MONROE — Jailhouse Pub’s Commissary Burger was named winner of The Green County Beef Producers’ best burger contest, just as the contest keeps growing and selling thousands of juicy burgers to hungry diners every summer.
More than 6,000 burgers were sold in the 2025 contest, and over 140 people visited all 22 locations and cast over 400 votes. And that’s good news to Nellie McDermott, who has been running the ever-popular contest for the past 10 years; and is now retiring from her post.
The beef producers’ goal for the event all along, she said, was to spread the word on the quality of Green County beef, as prepared in the kitchens of local restaurants. And it appears she has succeeded, with the contest each year adding restaurants, and more burger fans signing up for the food, fun, and prizes.
It all culminates, as it did on August 21 this year, in an award ceremony at the group’s annual Steak Out at Green County Fairgrounds — where the giant spatula is presented to the winning restaurant. To get to that point, this year, about 600 more burgers were cooked, dressed and sold by bars and restaurants across Green County — compared to 2024s 5,400-burger total. There were also $1,900 in prizes given away at the Steak Out.
“People said they went to places they hadn’t gone before,” McDermott said, reflecting on her years of listening to locals talk about local burgers. “They didn’t know how much good food Green County had.”
McDermott said the GCBP will name a new member to head up the Best Burger Contest for 2026.
“I just want to thank all the participants,” she added.
Candace Wiesenberg and Samantha Goodman accepted the giant spatula for Jailhouse Tap, while various contest participants were awarded prizes including several large beef bundles from local producers and a Weber grill.
The winning Commissary burger featured bacon, goat cheese, apricot spread on one bun, cherry on the other, chipotle-Gouda cheese, and a Pico sauce.
“Congratulations on a great burger,” wrote one local diner, commenting on Jailhouse Tap social media posts announcing the win.
Several others said the unique creation deserved to win. Another commentator wrote: “Two years of hard work really paid off, huge congrats!”
Those who want to get a taste of it better hurry, though — August 28 is the last night the burger will be on the menu.
The second-place honor went to Sportsman’s reloaded, with its meat-heavy Beast Burger — a mix of ground elk, Wagyu beef, bison, and bear.
Third place went to Holler Inn, with the Fussy Hussy Burger — two smashed patties, pepper jack cheese, and sweet bacon sauce to top it off.
An honorable mention fourth place went to Fat Badger’s CC Burger.
