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This copycat Maid Rite loose meat sandwich is the perfect dinner recipe! Deliciously seasoned beef with pickles and onions piled high on a bun.
Do you all remember the TV show Roseanne when she worked at The Lanford Lunch Box? They served loose meat sandwiches, and I NEEDED to try them immediately after hearing that name.
This sandwich is tangy, flavorful, and easy to make. It’s a simple sandwich with a big flavor.
I’ve been making these sandwiches for a while, and it just occurred to me that I should share them on the blog. These sandwiches are reminiscent of Sloppy Joe’s. They are messy without being sloppy, and they don’t contain tomatoes.
The fun thing about a sandwich like this is that it has many names! Depending on where you’re buying your sandwich in the Midwest, you might hear it called a tavern sandwich, Maid-Rite sandwich, or ground beef sandwich.
Well, as we all know, the Lanford Lunch Box is not real, so luckily, you can make this loose-meat sandwich at home or try it at Maid-Rite, Tastee, or Canteen Lunch in the Alley.
Ingredients for a loose meat sandwich
- Ground beef
- Chopped onions
- Worcestershire sauce
- Yellow mustard
- Beef stock
- Spices
- Buns
- Pickles
- Ketchup
How to make
This sandwich is similar to making a Sloppy Joe without a tomato-based sauce. First, you’ll brown your meat with chopped onions. Once it’s no longer pink, pour in beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, and spices.
Gently simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed but the meat is still moist.
For serving, pile high on a soft bun and top with additional onions, pickles, and any condiment you choose. My favorite condiment is extra yellow mustard!
What to serve alongside
This sandwich is traditionally served with french fries, but you can serve it with any simple side dish salad or eat it plain and skip the sides.
However, I’m a side girlie, so here are some delicious options:
- Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes
- Classic Macaroni Salad
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Herbed Dijon Mustard Potato Salad
My Pro Tip
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t go too lean on the ground beef you use. You want some of that fatty flavor to help keep the meat mixture moist and tender. I like to use a 90/10 ground beef.
- This is a simple sandwich, but a good bun elevates it. I used a brioche bun for this recipe.
- Use basic toppings such as dill pickles, yellow mustard, ketchup, and chopped raw onion.
- Get fancy by adding on a slice of cheese, sliced red onion, mayonnaise, or even a drizzle of BBQ sauce.
- If serving for a crowd, add to your slow cooker after cooking and keep it warm on low heat for up to 4 hours. You don’t want the mixture to dry out too much, so add an extra splash of beef stock.
More sandwich recipes
Loose Meat Sandwich (Maid Rite Copycat)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, 90/10
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 1/3 cup beef stock
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 sandwich buns
- Toppings yellow mustard, dill pickles, ketchup, or raw onion
Instructions
- In a 12-inch skillet add your ground beef and saute on medium-high heat until lightly browned. Add in diced yelllow onion and cook for 5 minutes to soften the onion. Some remaining pink in the meat is ok.
- To the meat, add in your beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, ground black pepper, and kosher salt.
- Lower the heat to low, simmer for about 10 minutes, covered, until most of the moisture is cooked out of the pan.
- Serve on buns topped with your choice of toppings.
Notes
- I’m using 90/10 ground beef. Don’t go leaner than that, or you may end up with dry ground meat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have not made this yet, but I’ll give it a try. I began searching for a recipe like this because growing up in Los Angeles in the late 40s and early 50s many burger places served them like this, with loose meat, there were several of them around the area, usually they’d have shredded lettuce on them but they weren’t called ‘loose meat’ or anything other than burger, you’d order a burger and that’s what you got. Then they sort of fell out of favor and I stopped seeing them anywhere anymore at all. I figured probably the recipe had been brought out with the movement west so many people from colder climates made, then just. Only one place called the Hamburger Habit in W. L.A. offered on on their menu. I always liked them more than the patty type of burger. Burgers were smaller in those days too, which I prefer, too many places make them too huge today.
Hi Iris! I hope you give these a try and love them! The sandwich you’re describing almost reminds me of what they call a “chopped cheese” in New York.
I noticed the recipe does not mention to add the onion with the ground beef when Browning.
Hi Linda! Thank you – it’s been fixed!