Good-Ass Sandwich

[wombat]

Onstad on facebook:

I am opening a food cart called, "Good-Ass Sandwich." That is the exact title. What is your own personal favorite "good-ass sandwich"?

My answer: Grilled cheese- extra sharp cheddar, decent bread of the sort that comes in a sliced loaf in a plastic bag, and for God's sake use BUTTER, and SPREAD it on the outside of the slices, do NOT melt it in the pan. It makes it a totally different thing.

I also lately found that aged gruyere is awesome in this, even with a much cruder whole-grain bread than I usually prefer. This makes sense I guess, it is the sort of cheese you make fondue out of, so it is born to be melted.

What is yours?

[jay-ell]

Paper-thin, deli-sliced, brown-sugar ham piled high with just the right amount of swiss on seeded rye, grilled. No toppings. Crunchy kettle chips on the side.

Mmmm.

Agreed re: butter on the bread, not in the pan.

[Carlos del Vaca]

Cuz if there's one thing white people like, it's expensive sandwiches.

Mine is just about the same as jay-ell's.  I can't decide if I like a soft rye better, or that Jewish rye. 

I also like a really, truly kick-ass Italian hoagie, on really good bread with good salami, capicola ham, and sharp provolone cheese.  No Subway commodity-grade ingredients, please.  Such as at Taylor Gourmet or John's Roast Pork.  I love me some cheesesteaks too, but that's almost its own genre.

[rowboat]

I don't expect it to catch on yet (the advanced flavor is still too much for many of today's primitive palates), but my own personal life was changed for the better when I invented "Pigs in Hell."

Whip up some French toast (use Texas toast - don't fuck around). Scramble the leftover eggs. Fry up some decent bacon. Stick the scrambled eggs and bacon between the pieces of French toast, add a ton of black pepper and as much sriracha as you can stand. It's important to make sure it's a hellish amount, otherwise you have to call it something else. Enjoy with a nice brown ale (this ain't no average morning - why treat it like one?)

Some day folks will understand. Till then, here's your glimpse into the future of flavor. You're welcome.

[Choop]

build mostly from bottom to top. a diagram:

ciabbatta (top)
drizzle of balsamic (apply to top)
basil pesto (apply to top)
basil leaves
provolone
mortadella
roasted red pepper
provolone
prosciutto
artichoke hearts
provolone
hot capicolla
basil leaves
goat cheese
black olive pesto
black pepper
sea salt
drizzle of olive oil
ciabbatta (bottom)

wrap tightly in plastic, put in the fridge under a weight, cut and eat the next day.

[wombat]

It's important to make sure it's a hellish amount, otherwise you have to call it something else.

What? I like the idea of trying this without the hot sauce, but I feel I have to know its name first.

[rowboat]

What? I like the idea of trying this without the hot sauce, but I feel I have to know its name first.

Without any? Hmm. Not sure about that idea, but you could use just a few dots and call it "Pigs in Heat." But if you ask me you're missing out.

[CortJstr]

I've posted this before but in college I basically lived on The Samson:

12" sub roll, roast beef, turkey, LTM, russian dressing, muenster, and mild cheddar (or american). Put in a sandwich toaster just long enough for the cheese to melt and the meat to get a little warm but not to really toast the bread.

[R2DTrousers]

The key to a good-ass sandwich is the hyphen. The hyphen can absolutely make-or-break the whole deal. Other than that, maybe just a crusty baguette with plenty of bits of a roast-the-previous-day chicken, with salt and pepper.

[bluemoon72]

1. High-quality roast beef with grainy mustard, lettuce, tomato, thin-sliced onion, and creamy hossradish on a ciabatta or french bread.

2.  Leftover white meat turkey with just a swipe of mayo, salt and pepper, lettuce, and a touch of regular mustard on white bread.  So much better than it should be.

3.  Does a patty melt count?  If so, that's my favorite good-ass sandwich. 

Edited to add:  While I don't usually enjoy mixing my sweets and my savories, there's a fontina, ham, and pear sandwich to murder your grandmother for at a truly amazing little restaurant, Hell's Kitchen, here in Minnesota.  (Nothing to do with the usually charming and personable G. Ramsey, btw.)  It's so good it was named among the best in America by the Sterns in their "Road Food Sandwiches" book.

[jay-ell]

I've posted this before but in college I basically lived on The Samson:

12" sub roll, roast beef, turkey, LTM, russian dressing, muenster, and mild cheddar (or american). Put in a sandwich toaster just long enough for the cheese to melt and the meat to get a little warm but not to really toast the bread.

LTM sounds like a vegetable that is trying to become something else.

[wombat]

I realize reading this thread that one thing I like about my good-ass sandwich is that it contains ingredients that I am likely to have when I have nothing in the house.

I mean, sure, of course I like a sandwich on a fresh crusty baguette (which I have to go to a special store to get and eat the same day) or with roasted red peppers that I make from scratch (and have to figure out yet again which button turns the smoke alarm off)  or an Italian sandwich from Taylor Gourmet (which is a special trip to a place nowhere vaguely near any other part of the city that I ever have to go to).  But it's amazing to have basically nothing to eat in the house, and realize that I can make this totally kick-ass grilled cheese sandwich.

[CortJstr]

(and have to figure out yet again which button turns the smoke alarm off)

This reminds of of an excellent concept product I saw online. It's a smoke alarm that's wirelessly connected to your kitchen timer. So while the timer is running the smoke alarm is automatically turned off.

[greenkoolayd]

smoked turkey on a kaiser roll with lettuce, L, T, M, and pickle chips.  cheap and easy.

[wombat]

This reminds of of an excellent concept product I saw online. It's a smoke alarm that's wirelessly connected to your kitchen timer. So while the timer is running the smoke alarm is automatically turned off.

I need this!