Midwest Sandwiches! (Reuben, Italian Beef, Pork Tenderloin, Sloppy Joe, Horseshoe Sandwich)

Today we’re cooking and ranking some heavy hitters. On deck we’ve got Chicago’s own Italian Beef, the Sloppy Joe (an Iowan classic), the Horseshoe Sandwich (an Illinois abomination), the Pork Tenderloin sando (Indiana), and the Reuben which, believe it or not, actually originated in Nebraska. Time to see which Sando reigns Supreme! 🤘🏼 Adam

Italian Beef (left), Rueben, Sloppy Joe, Horseshoe Sandwich (back), Pork Tenderloin Sandwich (right)

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STUFF I USE...

12-inch Cast Iron Skillet

7-qt Round Dutch Oven

My Cookware Set

My Dutch Oven

My Induction Burner

Deli Containers

Large Mason Jars (32oz, wide mouth)

Rust-proof Mason Jar Lids

Portable Single-burner Stove

Butane Torch

Butane Canisters

Coarse Reinforced Strainer

Fine Mesh Reinforced Strainer

Sheet Trays

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The Sloppy Joe

It’s believed that the sloppy joe stems from the Iowa “Loose Meat Sandwich”. If interested, I have a full video on the loose meat sandwich (the name sounds gnarly, but the sandwich rips).

Yield: 4 sandwiches

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The Sloppy Joe Sandwiches!

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min

Ingredients

• 4 burger buns
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 1 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard

Instructions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef and brown, remove then set aside. Drain most of the fat from the skillet, leaving a little behind for flavor.
2. In the same skillet, add the minced garlic, chopped onion then the green and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned and the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Reintroduce the beef and add the tomato puree, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, onion powder, chili powder, celery seed, and yellow mustard. Stir to combine all the ingredients well.
4. Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken and flavors meld together.
5. Open the burger buns and lay them flat on plates.
6. Once the sloppy Joe mixture has thickened to your liking, spoon a generous amount onto the bottom half of each bun.
7. Cap with the top half of the buns and serve hot n' sloppy.

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The Reuben Sandwich

For the bread, check out my video on homemade Pastrami and Rye Bread here. For the Corned Beef, check this out. For the sauerkraut check this out.

Yield: 4 Sandwiches

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The Reuben Sandwich

Ingredients

• 8 slices of rye bread
• 8 slices of Swiss cheese
• 1 pound corned beef, thinly sliced
• 1 cup sauerkraut, drained
• 1/4 cup Russian dressing (or Thousand Island dressing) *see below
• 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1000 Island Dressing / Russian Dressing

• 1 cup Mayonnaise
• 3 Tbsp Yellow Mustard
• 1/4 cup Ketchup
• 2 Tbsp Sweet Pickle Relish
• Juice of half a Lemon
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 Tbsp Prepared Horseradish
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• MSG, to taste

Instructions

For the Sandwich

1. Squeeze out the excess moisture from the sauerkraut with your hands or a clean towel.
2. Optionally, warm the corned beef slightly in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave.
3. Spread one tablespoon of Russian dressing on one side of each slice of rye bread.
4. Layer a slice of Swiss cheese, a quarter of the corned beef, a quarter of the sauerkraut, and another slice of Swiss cheese on four slices of the bread, dressing side up.
5. Top with the remaining slices of bread, dressing side down.
6. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat and melt a tablespoon of butter.
7. Place two sandwiches in the skillet, pressing down slightly with a spatula.
8. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has melted, adding more butter as needed for the remaining sandwiches.
9. Remove the sandwiches from the skillet, let them rest for a minute, then cut in half and serve hot.

1000 Island / Russian Dressing

1. Mix everything together. Store covered in the fridge for up to a week.

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The Horseshoe Sandwich

This one is interesting, it’s super popular in Springfield, Illinois (The capital city of Illinois). It’s super customizable - feel free to sub the ham out for a burger patty or fried chicken. Change the cheese sauce out and use Swiss instead of cheddar... the world is yours.

Yield: 1 large sandwich

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The Horseshoe Sandwich

Ingredients

Sandwich Components

• 2 slices Thick White Bread, toasted
• 3-4 cups of French Fries
• Cheddar Cheese Sauce (see below)
• 1 Slice of Ham, thick-cut
• Fresh Parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

Cheddar Cheese Sauce

1. 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
2. 2 Tbsp Water
3. Sodium Citrate (3% weight of cheese)

To make the sandwich

1. To a large plate, lay down the two slices of toasted thick white bread.
2. Add the ham steak and cover with fries. Pour over the cheese sauce and garnish with parsley.

Cheddar Cheese Sauce

1. Add the water and sodium citrate to a small sauce pot and stir over medium heat until it dissolves.
2. Add half the grated cheese and stir until it's fully melted. Add the remaining cheese and stir until smooth. Keep warm and set aside.

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The Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

I talked about it in the video already, but check this video out to see how massive this sandwich can really get.

