Description
This Copycat Maid Rite Sandwich recipe offers a nostalgic take on the classic loose meat sandwich, featuring a flavorful blend of ground chuck and pork cooked with savory seasonings and simmered to perfection. Ideal for a hearty lunch or dinner, these sandwiches are topped with classic condiments like American cheese, diced onions, pickles, and mustard for an authentic Midwestern experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Mixture
- 1 pound ground chuck
- 1 pound ground pork
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- ½ cup hot water
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon steak sauce
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Toppings
- Buns (8 sandwich buns)
- American cheese slices
- Diced white onions
- Pickles
- Mustard
Instructions
- Cook the Meat and Onion: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground chuck, ground pork, and diced yellow onion. Break apart the meats with a spatula and cook, stirring occasionally.
- Brown and Sauté: Continue cooking until the meat is browned and the onions are softened and translucent, ensuring the mixture is well combined and flavorful.
- Dissolve Bouillon: While the meat is cooking, dissolve the beef bouillon cubes into ½ cup of hot water and set aside.
- Drain Excess Fat: Once the meat is browned, drain all but 1 to 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat from the skillet to keep the mixture moist but not greasy.
- Add Seasonings and Bouillon: Pour the dissolved bouillon into the skillet along with the soy sauce, steak sauce, red wine vinegar, ground black pepper, and kosher salt. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
- Simmer: Reduce heat to low and let the mixture simmer gently for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and if it starts to dry out, add a couple of tablespoons of water to maintain moisture.
- Assemble Sandwiches: Scoop the hot meat mixture onto sandwich buns. For cheesy sandwiches, add an American cheese slice over about an eighth of the meat mixture and allow it to melt before serving. Top with diced white onions, pickles, and mustard as desired, then enjoy.
Notes
- Use a combination of ground chuck and ground pork for richer flavor and better texture.
- Simmering the meat mixture allows the flavors to meld and develops a tender, juicy filling.
- If the mixture thickens too much during simmering, add water gradually to maintain a loose meat consistency.
- To keep the sandwich authentic, avoid pressing the meat into a patty; keep it loose and crumbly.
- Feel free to customize toppings according to personal preference.
