A Man with Heart

Leader of the Iowa Cattlemen's Beef Quarters never misses a beat.

By Ann Thelen | Photos by Joseph L. Murphy

In the middle of winter in Iowa, few people are thinking about the Iowa State Fair. Sure, there may be an occasional daydream of enjoying a Hot Beef Sundae while soaking up the sun, strolling down the Grand Concourse and meandering through the livestock buildings, face it, the fair isn't top of mind for most.

Yet, there are tireless leaders working in every season to bring the Iowa State Fair to life, constantly planning, preparing and thinking about those 11 special days in August. John Mortimer is one of those leaders. He’s a man with heart, in more ways than one.

In August 2019, John Mortimer (left) and other fairgoers celebrated the Cattlemen's Beef Quarters officially serving 2 million customers since its opening. Dorothy Schwab (center) was the customer to reach the milestone.

John and Kay Mortimer are retired cattle, soybean and corn farmers, now living in Dallas County. More than three decades ago, John had a vision for serving high-quality, Iowa-raised beef during the Iowa State Fair. He knew other commodity groups had food stands at the fair and thought Iowa’s cattle producers should do the same. In 1985, the Iowa Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters became a reality. Today – and 2 million customers later – it's not just a place to eat, it’s a landmark destination.

BEEFING UP THE IOWA STATE FAIR

“We started with three menu items – sirloin steaks, hamburgers and kabobs,” John says, who at 78 years old is still the general manager of the Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters, which is operated by Beef Promotions of Iowa, Inc. It’s the role he has held since Day 1, which began the year the Iowa State Fair hit an attendance record of 668,000 people.

“Today, we serve as many people in one day as we did during the entire run of the fair 35 years ago,” he adds.

Fairgoers proudly bring their appetites for menu favorites, including Prime Rib, hamburgers and the Ranch Hand Steak Salad.

Introduced in 2006, the bestseller is the show-stopping Hot Beef Sundae. Named by fairgoers as one of the fair’s Top 5 iconic foods, it’s billed as “two scoops of hand-mashed, homestyle potatoes surrounded by slowroasted, fork-tender roast beef topped with savory beef gravy, a sprinkling of shredded cheddar cheese and finished with a sweet red cherry tomato on top.”

In total across its menu items, the Beef Quarters annually serves up approximately 28,000 pounds – or 14 tons – of certified Angus beef. Most of the beef is cooked on-site, with the delicious aromas wafting through the air and creating a sensory pathway leading fairgoers straight to the Beef Quarters.

“We have something for everyone. We offer meals to go, or a family can sit down and enjoy the fair and food experience together,” John says.

Modest in nature, John is quick to point out that it’s the volunteers who make it all come together.

“Last year, we sent out 1,600 volunteer tickets; 275 of those were volunteers who served breakfast, and the rest were Iowa’s cattle producers who worked the rest of the day,” he says.

When the Beef Quarters began, 36 county cattlemen groups in Iowa each contributed $500 to get the operation started. From that initial $18,000 cumulative investment, more than $1 million has been returned to Iowa’s county cattlemen organizations to use for scholarships, youth programs, education or other activities to support the industry.

In 2019, John and Kay Mortimer were named Cy’s Favorite Alums. They’ve held season basketball tickets for 48 years, since the opening of Hilton Coliseum. Beef & Noodle Sundaes

BEATING STRONG THANKS TO A BOVINE HEART VALVE

Cattle have long been the bedrock of John's life. In a serendipitous twist of fate, it’s also because of cows that he is alive.

On a cold and snowy day in February 2011, John wasn’t feeling well, and it hit him fast. As the day progressed, his wife, Kay, insisted they see a doctor. Within an hour, he was in surgery due to an aortic dissection.

“Basically, my aorta fell apart,” John says.

He was right, as an aortic dissection is defined as a situation in which the innermost layer of the aorta allows blood to flow between the layers of the aortic wall, forcing the layers apart.

When he awoke from surgery, he learned that during the procedure to repair the artery, doctors discovered a bad heart valve and replaced it with a bovine pericardial valve. With bovine being a scientific name for cows, John knew exactly what saved his life.

“It was ironic because the heart surgeon, Dr. Robert Schneider – who has since retired – had no idea what I did for a living. I guess it was fate,” John explains.

Following the surgery, Dr. Schneider was quoted as saying, “The advantage of bovine valves over mechanical ones is that barring no other complications, the patient doesn’t require blood thinners. The valves are crafted from a sheet of pericardium (heart sac) cut into leaflets and attached to a cloth and metal framework. The first models made in the 1970s and ’80s weren’t very hemodynamic (meaning they took up too much space and restricted the flow of blood). But in the 1990s, the design was improved.”

Rejection isn’t an issue since there’s no live protein. Plus, infection risks are low, basically equal to mechanical versions, though mechanical versions are more durable. The bovine valve has a typical lifespan of 15 to 20 years.

Nine years later, John’s heart is still beating strong.

NEVER MISSING A BEAT

John’s not a man to sit still, and rarely does he miss a beat when promoting beef or supporting his alma mater, Iowa State University (ISU). In 2019, John and Kay were named Cy’s Favorite Alums by the university.

The couple has had football season tickets ever since John graduated from ISU in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Farm Operation. They’ve also held season basketball tickets for 48 years, since the opening of Hilton Coliseum. It’s been a proud

tradition of support they hope to keep alive in the Mortimer family. Their three children, Scott, Stacey and Jason, graduated from ISU and several grandchildren are students at the university.

In addition to supporting ISU athletics, John has been part of the Dallas Center Rotary Club for 50 years. He was also inducted into the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association Hall of Fame in 2002.

“I believe in giving back to a life that has given so much to me,” John says.

And as anyone who knows him can attest, he won’t miss a beat or an opportunity to do so.

Beef & Noodle Sundaes

• 1–3 pounds beef chuck roast

• 2 teaspoons Lawry’s seasoned salt

• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

• 2 bay leaves

• 4 cups beef stock

• 3 tablespoons flour

• Salt and pepper

• 4-6 cups prepared mashed potatoes

• 3 cups prepared sweet corn

• 1 pound package of egg noodles cooked to package directions, drained

• 1 bunch green onions, chopped finely

• 1 small container cherry tomatoes

Cook roast, Lawry’s seasoned salt, bay leaves and 1 ½ cups of beef stock on low in the slow cooker for 8 hours. Remove meat from pan, shred and discard excess fat. Set aside.

With remaining juices, strain 3 tablespoons fat off and place in large skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons flour and whisk together, cook for one minute. Add remaining liquids that have been strained of excess fat, whisk well. Add remaining beef stock and continue whisking while gravy comes to a simmer. Simmer gravy until thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove from heat. Fold in cooked egg noodles and shredded beef.

In serving vessels (bowls, ice cream glasses or layer in a large casserole dish and serve family style), add a generous amount of mashed potatoes, a layer of corn, a layer of beef and noodles with gravy, and a cherry tomato or two on top. Garnish with chopped green onions. Serve warm.

Source: Cristen Clark

Servings: 8

Nutrition per serving: 517 Calories, 13.1 Total Fat, 85.8 Cholesterol, 1,021mg Sodium, 75.6g Carbohydrate, 6.5g Fiber, 27.3g Protein

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