Yield: 8 Pork Cutlets, 6 Kaiser Rolls

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Indiana Pork Tenderloin + Kaiser Roll Sandwich

Ingredients

Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

• 8 pound Pork Loin Roast
• 8 cups Buttermilk
• 12 Eggs, divided
• 4 cups All-purpose Flour
• 4 cups Bread Crumbs, ultra fine
• Black Pepper, to taste
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Yellow Mustard, to serve
• Mayonnaise, to serve
• Romaine Lettuce, sliced to serve
• Tomato, sliced to serve
• White Onion, sliced serve
• Pickles, sliced to serve

O.G. Kaiser Rolls

• 3/4 cup Warm Water, 105F (180g)
• 1 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast (5.5g)
• 1 1/2 tsp Sugar (8g)
• 3 cups Bread Flour (360g)
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt (3.5g)
• 1 Whole Egg (55g)
• 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, tempered and cubed (28g)
• 3 Egg Yolks, for egg wash
• Splash of Water, for egg wash
• Poppy seeds, for garnish

Homemade Kettle Chips

• 2 pounds Russet Potatoes, sliced thin
• Neutral Oil, for frying
• Kosher Salt, to taste

Instructions

Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

1. Cut the pork loin into 8 equal butterfly-ready pieces using the technique from the video. Spritz some water in a large plastic bag to help the pork spread out as it’s sounded. Pound each piece of pork to roughly half inch thick, very wide cutlets, set aside.
2. Whisk 3 eggs into the buttermilk, season with a big pinch of salt a few cracks of black pepper then marinate the pork cutlets for at least 2 hours, or up to a day covered, in the fridge.
3. Remove the cutlets from the marinade, pat dry. Blend the remaining 9 eggs with 1/4 cup of water to make an egg wash. Set up a 3-part dredging station starting with all-purpose flour, the egg wash, and the fine breadcrumbs. I like to set this up in wide, shallow trays.
4. Preheat neutral frying oil to 350F. Spritz the cutlets with water then dust in all-purpose flour, then the egg wash and lastly the breadcrumbs. Carefully lay the breaded cutlets in the hot oil and fry for 5-8 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Drain on a wire rack or paper towel lined plate and season with salt.
5. Build the sandwich by first spreading mayo and yellow mustard on a halved Kaiser roll. Top with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles. Serve with chips and CRUSH!

O.G. Kaiser Rolls

1. Add yeast, sugar and water to the bowl of a stand mixer and let it activate for 5 minutes. Once bubbly, add in the egg then pour over the flour and add the salt. With the dough hook attached, run the machine on medium kneading until the dough is smooth. Begin dropping in the butter little by little, waiting to add more until each piece is fully incorporated into the dough. Once the butter is fully worked in and the dough passes the window test, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour, or until roughly doubled in size.
2. Transfer the dough onto a clean work surface and divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Use the tips of your fingers to roll the pieces into log shapes, then roll them out into strips about a foot long. Lightly dust the dough with flour then tie it forming a knot in the middle. Curl the dough around the knot then feed the end of the roll up through the middle of the roll. Place the each roll on a Sil-pat lined sheet tray. Mix the egg yolks together with a splash of water and brush each kaiser roll once with egg wash. Let sit uncovered for roughly 1 hour, or until doubled or nearly doubled in size.
3. Preheat the oven to 425F. Coat the rolls with a second layer of egg wash then sprinkle with each with poppy seeds. Bake the rolls for 15 minutes, or until perfectly golden brown and plump.
4. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Do not store in the fridge immediately or they rolls will dry out, instead once cooled store at room temperature in a plastic bag.

Homemade Kettle Chips

1. Pre-heat frying oil to 350F. Carefully drop the potato slices into the hot oil and fry until crisp and golden brown. Remove from the oil and transfer to a large bowl. Sprinkle in some salt and toss to coat. Serve with pork tenderloin sandwich.

Adam's Notes

• In Indiana it's not a proper "Tenderloin Sandwich" if the cutlet isn't twice as big as the bun.
• This dish is served all over the state of Indiana from diners to state fair stalls.
• This cutlet is similar to Austrian schnitzel, but a big heftier and thicker.

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The Italian Beef Sandwich

The Italian Beef sandwich is NOT new to me. I’ve made this sandwich at home over 20 times and on camera a handful. I’ve made a Smoked Italian Beef, made an Italian Beef Bao, and even sampled it all over Chicago. The good news — Italian Beef is actually quite easy to make at the crib.

Yield: 4-6 sandwiches

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Italian Beef Sandwiches

Ingredients

Italian Spice Blend

• 1 1/2 Tbsp Fennel Seed
• 2 tsp Coriander Seed
• 2 Tbsp Sweet Paprika
• 2 1/2 Tbsp Dried Oregano
• 2 1/2 Tbsp Dried Basil
• 1 tsp Dried Thyme
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Black Peppercorns
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Red Chili Flake

For the Beef...

• 3/4 cup Italian spice mix, from above
• 8 cups Beef Stock
• 5 pound Bottom Round of Beef
• Kosher Salt, to taste

To serve...

• Hearty French Rolls, store bought or homemade
• Spicy Giardiniera
• “Sweet” Roasted Bell Peppers *See note

Instructions

1. Toast all Italian spices, grind in blender or mortar and pestle, set aside.
2. Pour beef stock in pot, add all of the spice blend, add the beef and season with salt.
3. Cook at 375F (190c) for 2-3 hours uncovered, or until tender. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
4. Remove beef from the pot, strain the remaining jus through a fine mesh strainer, add the strained jus back to the pot along with the beef. Refrigerate overnight.
5. The next day, remove the beef from the pot and use a mandolin or sharp knife to slice THIN slices. You can also just shred it apart, but thinly sliced pieces is the sign of a "real" Italian beef, but both will taste great.
6. Add the beef back to the jus, and bring to a simmer on medium heat.
7. To serve, fork some beef into the roll, top with sweet pepper and giardiniera. Optionally, dunk the entire thing in the jus for a classic "wet beef." Embrace the sogginess and dig in!

Adam's Notes

• The spice blend recipe will make 3/4 cup, the perfect amount for a 5 pound roast.
• Chill the beef down before slicing it on the mandolin. It will make it much easier (and safer) to slice.
• To make "sweet" peppers, roast oiled and salted red and green bell peppers for 12 minutes at 400F until slightly browned and very soft.

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