Slice of History: Springfield, IL's Horseshoe Sandwich

nancyeinhart — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 15:16:06 PDT

In my mind, I've always grouped Illinois's horseshoe sandwich alongside Kentucky's famous hot brown. Both are open-face sandwiches so decadent you have to eat them with a fork, and both emerged during Prohibition to fill the booze-soaked bellies of late-night revelers. Check out this fun video on the sandwich from the Wall Street Journal.

Of course, when it comes to decadence, the roaring '20s ain't got nothing on today's cooks: restaurants in Springfield are engaged in an unofficial competition to see who can make the horseshoe eve unhealthier. Two words: deep fried.

I'd opt for the simplicity of the old-school horseshoe: an open-face sandwich featuring bread, ham, French fries, and cheese sauce. Originally, it also featured egg - yum. The sandwich gets its name from the horseshoe-shaped piece of ham and potato wedges that resemble nails. It's like a cross between the mornay sauce-covered hot brown and the famous French fry-laden sandwiches peddled at Primanti Brothers in Pittsburgh. A calorie bomb, to be sure, but worth trying for the historical significance, right?

Sandwich Share: Ron and Linda's Fried Pork Tenderloins

nancyeinhart — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 06:33:26 PDT

Nearly every region of the country has a sandwich that's a source of pride; in Indiana and Southern Illinois, it's the fried pork tenderloin, also called a Hoosier tenderloin in Indiana. In this fiercely local sandwich, the bun is mere garnish for a double-wide disc of breaded pork spilling over the sides.

The recipe originated in Huntington, IN, where Nick Frienstein first served breaded cutlets in 1908. The pounded-pork style remains remarkably unchanged, paying homage to the tradition of German Wiener schnitzel. Ringo Ronnie and his wife Linda, who hail from Streator, IL, recently got homesick for their hometown sandwich and whipped up a batch. Ringo recommends topping your 'loin with mustard, pickle, and onion. Check out the step-by-step photos below. (Want to share your own sandwich photos? Email them to nancy@betweenthebreadblog.com, along with a description of what's on your sandwich.)

Between the Bread

Slice of History: Springfield, IL's Horseshoe Sandwich

Sandwich Share: Ron and Linda's Fried Pork Tenderloins