-- continued from pg. 38 Underwood Barbecue “In 1989, our first year of raising our locations in Wichita own beef, we slaughtered 48 head for our Falls, Texas, and in Meersburgers,” said Maranto. Last year, Lawton, Altus, Norman 2003, we slaughtered 93 head for hamand other Oklahoma burger - enough for 55,000 Meersburgers towns. and 72,000 hamburgers plus some beef “We moved to for chili. In addition to that, we bought Lawton in 1961,” said 35 head to satisfy our demand.” Maranto. “And shortThese purchases are live animals ly after, I went to from other Texas Longhorn producers Meers to try the and are generally sent directly to slaughfamous hamburger. ter at Marlow, Oklahoma. Maranto I knew from that knows the herds that are the outside very first visit that sources for his beef and is confident that I wanted to own no growth hormones or antibiotics are … m the place, but I used. The meat is packed in 60-pound i s l a and vand f abuse o t just had to wait boxes for daily delivery to Meers, where lo a s taken rs. meter ha the past 40 yea g my turn. That old the restaurant grinds the fresh hamburgin rk a nly p …in ne-and-o t very few coins building reminded me of my er. The resulting product is not only Meers’ o bu father’s grocery store in Marshall.” healthier but tastier. and one campsite. The reduced traffic Soon after Joe and Margie took over The “Meersburger”, the specialty of also mandated changes at the Meers the eatery, they tweaked the menu by the house, is a half-pound of exclusively General Store, which now became a desadding barbecue, chicken fried steak, a Texas Longhorn beef served on a seventination instead of a stop on the way. giant BLT sandwich, homemade ice inch bun. “We claim it is the biggest Hamburger sales increased and grocery cream and banana pudding. The kitchen burger in Oklahoma,” laughs Maranto. sales dwindled. The Myers had sold the area was doubled, and two walk-in refrig“And we also think it is the best. We have store to Frank and Lucille Sales in 1969, erators and a walk-in freezer were built. to special-order the seven-inch buns and after Frank’s untimely death in 1974, Dining rooms were expanded to seat 114 from Johnson’s Bakery in Lawton - I it was purchased by Al Foster, who compeople, and a new meat grinder that can guess there’s not a lot of demand for pleted the transition from local grocery grind 60 pounds of beef in less than five buns that size. The actual hamburger to regional restaurant. He took out all the minutes was installed. looks a lot bigger than a regular halfgrocery shelves, replaced them with pounder because the Meersburger has tables and seating for 60 people and less fat and doesn’t shrink up when Meers Longhorns added a 48-inch griddle. He also added cooked. We need a heck of a big bun.” Added to the Mix rib-eye steaks to the menu, starting at 5 “The meat is formed into eight“In the mid-1980s we noticed a p.m. - the kitchen was too small to do ounce balls, and the key to making it drop in hamburger sales,” said Maranto. both hamburgers and steaks at the same tasty is to mash it into the patty shape “We attributed that to doctors telling time, and besides, the limited refrigerator right on the grill. Then don’t over-cook it. people to cut down on fat. We started space only held 100 pounds of hamburgWe demonstrate to the public day after barbecuing chicken, but people still er, which was normally sold out by 5 day that a hamburger doesn’t have to be wanted a good hamburger. They just didp.m. greasy to be good. In fact, we prove that n’t want the fat.” burgers made with freshly ground, lean After Texas A&M published the Maranto to Meers beef have absolutely the best flavor.” famous study on Texas Longhorn beef, When Joe Maranto purchased the The “Meersburger” was voted the Maranto had an answer to the doctors’ Meers Store and Restaurant in 1983, he best hamburger in Oklahoma by preaching. The research found that brought with him a lifetime of experiOklahoma Living Magazine in their “Best Longhorn carcasses had less muscle fat ence in the retail grocery and restaurant of ‘03” awards, and received a similar and less saturated fat than carcasses business. His family operated a neigh-- continued on pg. 42 from traditional European breeds. In borhood grocery near Marshall, Texas, fact it proved lower in fat, calories and and during the Great Depression, many cholesterol than turkey or chicken. customers, who had charge accounts at The Marantos now had a way to the store, settled up by bartering beef or serve a tasty hamburger with a minipork animals, which his father butchered mum of fat. and retailed. One of Joe’s jobs as a In a timely marketing move, youngster was to help his mother kill, they decided on a step that tied the scald, pluck the feathers and dress about Meers Store and Restaurant, as it fifty chickens a week for sale at the growas now known, to the neighboring cery. Following World War II, his brotherWildlife Refuge. All the beef the in-law, Millard Underwood, expanded restaurant sells is exclusively Texas the barbecue restaurant business his Longhorn, and in 1988 they started father had started in Brownwood, Texas Meers Longhorns, their own regisand asked Joe to help. Maranto was a corNewt Moore, left, gives Pete and St tered herd. porate officer and managed several acie Ca ble Meat Center,
Hood and Joe Ma ranto a tour throu which processes gh hundreds of Long horn carcasses for Meers Store and the Restaurant.