# A cold sandwich with ground beef and bread as the basic ingredients



## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

I don't know if I'll get anybody's interest, but throwing this out for suggestions. Maybe none of you would waste your time making something like this, but anyway, here goes . . .

Got any ideas for plain supermarket ground beef, and whatever bread (you specify), seasonings and other ingredients, with the idea of making a good-tasting sandwich to be eaten cold? Maybe that's an unlikely idea 

I'm thinking that the texture of the meat might be the biggest challenge (?) And perhaps ground beef made into anything cold would be texturally-challenged:crazy:


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## jbd (Mar 17, 2008)

I've eaten plenty of cold meat loaf sandwhiches in my day. Come to think of it I have eaten cold burgers several times as well.


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

Meat loaf, yeah that's a good one.  Texture's good, even cold. That didn't come to mind since I don't make meat loaf much. Thanks.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Meatloaf again.

Basically anything you do with it will be in that category though there are a bazillion variations including meatballs( from just about every culture), kefte/gyro and so on. Not all are good cold, but there's a lot to work with there.


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

My favorite variation on what I would call meat loaf is one I learned from a Pakistani friend. It's a "loaf" that's roasted in a roasting pan that lets the fat drip off, and has a lot more browned surface than tradidional American meat loaf. It calls for chopped fresh cilantro, finely chopped onions and a lot of spices. I don't know if he was "Americanizing" it, but he mixed in bread that was soaked in eggs.

That would make a good sandwich too.


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

I just came up with a wild idea that might turn out really good.

I'll mix up meat with egg-soaked bread and herbs and spices, but cook it in a fry pan in roundish-rectangularish patties that will fit into a sandwich. I will try using some "barbecue sauce" on it during the cooking. I will brown the patties just a bit, not enough to dry out the meat.

That probably falls into a category that's centuries old somewhere, but for me it's a light bulb :smiles:. I'll make my own version.


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## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

Getting away from the burger/meatloaf idea.... maybe some left-over chilli con carne put into a hollowed out bread roll (split it and take out some of the bread). Top it off with some crispy lettuce, maybe chopped sun-dried tomatoes/ diced cucumber or celery or red onion for crunch, some green onion tops, press it under a weight and chill it in some cling wrap for a couple of hours (overnight even). Could be alright. Hard-boiled eggs sliced/chopped into it as another option. Or sliced black olives. And lots of black pepper


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## gogoguy (Sep 17, 2008)

I just cant stand cold meat sandwiches of any kind. I like's 'em roasted.


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

I prefer hot sandwiches most of the time, especially with the weather getting cold here and me working outside a lot. But for my lunches I never get to eat anything hot unless I buy it somewhere--and I get a 30 minute lunch break, often far away from any place to buy lunch.


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## tessa (Sep 9, 2007)

I love cold meat sammies, you could do meatloaf, or make meat patties and cook them a la hamburger style yum yum , add some beetroot relish some crunchy salad or coleslaw and you have a wicked sandwich.
my mum used to make sandwiches using left over sausage and she would use salad ingrediants, cold potatoes and sliced sausages , it was one of my favourite sandwiches as a kid.
what about using different types of bread and cook a bit of extra meat when you make your dinner the night before , maybe use things like buns or rolls
tortillas or naans , flat breads , paninis, bagels different grain breads

and have a variety of fillers like lettuce mix, coleslaw, salad ingrediants, marinated mushrooms, roasted egg plant and courgettes

dont take the same thing twice in a row as you will get sick of it very quickly


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## lance folicle (Nov 1, 2008)

Have you ever tried a cold sloppy Joe? Or a Joe's Special?

I've not tried either cold, but they may give you and idea or two.

Lance


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## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

Take one toasted sandwich maker. The kind that seals the edges and fill with drained bolognese, topped with cheese and chillies.
Serve with dill pickles and chilli sauce


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

Thanks, I will have to try that.


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## rufustf (Jun 5, 2007)

There's a thai dish called larb, that's like a spicy cold ground meat salad. Sometimes it's wrapped up in a big lettuce leaf and eaten like a wrapped sandwich. I've made it before and there are lots of recipes out there (I preferred one w/fresh minced thai chilies instead of anything dried). Anyhow, I don't see why this wouldn't be real tasty with bread. Might piss off some of the purists, but they don't have to eat it. I'd treat the amount of chile to your personal taste, as not all of us like as much as others.


