Hot and Hearty Southern Banjo Pickers

These Banjo Pickers are a home-cooked version of a famous sandwich from a little brownstone restaurant in Decatur, Alabama! The beauty of this sandwich is how all those bold flavors: the smokiness of the Polish kielbasa, the tang of the sauerkraut, and the zip of the peppers, all come together under a blanket of melted Swiss.

The Sandwich That’ll Make You Sing

I normally don’t care for sandwiches for supper because when we were little, sandwiches were what we had when we didn’t have anything “good” to eat. Sandwiches were a backup plan or a budget fallback. This is not one of those sandwiches. 

A little background on the Banjo Picker from Christy Jordan: There is this restaurant in Decatur, Alabama called “The Brick” that I hardly ever get to go to. It is a sandwich place in a brownstone building downtown and everything they serve is wonderful. My favorite sandwich on the menu is the “5 Finger Banjo Picker”. Since I don’t get to go there as often as I’d like (I’m doing good to make it out once a year!) I have to make my own version at home. My Banjo picker is a little different so make sure the next time you find yourself around Decatur, Alabama you stop in at The Brick and compare!

If you’re a fan of these big, bold flavors, you have to try my Classic Cajun Jambalaya next!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Swiss Cheese
• Sauerkraut
• Spicy Brown Mustard
• Kielbasa
• Hot sliced Banana Peppers
• French Bread

*You can use regular mustard in place of spicy brown. You can also use sliced jalapeños instead of the banana peppers. Really, you can do whatever you want because it’s your kitchen. All we are required to do is die and pay taxes; everything between is kinda up to us. 🙂

How to Make Banjo Pickers

1. Prep and Brown the Meat

Cut your sausage into two-inch segments and cut each segment in half lengthwise. Place these in a large skillet over medium high heat and cook, turning as needed, until lightly browned on both sides.

2. Dress the Bread

Slice your loaf of French bread down the middle and lay it open on a baking sheet. Spread a layer of mayo on one half and your spicy brown mustard on the other.

3. Layer the Goodness

Lay your Swiss cheese slices across the entire loaf. On one side, pile up your browned kielbasa. On the other side, spread out the sauerkraut and banana pepper slices.

4. The Melty Finish

Place this in the oven, open faced, at 350 for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bread is toasted. When you get it out of the oven, close the sandwich.

Cut into four sandwiches. Banjo Pickers are great served with kettle chips or a side bowl of white beans!

Storage and Leftovers

If you have any leftovers, you can wrap them in foil and keep them in the fridge for a day. To get that crunch back, I recommend reheating them in the oven or an air fryer rather than the microwave.

Hot and Hearty Southern Banjo Pickers

This Banjo Picker sandwich is a hot, flavorful meal that brings the best of North Alabama deli flavors right to your kitchen. With smoky kielbasa and tangy sauerkraut on toasted French bread, it's a hearty 30-minute dinner that the whole family will love.

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Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: sandwich

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 large loaf French Bread from grocery bakery
• 1 package Polish keilbasa sausage
• 1 1/2 cups Sauerkraut that’s one and a half, not eleven ;
• Swiss Cheese Slices
• 1/4 cup hot banana pepper slices or jalapeno slices
• 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard more if you want
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise more if you want

Instructions

• Cut your sausage into two inch segments and cut each segment in half lengthwise. Place these in a large skillet over medium high heat and cook, turning as needed, until lightly browned on both sides.
• Slice bread open lengthwise and lay open on baking sheet. Spread one side with mayo and one side with mustard. Arrange 5 cheese slices over bread. Top one side of bread with sauerkraut and pepper slices. Place browned keilbasa slices on bottom half of bread loaf.
• Place in oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bread is toasted. Remove from oven. Close sandwich and cut into four smaller sandwiches. Serve warm with kettle potato chips or a nice bowl of white beans.

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