The Breaded Pork Tenderloin – Indiana’s Oversized Marvel
The pork tenderloin sandwich is claimed to have originated at Nick’s Kitchen restaurant in Huntington, Indiana, near Fort Wayne. Since 1908, the breaded pork tenderloin (BPT) has been Indiana’s unofficial sandwich. The golden-brown crust and notable size of Indiana’s BPT has made it a fan favorite for years. Crispy and thin or thick and juicy, pounded and usually fried, tenderloin lovers recognize Indiana’s mouthwatering BPT for almost always being bigger than the bun. These sandwiches would always make me laugh because they were, quite literally, bigger than my head. Yet, heroically, I always found a way to clean my plate. I like a pork tenderloin with a lot of little, crunchy crevices, as opposed to the smoother versions. If you’re going to make a tenderloin, first of all, the most important thing is that you pound it flat – as flat as you can get it.
The preparation process is surprisingly straightforward yet creates an impressive result. A pork tenderloin sandwich is traditionally prepared from a thinly sliced piece of pork loin, hammered thin with a meat mallet. The meat is then dipped in flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs or crushed saltine crackers before being deep fried in oil. After cooking, the prepared pork loin is then served on a hamburger bun, with the meat overhanging the bun considerably. There are two camps for toppings: You either do lettuce, tomato, and mayo or you do mustard and pickle. It’s one or the other. This is not a sandwich you put cheese on.
The St. Paul Sandwich – Missouri’s Egg Foo Young Creation
The St. Paul sandwich can be found in many Chinese American restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri, as well as in other cities in Missouri, including Columbia, Jefferson City, and Springfield. The sandwich consists of an egg foo young patty (made with mung bean sprouts and minced white onions) served with dill pickle slices, white onion, mayonnaise, and lettuce between two slices of white bread. The St. Paul sandwich also comes in different combinations and specials, such as chicken, pork, shrimp, beef, and other varieties. One source has the origin of the St. Paul sandwich dating to the early 1940s, when Chinese restaurants created the sandwich as a unique dish that was in a more familiar sandwich form to appeal to the palates of Midwestern Americans, an early example of fusion cuisine.
This unusual sandwich reflects the resourcefulness of Chinese-American immigrants trying to adapt to local preferences. At that time, my mother figured out, well, we need to do Chinese food because that’s what’s selling. In a St. Paul sandwich, a hot, crispy egg foo young patty is nestled between two soft slices of white bread, topped with pickles, lettuce, tomato and a slather of creamy mayo. In addition to being delicious, it was the sandwich’s affordability that made it so popular. A normal order of egg foo young costs around $11, but the St. Paul sandwich can be yours for a mere $6. It is usually only available in Chinese restaurants in the St. Louis metropolitan area as well as a select few Chinese American restaurants in outlying regions of Missouri, the owners of which are typically originally from St. Louis.
Beef on Weck – Buffalo’s German-Inspired Classic
Beef on weck is a local legend in Western New York (primarily the Buffalo area) that’s served on a kummelweck roll. The beef is straightforward, but what the heck is weck? It’s the shortened local name for a kummelweck roll: a German-style a soft roll topped with salt and caraway seeds. This simple but distinctive sandwich showcases how German immigrants influenced regional American cuisine in unexpected ways.
The preparation focuses on quality beef and the unique roll that gives the sandwich its character. Buffalo Wild Wings is sometimes abbreviated as BW3 – ever wonder what that third W is? It’s Weck, short for Kummelweck. The sandwich represents Buffalo’s working-class heritage, much like the more famous Buffalo wing, though it predates the spicy chicken creation by many decades. Despite its regional popularity, the beef on weck remains largely unknown outside of Western New York, making it one of America’s most geographically specific sandwich traditions.
The Italian – Maine’s Submarine Sensation
Today, you can procure this popular sandwich in practically any town in America, but the best of the best are found in New England – and, according to legend, so is the original. Legend has it that Italian baker Giovanni Amato created the sandwich in 1902 in Portland, Maine, according to New England Today. What was once designed as a portable, inexpensive working person’s lunch is now ubiquitous. The influence here is in the name. This sandwich leans on Italy’s famous cured meats and Provolone cheese that’s topped with fresh vegetables and olive oil and Balsamic vinegar for a filling. All of the goods are nestled in a light and fluffy Italian loaf.
While variations of Italian subs exist nationwide, Maine’s version maintains distinctive characteristics that set it apart. The style pays homage to both its Irish and Massachusetts heritage serving the sandwich alongside lobster rolls, corned beef, and fried clams for a true mish-mash of New England culture. The Maine Italian reflects the state’s maritime tradition of hearty, portable meals that could sustain dock workers and fishermen through long days. Monica’s Mercado in Boston quite possibly makes the very best cold sandwich in America – certainly in the case of Italian cold cuts.
Why These Sandwiches Remain Regional Treasures
Many American sandwiches can only be found in one very specific location or region (or restaurant), but even those that have ventured beyond their birthplaces are generally best enjoyed in their original context. American sandwiches are often surrounded by unexpected controversy, and naming the definitive version of any one of these sandwiches will almost certainly spark an argument. These four sandwiches demonstrate how geographic isolation, immigrant communities, and local ingredients combined to create truly unique culinary experiences that resist national standardization.
What do you think about these hidden sandwich gems? Have you tried any of them, or do they make you want to plan a cross-country food adventure?
