Six Steps To The Best Meatloaf Sandwich

During our recent Burgers and Fries Week, I recognized a sandwich that many forsake for a burger. The truth is, a burger won't fix your craving for a meatloaf sandwich any more than a meatball sub will sate your craving for a burger. I make meatloaf — this meatloaf in particular — for nothing more than sandwiches. Here are the components:

  1. Squishy white bread

Few sandwiches absolutely require delivery on white bread. Meatloaf is one of them. Bologna is another. The simplicity of the ingredients that go on this bread must remain unchallenged.

  • Meatloaf
  • Use the variation you like best, but our easy, classic all-beef meatloaf makes one hell of a sandwich. Thick slices are standard, only because...well, if you've never tried to thinly slice a meatloaf I won't ruin the surprise for you.

  • Cheddar Cheese
  • Thick slices of sharp cheddar from the deli counter go on top. You could substitute American, but it might end up looking more like a patty melt and your subconsciously unsated craving for a meatloaf sandwich can and will haunt my dreams. Sorry, your dreams.

  • Ketchup
  • I'm so glad the unspoken rule about only using good old-fashioned Heinz ketchup is no longer unspoken. It seems to me like a whole bunch of stalwart homesteaders decided to see whose artisan ketchup could sell for more per custom-labeled jar. Then, in a face-numbing twist of fate, everyone's sucked and nobody's stuck-up kid would dip so much as a sweet potato fry. Slather your sandwich with this bright red, glorious symbol of what Big Ag has done for us lately, and feel no shame.

  • Produce
  • This component is simpler: lettuce and tomato your sandwich if you wish.

  • A pickle on the side
  • Call me pickle-crazy, but spears just taste better.

    Sounds like a burger, right? (Sigh.) Okay, let me start over.


    More Sandwiches of the Week at Food Republic: