Iowa Style Maid-Rite Sandwiches Recipe (2024)

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Folks from Iowa are most likely very familiar with the Maid-Rite sandwich. For the rest of you, find out about this favorite Iowa loose meat sandwich!

The Maid-Rite sandwich…it doesn’t look like much, but looks can be deceiving. In fact, the first time I was served a Maid-Rite, I was in Iowa and had been handed a bun full of loose ground beef. I was a little perplexed as it seemed like something I would make on a night I didn’t want to make dinner for my kids – so I’d try to pass off plain ground beef as dinner. (Come on, don’t tell me you haven’t done something similar!).

What I didn’t know is the Maid-Rite sandwich would soon be one of my favorite, easy dinners to make. The beef is tender and flavorful, made with simple ingredients I always have on hand. It’s as easy as serving ground beef for dinner, but 100 times better!

Like all famous midwestern recipes, everyone makes their Maid-Rite sandwiches a little differently. Some people add pickles or pickle juice. Others used dried minced onions. Some add a bit of BBQ sauce. I like the version I’ve adapted to for our family best.

If you’re from Iowa, you’ll have to let me know what goes into your Maid-Rite sandwiches!

One thing I absolutely love adding is a bit of smokiness in the form of San Francisco Salt Co. Cherry Smoked Sea Salt. If you don’t have this at home, no worries. Just add some Kosher or Sea Salt and you’ll be fine…but for that extra smoky kick give the Cherry Smoked Sea Salt a try!

I’ve been making Maid-Rite’s at home for many years now and there’s a reason I’ve never shared the recipe on Dine & Dish. It’s so, very easy, you almost don’t even need a recipe. So don’t laugh that I’m sharing this with you today. Just make it and enjoy having another easy weeknight recipe on hand!

(PS – if you cook with ground beef or ground turkey a lot, this inexpensive utensil is a life saver to break up ground beef!)

The History of the Maid-Rite

I’ve had several people ask me about the history of the Maid-Rite sandwich. There is a local restaurant in Marshalltown, Iowa which is near my husbands home town. The owner of that restaurant started serving the original Maid-Rite sandwiches in 1926 and the franchises expanded from there.

I do know there are a few Maid-Rite restaurants in Missouri and Kansas, but it seems this loose meat sandwich trend hasn’t caught on outside of the Midwest.

One thing to note, a Maid-Rite is not a Sloppy Joe and can’t really compare. The only thing similar is they are both made from loose ground beef and they are both served on a hamburger bun. A Sloppy Joe is a saucy, tomato based creation while the Maid-Rite doesn’t really have a sauce.

Enjoy this quick and easy recipe! If you ever are traveling through the midwest and spot a Maid-Rite restaurant, make sure to stop in and enjoy one for yourself (although I like this homemade version better, honestly).

Iowa Style Maid-Rite Sandwiches Recipe (4)

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4.55 from 31 votes

Maid-Rite Sandwiches Recipe

Famous in the state of Iowa, Maid-Rite Sandwiches are your ticket to an easy dinner your whole family will love!

Course Main

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 -6

Author Dine & Dish

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/4 yellow onion minced
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 4 Tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt or San Francisco Salt Co Cherry Smoked sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add minced yellow onion and cook until tender.

  • Add lean ground beef and break up into small pieces/crumbles while it cooks.

  • As beef begins to brown, stir in beef broth. Add mustard, Worcestershire, salt and pepper.

  • Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until liquid is mostly gone.

  • Spoon onto buns and serve.

Here are more great easy beef recipes:

Iowa Style Maid-Rite Sandwiches Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the original Maid-Rite? ›

History. Fred Angell was a butcher in Muscatine, Iowa, who combined a special cut and grind of meat with a selected set of spices and created the Maid-Rite sandwich, which is not a traditional hamburger. Rather, it is called a "loose meat" sandwich.

What's the difference between a Maid-Rite and a sloppy joe? ›

While both are made with seasoned ground beef, Sloppy Joes feature a rich tomato-based sauce. The meat mixture is slightly sweet and often enjoyed without additional toppings. Loose meat sandwiches like Maid Rites, on the other hand, have no sauce at all.

