Suggested by: Brett
The Rules:
- The definition of ‘sandwich’ is gonna be pretty wide open on this. Include hot dogs! Go nuts!
Brett’s Top Five
5.) Egg/Egg Salad
This one is my go-to when I need a quick meal: fry an egg and slap some cheese on there. Hard-boil some eggs and add some condiments. Easy and delicious.
4.) Chip Butty
People give British cuisine a bad rap, but how could you hate the cuisine of a country that gave us fish and chips, scotch eggs, and this beautiful drunken concoction of French fries between two pieces of bread? I like to throw some vinegar or ketchup on there to round it out. Delicious.
3.) Reuben
This is the perfect storm of flavors. I don’t like Thousand Island dressing, I don’t like sauerkraut, and I’m really not a fan of rye bread. However, you throw these things together and I’ll eat it all day long. I know… it doesn’t make any sense to me either.
2.) Croquette sandwich (korokke sando)
Oh, Japan! Your cuisine is top-tier! Their snack style foods are easily the best and a korokke or “croquette” is possibly the best. It’s basically deep-fried mashed potatoes mixed with various fillings from meats to pasta. So, throw one of these between some delicious Japanese bread and you’re in heaven! I’ll be in Japan this October and you better believe I’m gonna eat my weight in sushi, pastries, and korroke!
1.) Peanut butter and jelly
My grandmother always made the best PB&Js. I never could get her formula down myself… or maybe mine just never tasted the same because she wasn’t the one who made it. Either way, these are home for me. They’re pure nostalgia and I will forever miss my grandma’s peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Stephen’s Top Five
5.) Reuben
There’s something pretty great about a sandwich named after a person! This is a deli classic and one of the all-time great flavor combinations! I’m a big fan of any of the salted cured meats and, if you remember my favorite breakfast dish, you know there’s a soft spot in my heart for a good corned beef! I also love all the other ingredients – Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, and rye bread – so this sandwich is essentially a slam dunk for me all-around!
4.) Gyro
A bit of a non-traditional choice, sure, but a classic one! A loaf of heavily-seasoned beef and lamb slow-cooked on a spit, then sliced thin and piled high on a slice of warm pita bread, then topped with feta cheese, fresh onion and tomato, and a generous dollop of Greek tzatziki (a Greek yogurt sauce filled with diced cucumber and fresh dill)! This is one of my favorites and my go-to whenever I’m at a Greek or Mediterranean restaurant!
3.) Pork tenderloin
The pork tenderloin sandwich is the single-most Hoosier sandwich ever invented! It’s as Indiana as sugar cream pie! A slice of a pork tenderloin, pounded out thin, then breaded and deep-fried and slapped on a bun that’s about a third of the size of the tenderloin. (This is actually the key to a perfect pork tenderloin sandwich – if it’s the size of the bun, you’ve done something horribly wrong!) Then garnish simply, with some mayo, mustard, and pickles! It’s a perfect staple from my home state!
2.) Cheesesteak
The best thing to come out of Philadelphia since cream cheese! A massive mound of thinly-sliced ribeye steak, seasoned and browned on a flattop grill with mushrooms, onions, and peppers, slid into a soft roll, and topped with cheese (sliced or whiz) – it’s an absolute classic that is a meat-lover’s dream! I’ve had several variations on this classic, but I’ve yet to have one from Philly itself and, believe you me, that’s a food travel bucket list checkpoint waiting to happen!
1.) Cheeseburger
Are you surprised? ‘Cuz you shouldn’t be. For my birthday, we did an entire list of burgers. I put a burger on my list of breakfast dishes. I have an entire blog dedicated to cheeseburgers, for heaven’s sake! If there is any sandwich that’s gonna find its way to the top of this list, it’s gonna be that classic combination of meat, cheese, and bun! It’s endlessly customizable – I’ve had burgers topped with everything from potato chips to peanut butter, from blueberry jam to truffled mushroom duxelle – and can be simple or complicated, rustic or fancy and it’s still an all-American classic! To my thinking, there’s nothing quite like it!
Stephen’s Honorable Mentions and Also-Rans:
- BLT
- Chicago-style hot dog
- The Fat Stephen (my ‘signature sandwich’ from college – a cheeseburger and chicken patty, topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle, french fries, mayo, and Heinz 57)
- Grilled cheese
- Torta
The Recap:
| Brett | Stephen |
| 5.) Egg/egg salad | 5.) Reuben |
| 4.) Chip butty | 4.) Gyro |
| 3.) Reuben | 3.) Pork tenderloin |
| 2.) Croquette sandwich (korokke sando) | 2.) Cheesesteak |
| 1.) Peanut butter and jelly | 1.) Cheeseburger |
What are YOUR favorite sandwiches? Let us know in the comments below!
WE GOT FIVE ON IT! 