**Horseshoe Sandwiches: A Midwestern Delicacy**
Horseshoe sandwiches are an iconic dish from the Midwest, particularly associated with the city of Springfield, Illinois. These open-faced sandwiches feature thick slices of toasted bread topped with a savory filling typically made from ground beef, onions, and cheese. The defining characteristic of a horseshoe sandwich is the unique way it is served: the sandwich is placed on a platter and covered with a generous helping of french fries. This combination of flavors and textures creates a truly unforgettable culinary experience.
This article presents a collection of horseshoe sandwich recipes that showcase the versatility of this classic dish. From the traditional ground beef horseshoe to creative variations using pulled pork, chicken, or even vegetables, these recipes cater to a wide range of tastes and preferences. Each recipe provides detailed instructions and helpful tips to ensure that you can recreate this Midwestern delicacy in the comfort of your own home. Whether you're a seasoned home cook or just starting out, you're sure to find a horseshoe sandwich recipe that suits your skill level and culinary preferences. So, gather your ingredients, heat up your skillet, and get ready to embark on a delicious journey into the world of horseshoe sandwiches.
WORLD FAMOUS HORSESHOE SANDWICH
"Horseshoes" are a Springfield, Illinois original, first created by the chef at the "The Red Coach" for his luncheon clientèle. The story goes that he had a lot of extra cheese sauce left over one day and decided to throw it over the "chopped steak" and gravy sandwiches the patrons were always ordering. He added some shoestring potatoes on top, and a sensation was born! This recipe is a update of the original (which called for a whole cup of flour!) and your family will positively beg for more. Don't skimp on the cheese sauce. If your appetite is smaller, cut this in half. Then you have what we call around here, a "pony shoe"!
Provided by hopeful
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 35m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- SANDWICH PART: Form 6 hamburgers and season to taste.
- Cook them, trying to keep them as evenly flat as you can.
- Keep warm.
- Begin to fry french fries.
- Keep warm.
- Toast bread until crisp.
- SAUCE: Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan.
- Stir in the flour.
- Cook, stirring, 5 minutes.
- Gradually stir in the 4 cups milk.
- Stir and cook until thick.
- Transfer to a large microwave-safe bowl.
- Whisk in the evaporated milk until smooth.
- Add the cut up Velveeta (OR Cheddar).
- Microwave for 6 minutes.
- Take out and stir.
- Add the Worcestershire and hot pepper sauce.
- Microwave for another 3 minutes or so, or until the sauce is smooth and hot.
- Take out and taste for Worcestershire and hot sauce.
- Place spoon you were stirring with on a clean plate, away from the stove.
- If mixture seems to harden too fast upon cooling, add a bit more milk.
- Note: I know this seems like a lot of cheese sauce and you may cut it down if you wish, but the cheese sauce is the main attraction here.
- It is hard to have "too much"!
- Assembly is in this order: toast, hamburger, lots of cheese sauce and french fries.
- I promise, you'll have no leftovers.
HOT TURKEY HORSESHOE SANDWICH
Provided by Jeff Mauro, host of Sandwich King
Time 30m
Yield 4 open-faced sandwiches
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Cook fries according to package instructions. Place in a large bowl, then sprinkle with garlic salt and set aside.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium pan over medium heat, then add flour and whisk until blonde. Whisk in milk, Worcestershire and sriracha and bring to a simmer, then cook until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in both cheeses until melted. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Place a couple slices of turkey on the griddled Texas toast, then a pile of French fries; ladle the cheese sauce over the entire thing. Garnish with some parsley and some pickled peppers.
HORSESHOE SANDWICHES
Hearty meat and potato lovers in your family will be happy to indulge in the Horseshoe Sandwich. Our recipe used the classic ham steak, but hamburger patties are a popular alternative. Even though the sandwich is topped with a homemade cheese sauce, the blue plate special only takes 30 minutes to make.-Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Greendale, Wisconsin
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Lunch
Time 30m
Yield 2 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Cook potatoes according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt, mustard and pepper until smooth; gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. , Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in cheese until blended. Stir in beer and Worcestershire sauce; heat through., Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ham; cook 1-2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and heated through. , To serve, place two toasts on each of two serving plates; top with ham, fries and cheese sauce. Sprinkle with paprika.
Nutrition Facts :
GRILLED HAM AND BEERBIT HORSESHOE
Provided by Jeff Mauro, host of Sandwich King
Categories main-dish
Time 50m
Yield 4 sandwiches
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- For the beerbit sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepot over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until blond, about 5 minutes. Add in the milk and beer and whisk. Simmer until thick, about 10 minutes. Then add the Sriracha and jack cheese. Remove from the heat and stir until the cheese has melted. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- For the shoestring potatoes: Preheat the oil to 350 degrees F. Using a mandoline set with the julienne attachment, carefully run the potatoes through, creating thin matchsticks. Place the potatoes into a colander and rinse with water to wash off the excess starch. Then place onto a baking sheet lined with a dish towel and pat as dry as you possibly can.
- Carefully place a handful of fries into the hot oil and fry them until crispy, about 2 minutes. Keep the potatoes moving and don't walk away, these small shoestrings go fast! Drain on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with garlic salt as soon as they come out of the fryer.