What is the famous loose meat sandwich in Iowa? ›

Maid-Rite. Maid-Rite might be a popular colloquial name for a finely-ground loose-meat sandwich, but the only official Maid-Rites are sold at one of around 30 eateries — 17 of which are in Iowa, along with corporate headquarters.

What is the Iowa State sandwich? ›

Iowa has some interesting foods that are icons in their state. The GIANT breaded pork tenderloin sandwich (and we mean giant), Blue Bunny ice cream, Iowa sweet corn and, the one that caught my eye, the Maid Rite loose meat sandwich. This sandwich is sort of like a sloppy joe without the sauce.

Where did the loose meat sandwich come from? ›

Carroll Dietz of Missoula, Montana, created the precursor to the tavern sandwich in 1920, referred to as a "steamed hamburger." In 1926, Fred Angell began selling his version of the sandwich at the first Maid-Rite restaurant in Muscatine, Iowa, under the name "loose meat sandwich." The name "tavern" for the sandwich is ...

What is the difference between a steamer and a sloppy joe? ›

Steamer Sandwich

These sandwiches are similar to Loose Meat, Sloppy Joe, or Beef Barbecue sandwiches in that the ground beef is cooked until it is smooth and moist. Steamers, in particular, are unique in that they have fewer ingredients than the above and have a distinctly smoother texture.

What is another name for a maid rite? ›

It's also referred to as a “tavern sandwich,” a “beef burger,” or, least appetizingly of all, a “loose meat sandwich.” Though I've never heard an Iowan in conversation refer to the sandwich as anything other than a “maid rite.” Wherever you find them, they'll run around $3.

What do people in Wisconsin call sloppy joes? ›

How "hot tamale" became the name for sloppy Joes in these Wisconsin communities is so far a mystery. The name was solidified through decades of Sheboygan and Manitowoc school lunch menus, though "sloppy Joe" has come into use now.

What is a fancy name for a sloppy joe? ›

Manwich, slush burger, yum yums, dynamite, spoonburgers, tavern sandwich; a Sloppy Joe can be called by many other names. The most well-known however is Manwich.

What is the most eaten sandwich in America? ›

What's America's favorite sandwich? More cheese, please. Grilled cheese, according to the data which revealed that 79 percent of people either "like" or "somewhat like" the ooey-gooey sandwich. That's no surprise, given that it's one of the most classic comfort foods.

What is a dead Texan sandwich? ›

Two Texas toast grilled cheese sandwiches with 1/3 lb. burger, 1 egg, 2 slices of bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, jalapenos, and peppercorn mayo in between.

What is a Montana sandwich? ›

What is it? It's a grilled BCT (bacon, cheese and tomato) with a bonus of turkey on sourdough and a special avocado dressing.

What food is special to Iowa? ›

Iowa is known for Sour Cream Raisin Pie, Iowa Ham Balls, Scotcheroos, Maid Rite sandwiches, Steak de Burgo, taco pizza, snickers salad, and corn, lots of corn. It's also the leading producer of pork in the U.S.A.

What is the Iowa dish? ›

Iowa doesn't officially recognize a state food, yet we can likely agree that our most famous local food is the Iowa Chop.

What is a Rushmore sandwich? ›

Rushmore. $9.50. Chipotle Cheddar Roast Beef with BBQ sauce, bacon, and fried onion straws served on ciabatta with beer cheese sauce for dipping.

Where did Made Right start? ›

Taylor's Maid-Rite History

In 1926, the Maid-Rite sandwich was born! Fred Angell started the concept in Muscatine, Iowa. Fred began to franchise his idea, selling the rights to Newton, Iowa in 1927 and Marshalltown, Iowa in 1928. Cliff Taylor purchased the 1928 franchise for the sum of $300.

Is Maid-Rite a franchise? ›

Maid-Rite Corporation - Home of the Loose Meat Sandwich Restaurant Franchise.

How many calories in a Maid-Rite sandwich? ›

There are 415 calories in 1 sandwich (3.5 oz) of Maid-Rite Maid-Rite.

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