Loose Meat Sandwiches

Packed with seasonings like brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, and apple cider vinegar, these loose meat sandwiches with tender onion pieces are full of flavor and so easy to make for supper. Take them to the next level by serving them on Hawaiian sweet rolls.

Two things I love: economical ground beef recipes and easy weeknight suppers. Well, this easy loose meat sandwich recipe ticks both boxes! Also called a tavern sandwich, it’s a Midwestern specialty that originated at Maid-Rite in Iowa. They’re THE sandwich to try in Iowa (and the most popular item on the Maid-Rite menu), so today we’re making homemade loose meat sandwiches.

When I say this recipe is quick and easy, I mean it. All we have to do is cook the ground beef, onion, and seasonings in a large skillet until the meat is cooked and the sauce has thickened. They’ll be ready to serve in under 30 minutes. 

Now, let’s take a moment to talk about the seasonings because they make ground beef so deliciously tasty and full of flavor. They include garlic powder, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, a combination of chicken and beef stock, seasoned salt, and pepper. As the sauce cooks down, all of these different flavors soak into the ground beef for the tastiest loose meat sandwiches ever!

A lil’ housekeeping

Before we dive in, a couple of housekeeping notes. Firstly, it’s very important you use lean ground beef as you will regret using regular beef when you realize how greasy it makes these puppies in the end. Secondly, this recipe isn’t complete without a packet of Hawaiian sweet rolls. They’re the absolute perfect vessel for our loose meat sandwiches. Trust me, it is very important that you use Hawaiian sweet rolls for this. If you use a regular hamburger bun, it’s going to fall to pieces and be a big old mess. Plus it won’t have that flavor in the bun that these rolls have.

Keep reading for lots of topping and serving suggestions.

Recipe Ingredients

• Garlic powder
• Brown sugar
• Onion
• Worcestershire sauce
• Soy sauce
• LEAN ground beef
• Apple cider vinegar
• Seasoned salt
• Black pepper
• Chicken and beef bouillon cubes (or a cup of beef or chicken broth instead) 
• Hawaiian sweet rolls

How To Make Loose Meat Sandwiches

I know, my onions are not chopped fine but this is about as far as I get before my brain is ready to move on to the next step. Finely chopped is a relative phrase.

Then add onions and beef to a large skillet.

Pour in water or if you are using chicken broth and beef broth, pour that in here now.

Now start mixing up the ground beef with the water.

You’ll notice that with the added water the ground beef gets really, really fine. That is what we want.

This is how we make hot dog chili and it is perfect for this meat as well. You’re going to end up with very fine granules of tender beef and the water cooks out.

You want to put that over medium-high heat and cook it until the meat is done and there is no more pinkness.

It will get done pretty quickly in this case because all of that water is cooking it at the same time the heat is.

Now add everything else.

Return this to the stovetop and stir it really, really well.

Cook over medium to medium-high heat, stirring often until the liquid cooks down as pictured below. This part may take anywhere from ten to twenty minutes.

Just find something to read and hang out around the stove. Or even better, let your kids do this part while you go put your feet up.

This is our finished loose meat, all ready for sandwiches.

Assemble your loose meat sandwich

Using a slotted spoon, strain out some of the meat and press it into a pile on top of the center of a cut Hawaiian sweet roll.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Storage

• If you happen to not eat all your meat, simply store it in the fridge for up to three days. Then when you would like some, heat it up in the microwave or add it to a skillet with a splash of water. This will warm it up and prevent the meat from burning.
• Go right ahead and freeze any of the ground beef you don’t eat right away. It will freeze for up to three months in the freezer. You can freeze the meat in a freezer bag or airtight container that is freezer-friendly.

Recipe Notes

• I have gotten away from using bouillion cubes to keep salt levels low and substituted them with beef and chicken broth. I find these give the meat even more flavor. But use whatever you feel comfortable with.   
• Feel free to use yellow onion, white onion, or even green onion.

Recipe FAQs