The Midwestern Classic I Keep Coming Back to

I grew up in southern Iowa where deer and pheasant nibbled in corn fields for as far as the eye can squint and bass and catfish swirled in backyard ponds. The kitchen table throughout my Midwestern childhood was loaded with pots of comforting goulash, gigantic breaded pork tenderloins, soul-warming hot beef and mashed potatoes, cabbage rolls, stuffed pork chops, and grilled sweet corn.

My mind’s menu flips through a solid rotation of potluck-style family reunions and hearty Sunday dinners at Grandma and Grandpa’s farm. The one Iowa throwback that has stood the test of time and made its way onto my own adult table is the Maid-Rite sandwich.

The easy weeknight dinner is named for the Iowa-born restaurant chain of the same moniker and is made of seasoned ground beef and finely chopped onions and garlic cooked in beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, served on a hamburger bun.

In 1926, Fred Angell, a butcher in Muscatine, Iowa, opened the first Maid-Rite after creating the sandwich using select cuts of beef from his shop. There are around 30 locations still operating in the Midwest, 17 of which are in Iowa.

The beautifully messy loose-meat sandwich is not to be confused with the Sloppy Joe. Maid-Rites call on seasoned finely-ground beef while Sloppy Joes swim in a tangy tomato-based sauce.

I like mine on a simple bun with white onion, yellow mustard (squirted in the design of a smiley face, if 9-year-old me had a say), and dill pickle slices. Serve the sandwiches with French fries, coleslaw, baked beans, or good old Iowa corn on the cob if it’s in season.

How to Make Maid Rites

This recipe is a simplified version of a Maid Rite recipe developed by Allrecipes’ Julia Levy. While Levy suggests piling the meat on Texas toast and adding cheese, I prefer Maid Rites on plain hamburger buns and paired with dill pickle slices and sliced white onion—just like I ate them growing up in Iowa.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground round (85/15)
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion 
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/4 cup beef broth
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Your favorite hamburger buns
• Dill pickle slices, sliced white onion, mustard, and ketchup (for serving)

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add ground beef and onion; cook, stirring often to crumble, until meat is browned in spots and no longer pink, and onion is softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. While meat cooks, whisk together broth, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire, salt, soy sauce, yellow mustard, and pepper in a small bowl.
3. Stir broth mixture into skillet and cook, stirring often, until sauce has reduced slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Spoon about a heaping 1/4 cup of meat mixture onto a bun and serve with dill pickle slices, sliced white onion, ketchup, and mustard.