This Iowa Maid-Rite recipe, also called a loose meat sandwich, is made of tender ground beef that has been cooked in broth and seasoning. It’s served on a warm hamburger bun with ketchup, mustard, and pickles.
The Original Maid-Rite
Maid-Rite originated here in Iowa where I live and have been around since the 1920s. There’s a lot of debate over how the loose meat sandwich recipe is made.
Some say Coca-Cola is added to the ground beef and others insist it’s only seasonings with no broth.
My grandmother worked at a Maid-Rite back in the day and says she added Coke syrup to the ground beef in the restaurant she worked at.
However, recent employees of the sandwich chain say they only add premixed powder seasoning.
There are a lot of meat recipes out there that call for Coke to be added to them: Slow Cooker Gammon (Ham), Coca-Cola BBQ Turkey Meatballs, or Pot Roast.
The acidity in Coke helps tenderize meat.
It’s possible that certain franchises of Maid-Rite tenderized the meat with Coke syrup.
All that aside, it’s a delicious sandwich, and coming up with a homemade version is fairly simple.
It’s like a hamburger but without the patty. Or like a sloppy Joe without the sauce.
Ingredients for Maid-Rite Copycat Recipe
- Ground Beef
- Onion Powder
- Beef Broth
- Salt
- Hamburger Buns
Maid-Rite sandwiches do not have large pieces of beef, therefore, the ground beef is cooked until it is very tender and finely chopped.
Maid-Rite Toppings
A traditional Maid-Rite comes with ketchup, yellow mustard, and pickles. Chopped onion and cheese is an option you can add on.
- Ketchup
- Yellow Mustard
- Pickles
- Chopped Onion
- Make it a copycat “Cheese-Rite” by adding a slice of cheddar cheese.
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Maid-Rite Copycat Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 cup Beef Broth
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- Hamburger Buns
Toppings
- Ketchup
- Yellow Mustard
- Pickles
- Chopped Onion optional
- Cheddar Cheese Slices optional (Called a Cheese-Rite)
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a pan over medium-high heat. Using a spatula as it cooks, chop beef into small pieces. Drain grease.
- Add beef broth, onion powder, and salt. Stir and bring to a simmer for 15-20 minutes until beef is very fine and tender.
- Serve on a warm hamburger bun with ketchup, yellow mustard, and pickles.
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