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## top chef (Nov 7, 2008)

Nothing beats a cold meatloaf sandwich! I make extra-large meatloafs just for the purpose of having a few leftover slices.
-CookingandBlogging.Com


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## wheresthegrub (Oct 28, 2008)

I *love* mayonnaise sandwiches. Just a layer of mayo on a slice of french or "moms" white bread (from trader joe's when I dont feel like making any).

One day, while slathering on a thick layer of mayo, a bowl of some leftover ground beef was flirting with my bread. Who am I to deny a match destined to be?

The only challenge was that sometimes there is a bit too much fat in the ground beef, and cold beef fat is less palatable (so sprinkle some parm cheese on it and it cuts the fat)

very simple, very yummy


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## hbjul (Jun 22, 2007)

Hi Yeti! Your hamburger meat question was very interesting to me and I am going to use it in my Saturday radio show. One of the first suggestions that came to my mind was a kind of loose meat sandwich...I don't know if they can be eaten cold, what do you think? I will post any responses I get from my listeners after the show!:bounce:


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

Hi HBJUL,

RufusTF made a suggestion, which I haven't tried yet, but I think it sounds good. Pocket bread or a hollowed-out roll might be the way to go with loose meat?


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

I'm thinking of a way to hold it together so it doesn't fall out of the sandwich.

I'm laughing as I type this--I remember a hole in the wall place where I got something with gravy. The gravy was so thick that, even warm, it could be served in slices:lol:
Perhaps this concept could be applied to cold sandwiches with loose ground beef. 

Another idea--so-called "roll ups". Cheese melted with the beef would also help hold it together when cold, and it might not take much cheese.

Smashing the final sandwich might be a great way to hold it together, too.

Cold sandwiches with ground beef aren't a thing I would do often if I had a way to warm them up. Meat loaf is still my favorite idea for cold sandwiches, because both texture and flavor are great. Plus, meat loaf doesn't have to be traditional American style. So many spices and other ingredients can be added, subtracted or changed. 

We have barely touched on the choice of bread or pastry.


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## teddyt (Feb 4, 2015)

I make hamburgers and put them on rye with catsup and mayo, and then wrap them in plastic wrap and let them sit in my freezer for 75-85 minutes. I like the firm texture of the meat and the texture of the bread much more this way


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

I just found this thread and wondered who started it. Whoa, I did, over 6 years ago haha!

Back then ground beef cost about half of what it does now, and I don't eat much meat any more. But I still love meatloaf sandwiches.

Teddy, I love rye bread. Does the bread get wet when you put the sandwich in the freezer?


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## adriennec (Jun 25, 2017)

Hi. I'm only the sister of a chef and a food lover. This is my favorite sandwich that can never go wrong. I freeze well braised (in balsamic vinegar) and spiced burgers. When thawed I have cold with a toasted English muffin topped with chopped garlic, sliced onions and sometimes raw mushrooms. Sometimes I don't add anything and sometimes spicy mustard.


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## popbistro (Jun 26, 2017)

Hmmmm. You might want to keep that to yourself.  

I can see some of the flavors of cold vs hot like a bagel with lox. However, raw garlic and cold protein minus any fat seems a bit unpalatable. Was this a question or a recipe? Or did you need validation on this one? 

Either way, we all have our odd childhood tastes. I can't see it, but for curiositys sake and scientific reasons next time I have a lost soldier I will try it out on a toasted muffin with raw garlic. Maybe your on to something.

Best


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## adriennec (Jun 25, 2017)

Don't forget the raw onions. The raw onions are key. The concept is really the same as a meatloaf sandwich.


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## popbistro (Jun 26, 2017)

@adrienn

Seriously, I wasn't being facetious. Balsamic vinegar in that combination might be the most brilliant thing I ever heard. Red raw onion with raw garlic on top is a leap of faith but shit, I never actually tried it so I remain neutral. The congealed fat from a cold burger with the acid from the vinegar plus the bite from raw onions and garlic might just balance it all out. Getting people to eat and like it is another thing, but so was just about every classic. [emoji]128540[/emoji]


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## chalkdust (Feb 18, 2009)

try mixing the beef with some brown sauce (browned flour and onion in butter or oil) and simmer a bit with some celery green onion thyme etc. good seasoning that, maybe some parsley. and a dash of west indian pepper sauce. thats what i stuff my cassava puffs with and its good


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