- For the sandwich build: On the griddled Texas toast, place the ham, then a pile of shoestrings, then ladle the rarebit sauce over the entire thing. Garnish with chopped parsley.
HORSESHOE
Every time we visit Springfield, Illinois we have to eat one of their famous horseshoes. The cheese sauce is a little different depending on where you stop to eat, seems everyone has their own way of making it. But we love them all. If you only use one slice of bread and one hamburger patty it is called a ponyshoe. This recipe can also be made with chicken tenders in place of the hamburger patties.
Provided by kehn
Categories 100+ Everyday Cooking Recipes
Time 40m
Yield 2
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spread french fries out on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
- Meanwhile, divide the ground beef into four equal parts and form into patties. Fry the patties in a large skillet over medium-high heat until well done, about 4 minutes per side.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Cook while stirring constantly for 4 minutes to cook out the flavor of raw flour. Gradually whisk in the half-and-half so that no lumps form. Bring to a simmer then remove from the heat and add the cheese; stir until melted. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste.
- Place 2 slices of toasted bread onto 2 dinner plates and top each slice with a hamburger patty. Top each patty with cooked french fries. Pour the cheese sauce on top of everything and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 2056.6 calories, Carbohydrate 81.1 g, Cholesterol 494.1 mg, Fat 153.9 g, Fiber 4 g, Protein 88.2 g, SaturatedFat 87.7 g, Sodium 2384.5 mg, Sugar 3.6 g
HORSESHOE SANDWICH CHEESE SAUCE
One of the favorite items on menus in central Illinois is a "horseshoe" or a "ponyshoe." This consists of a variety of sandwiches, either a hamburger, grilled chicken breast, ham, etc. Whatever you want to put between two slices of toast. Then fresh french fries and all of it smothered with a cheese sauce. This is the best cheese...
Provided by Gay Farrar
Categories Other Sauces
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- 1. Mis together in a double boiler so it doesn't stick. Serve over your favorite sandwich and fries.
HORSESHOE SANDWICH
I lived in Central Illinois (Havana) for 10 years where I was introduced this regional cuisine. It's an awesome Saturday night dinner! Very quick and easy way to make the cheese sauce. Great for kids! Not great if you're on a diet! LOL! But very tasty and filling. There are other versions of this recipe on RecipeZaar and I thought that mine was different enough to share.
Provided by Chez Stoeckel
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 1h
Yield 4-6 , 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Prepare meat patties and drain.
- Prepare french fries and salt lightly.
- Prepare the cheese sauce by pouring one can of condensed cheddar soup in a sauce pan. Add 1/2 can of water (or less, depending on how thick you want the sauce). Stir in 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce. Heat until bubbly, then remove from heat.
- Toast bread.
- Assembly each sandwich by stacking the ingredients: Toasted bread, meat, a good handful of fries, and top with a generous helping of cheese sauce.
- NOTE: We don't normally use the toast at the bottom of the sandwich. I feel that the fries add enough carbs to the meal, but the toast is the traditional way of making a horseshoe.
- I've made this with the nacho cheese sauce and a little less Worcestershire sauce for a different flavor.
- YUM!
HORSESHOE SANDWICH - COPYCAT
Two local chefs created the Springfield Horseshoe Sandwich in 1928 at the Leland Hotel in Springfield, Illinois.
Provided by Dropbear
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 45m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Prepare frozen French fries according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, prepare cheese sauce by first beating egg yolks and beer together.
- Melt butter and cheese together over boiling water, stirring in one direction only with wooden spoon.
- Add Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt and cayenne pepper.
- Stirring constantly, add beer/egg mixture to cheese mixture a little at a time.
- Keep mixture hot as you stir, but don't let it bubble.
- Meanwhile, toast bread.
- Meanwhile, preheat platter.
- Place toast on platter.
- Place meat atop toast.
- Cover meat with cheese sauce.
- Circle platter with French fries.
- Add dash of paprika.
- Makes 1 serving.
- Tip.
- Constant stirring and top-quality cheese will yield a smooth mixture.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 533.4, Fat 40.8, SaturatedFat 24, Cholesterol 222.2, Sodium 976.8, Carbohydrate 9.1, Fiber 0.3, Sugar 1.2, Protein 30.2
Tips:
- Choose the right bread: Hearty, crusty breads like sourdough, French bread, or hoagies hold up well to the fillings and won't get soggy.
- Layer the fillings evenly: Don't pile all the fillings on one side of the sandwich. Distribute them evenly so that each bite has a little bit of everything.
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the sandwich will be. Look for fresh, ripe vegetables, good quality meat, and flavorful cheese.
- Don't be afraid to experiment: There are endless possibilities when it comes to horseshoe sandwiches. Try different combinations of fillings and toppings to find your favorite.
- Serve immediately: Horseshoe sandwiches are best enjoyed hot and fresh. Serve them as soon as they're made.
Conclusion:
Horseshoe sandwiches are a delicious and versatile meal that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. With a variety of fillings and toppings to choose from, there's a horseshoe sandwich for everyone. So next time you're looking for a hearty and satisfying meal, give the horseshoe sandwich a try.
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