I grew up in the Midwest in the ’60s eating various and assorted “loose-meat” sandwiches, mainly homemade Maid-Rite Sandwiches (this recipe is not the classic version), actual Maid Rites, and Tavern Burgers. I never heard the word, Sloppy Joe, until I was an adult and moved away, and then no one seemed to know what a Maid-Rite was!
This is the old family, Church Cookbook recipe for the Maid-Rite made with Campbell’s Chicken Gumbo Soup.
If you’ve never encountered Maid-Rites, they are seasoned ground beef served on a soft, white bun (preferably steamed). This is the Maid-Rite Sandwich I grew up on, the one my Mom made. When I left home, I made them, too, and my kids grew up on these Maid Rites.
About Maid-Right Sandwiches:
The name originates from the Maid-Rite franchise chain. However, the recipe for this homemade version differs significantly from the original franchise version, which only features a blend of secret spices and no tomato at all. And no Gumbo Soup, either.
In some parts of Iowa, the name Maid Rite is synonymous with a loose meat sandwich, in the same way people use the word Kleenex for a tissue, no matter the brand.
So Campbell’s Gumbo Soup is the surprise ingredient in these Maid-Rites. Campbell’s Chicken Gumbo Soup, to be specific. Yeah, really. Now you know (if you follow me, and if you don’t, I’d love it if you did!) I like to do clean eating scratch cooking, but in this case, nostalgia wins out! (Besides, talk about an easy recipe!)
Maid-Rite Sandwiches are just good basic family fare (but you could always add a little hot sauce). This makes enough to feed a crowd & have leftovers. Honestly, these are even better the next day. It’s a perfect meal to make any time you have a busy night, and if you have a smaller family, maybe you’ll want to stash some in the freezer.
Serving:
I always serve my Maid-Rite Sandwiches on buns, the cheap, soft, squishy kind just like we had when I was a kid. This is NOT the place for anything fancy or gourmet.
These are great with sweet corn and fries, like my Stupid Simple French Fries, or potato wedges, like my Bomb Baked Potato Wedges. Today, we served them with baby potatoes just because I had them on hand.
The Maid-Rite Sandwiches filling is also great as a stuffing (or part of one) for a baked potato, zucchini boat, or stuffed peppers.
This is the old family, Church Cookbook recipe for the Maid-Rite made with Campbell’s Chicken Gumbo Soup.
Making Maid-Right Sandwiches:
I’m giving you two recipes for Maid-Right Sandwiches here. One is the traditional stove-top version, and the other is an Instant Pot recipe. Both are easy, but what the Instant Pot buys here is a little time-saving and a long-simmered taste with no stirring or watching. I love the ability to set it and forget it. Walk away until it’s done with no worries about stirring or scorching. Or the mess you get with stovetop cooking…
By the way, if you don’t want to make so much on the stovetop, just half everything in the recipe. I never make a lesser amount because it’s so easy to freeze if I have extra, and I love having a couple of quick meals available at a moment’s notice. If you’re cooking in the Instant Pot, you won’t want to half the recipe because you’ll need the volume of liquid to produce the steam.
My Hometown, looking towards the lake.
Saving Money on Maid-Rite Sandwiches:
As far as price savings, it’s the everyday items that really add up, more so than the occasional specialty item. It seems to be human nature to shop well if we’re buying something that costs a lot, and we tend to discount how much paying just a little bit more than we should, every week for the everyday items we buy often costs us.
If your family uses two pounds of ground beef a week, over a year you’ll see savings by stocking up and freezing when it’s at a rock bottom low, and you’ll usually see a low like that around once a quarter.
2 pounds of ground beef (these are all the same percentage) x 52 weeks equals:
- At $1.89 a pound rock bottom sales price = $196.56.
- At $2.49 a pound good sales price = $258.96.
- At $4.49 a pound regular price = $466.96.
That’s potentially about a $270 difference in just one grocery item, and the only thing needed to attain those savings is to buy your ground beef at the right time.
Warning – Upcoming Lecture!
Think about the last time you waited in line for cheap gas, then headed off to the store and picked up a pound of ground beef when it wasn’t on sale. You probably negated any savings on that gas.
Or maybe an appliance was going out and you scoured the ads for weeks, checked online, and found a great deal at a store. Did you pat yourself on the back because you saved 80 bucks, maybe a hundred? I would!
But put a little of that care into what you buy week in and week out, on every grocery item, and you’ll save hundreds if not thousands a year.
Just a little food for thought.
This is the old family, church cookbook recipe for the Maid-Rite made with Campbell’s Chicken Gumbo Soup.
PrintMaid-Rite Sandwiches – Instant Pot or Stove-top
Note: timing is longer for stovetop version.
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: about 15 servings 1x
- Category: Beef Main Dish
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1/2 onion finely diced (or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cans (10 3/4 ounces) Chicken Gumbo Soup, one can strained and liquid discarded
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 heaping tablespoons plain yellow mustard
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
Preheat the instant pot using the Saute function. Add the ground beef & onion & cook until the beef is no longer pink, using a wooden spoon or potato masher to break down the ground beef. Remove the Instant Pot liner and drain excess fat, if desired, and return the liner with the ground beef mixture to the Instant Pot.
Add the remaining ingredients, except the buns. Add the lid and seal and set to high pressure, seven minutes. When time is up, use the quick release.
The beef mixture will still have quite a bit of liquid in it. Press the clear button, then the saute button, and simmer, stirring now and then, until reduced to the point that when a spoon is run across the bottom of the pan, the space doesn’t fill in immediately with liquid. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve on buns with desired accompaniments.
Note: do not half the ingredients for this Instant Pot version; the amount is needed to produce the necessary steam.
Stovetop Instructions:
Add ground beef and onion to a large high-sided pan or Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high heat until beef is no longer pink, using a using a wooden spoon or potato masher to break down. Drain excess fat, if desired, and return the pan to the stove-top.
Add the remaining ingredients, except buns; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring now and then, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until mixture reaches desired thickness.
Simmer to the point that when a spoon is run across the bottom of the pan, the trail doesn’t fill in immediately with liquid. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve on buns with desired accompaniments.
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I’ll be posting Maid-Right Sandwiches on Fiesta Friday #189; Fiesta Friday is an ongoing “link” party where bloggers join together and share their best recipes and party ideas of the week.
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