin sandwich comes with mustard, ketchup, pickle, and onion, but at Kelly's you can customize your loin with any toppings you want. We think "Man v. Food" would feel right at home chowing down on this beast.

The Challenge: The Showdown Challenge at Cactus Bob's Barbecue Corral

Find it: 5955 Merle Hay Road, Johnston

Info: 331-0057, cactusbobs.com

If you like spicy food, Cactus Bob's has a demon of a sandwich up your alley. For $6, order a brisket or pork sandwich topped with their special "Showdown Sauce." Co-owner Craig DeDecker said the sauce is the mix of Chocolate Habanero, Red Savina, and Naga Jolokia peppers, capsaicin extract, and two secret ingredients.

On the Scoville Scale, which measures the hotness of chili peppers, the Naga Jolokia pepper (also called the ghost pepper) comes in at 855,000-1,050,000, just a step below law enforcement-grade pepper spray. A jalapeno is rated at only 500-2,500 on the scale. That would likely make even Adam sweat.

"I invented it, so I've eaten it. I'm a pepper head," DeDecker said. "I still burn my head off, but I did it." He came up with the challenge three years ago when people kept asking for sauces hotter than their "Revenge" table sauce. Understandably, to try the challenge you have to sign a waiver to release Cactus Bob's from any liability if you get sick or injured eating the sauce. "When I started putting some of the things in the Showdown that I did, I had to do a waiver," DeDecker said.

Eat the sandwich topped with this killer sauce in 10 minutes without taking a drink, and you'll get a Cactus Bob's T-shirt and your photo on their "Wall of Dangerous Eating Desperadoes." So far, 250 brave souls have attempted the challenge. Only 57 have succeeded.