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The American Sandwich Landscape

JBF Editors

JBF Editors

August 19, 2014

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The American Sandwich Landscape

From sea to shining sea, the U.S. is a country of sandwich lovers. Take a peek at the map below for a guide to some of the sandwiches known as beloved hometown favorites. Whether those picks are niche or known across the States, it’s safe to say we are citizens of one nation, under bread.

1.    Alaska > Reindeer sausage sandwich

Fresh reindeer sausage with caramelized onions, peppers, spinach, sharp cheddar, and Dijonnaise sauce on a hamburger bun

2.    Arizona > Indian (Navajo) taco

Distinct for its base of the Navajo frybread sopaipilla

3.    Arkansas > Fried bologna sandwich

“The sandwich of the South,” made on grilled white bread with bologna and cheddar cheese

4.    California (L.A.) > French dip

Shaved roast beef on French bread, served au jus

5.    Colorado > Denver sandwich

Western omelet (ham, onions, and green peppers) between two slices of toast

6.    Connecticut > Lobster roll

Connecticut’s version is served hot with butter on a hot dog bun

7.    Florida (Miami) > Cubano

Ham, roast pork, cheese, and pickles on grilled Cuban bread

8.    Illinois (Chicago) > Italian beef

Italian bread topped with roast beef soaked in drippings, sautéed peppers, and giardiniera

9.    Illinois > The Horseshoe

Open-faced sandwich of Texas toast topped with burger patties and French fries, and smothered in cheese sauce

10.    Indiana > The pork tenderloin

Breaded and deep-fried pork tenderloin with mustard, onions, lettuce, pickles, and mayonnaise on a bun

11.    Iowa > Loose meat (a.k.a. the Maid-Rite)

Similar to a Sloppy Joe, but without the sauce. Served on a bun, it consists of ground beef and onions cooked in a special skillet that drains off the grease

12.    Kentucky > Hot Brown

An open-faced sandwich of turkey and bacon smothered in Mornay sauce and baked until browned

13.    Louisiana (New Orleans) > Muffaletta

The muffaletta gets its name from the Sicilian-style bread it’s served on. Inside, the sandwich traditionally consists of marinated olive salad, mortadella, salami, mozzarella, ham, and provolone

14.    Louisiana (New Orleans) > Po’ boy

Fried seafood (usually shrimp, oysters, catfish, or softshell crab) with hot sauce, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on French bread

15.    Maine > Lobster roll

Chilled lobster meat tossed with mayo and served on a toasted hot dog bun

16.    Maine (Portland) > Italian

Boiled ham, sliced American cheese, green peppers, onions, olives, oil, salt, and pepper on a submarine roll

17.    Maryland (Baltimore) > Lake trout sandwich

Fried whiting (“lake trout”) on white bread with a vinegar-based hot sauce

18.    Minnesota (Minneapolis) > Jucy Lucy

A hamburger with cheese stuffed inside the patty prior to grilling

19.    Mississippi > Elvis sandwich

White bread with peanut butter, bacon, and sliced bananas skillet-fried in butter

20.    Missouri (St. Louis) > The St. Paul

Egg foo yong patty with pickles, white onions, lettuce, tomato, and mayo between slices of white bread

21.    Montana (Helena) > The nuke

Ham, turkey, roast beef, cheddar, Swiss, and provolone stuffed into a hollowed-out cylindrical half-loaf of bread

22.    Nebraska (Lincoln) > The runza

Yeast-dough pocket filled with ground beef, onions, sauerkraut, and seasonings

23.    New Jersey > Sloppy Joe

A cold sandwich made on rye bread with turkey, roast beef, pastrami, and corned beef or sliced beef tongue, topped with Swiss, coleslaw, and Russian dressing

24.    New Jersey > Submarine sandwich

French bread split lengthwise and stuffed with various cold-cut meats, cheeses, and vegetables, usually seasoned with Italian herbs, salt and pepper, and oil and vinegar

25.    New York (Buffalo) > Beef on weck

Roast beef and horseradish on a salty kummelweck roll (kaiser roll baked with pretzel salt and caraway seeds)

26.    NYC > Corned beef or pastrami on rye

Spice-cured meat between two slices of rye bread, with mustard or Russian dressing

27.    North Carolina > Pulled pork BBQ sandwich with vinegar sauce

Pulled pork on a soft bun, with a vinegar-based sauce

28.    Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) > Cheese steak

A split Italian-style roll filled with thinly sliced beef and provolone or cheese sauce

29.    Ohio (Cleveland) > The Polish boy

Grilled kielbasa on a hot dog bun, covered with French fries, coleslaw, and hot sauce or barbecue sauce

30.    South Dakota (Aberdeen) > Pheasant sandwich

Cooked pheasant meat, hard-boiled eggs, grated carrots, chopped celery, pickle relish, and mayonnaise on sliced bread

31.    Virginia (Williamsburg) > Ham biscuit

Cured and smoked Virginia ham on a buttered buttermilk biscuit

32.    Washington, D.C. > Half-smoke

Half-beef, half-pork coarse-ground hot sausage with mustard, onions, ketchup, and relish on a hot dog bun