Name: Loose Meat Sandwich (aka Maid-Rite)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: ½ pound 85 percent lean ground beef; 2 Tablespoons lemon-lime carbonated soda; 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 2 teaspoons yellow mustard (plus extra for serving); ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon pepper; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ¼ cup chopped onion; 2 slices deli American cheese ((optional)); 2 hamburger buns ( or 4 slider buns); Sliced dill pickles

One bite of this Loose Meat Sandwich (aka Maid-Rite), a simple, savory, midwestern classic full-of-flavor seasoned beef on a brioche bun will quickly convince you to add this to your simple supper for two meal rotation.

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loose meat on a pretzel bun sitting on a cutting board

When it comes to simple suppers think no fuss, budget friendly ingredients, little to no planning required, hearty, delicious and on the table in under 15 minutes. This sandwich checks these boxes.

Where in the world can you find a Loose Meat Sandwich?

According to local legend, the loose meat sandwich made its first appearance in Sioux City, Iowa in about 1924. The Miles Inn and Ye Olde Tavern each claim their version as the “original”.

Chowhound gives credit to Ye Old Tavern as does the local 97.3 KKRC Souix Falls Radio Station. While, Maid-Rite, a road-side diner chain declares they are the home of the loose meat sandwich since 1926.

Bottomline, if you are from central Iowa or have been lucky enough to road-trip there and try a loose meat sandwich(a simple affair of steamed ground beef topped with mustard, pickles, and onions, served on a soft hamburger bun), you know what all the fuss is about.

Every time this version of a loose meat sandwich hits our dinner table it disappears quickly!

Want to know what all the fuss is about without visiting Iowa? Give this 15-minute simple supper loose meat sandwich recipe a try, its sure to solve the dinner dilemma and become a regular in your rotation.

What is a loose meat sandwich?

Commonly known as a Loose Meat Sandwich, you may find them on Iowa eateries and diner menus as a Tavern Sandwich. Locals will refer to it as a Maid-Rite sandwich, and if you visit the Tastee Inn & Out in Sioux Falls, place an order for the “tastee” sandwich to experience this classic.

This is a simple affair of seasoned steamed ground beef (yes, steamed not browned) and chopped onions -- its like eating a messy hamburger.

Piled high on a cheap hamburger buns the traditional toppings are dill pickle slices and yellow mustard.

I liken this to ordering a classic Jimmy’s hot dog with everything from Jimmy’s Hot Dogs in Easton, PA . This means your steamed hot dog will come with mustard, onions and a pickle spear. I have witnessed the addition of cheese, and through conversations with Iowa natives this is totally acceptable – and is my favorite topping.

It's not a sloppy joe

Think of a Loose Meat Sandwich as intensely flavored ground beef but with no sauce. While, a sloppy joe is ground beef smothered in a vinegar and tomato based sauce that enhances the ground beef flavor.

And yes. Like a sloppy joe, a loose meat sandwich is served like a loose hamburger, crumbled ground beef piled high on a hamburger bun.

recipe ingredients

loose meat ingredients sitting on a table

One thing to love about this recipe is it includes ingredients you should have in your pantry or in your refrigerator.

Here’s what you will need for this version of a loose meat sandwich.

ground beef: Use a 85% lean ground beef. Please do not substitute leaner ground beef in this recipe or the sandwich will be too dry.
lemon-lime carbonated soda like sprite or 7-Up. No soda on hand? Swap water and sugar for the soda: For ¼ cup soda substitute ¼ cup water + 1 teaspoon sugar
yellow mustard. Yep, use the yellow stuff, leave the fancy Dijon or whole grain mustards in the cabinet. The best substitute for this essential ingredient is a Dry mustard mix: For 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard, substitute ½ teaspoon dry mustard plus 2 teaspoons water.

salt and pepper

onion. White, yellow or even shallots are great choices.

Worcestershire sauce. Packing a big, savory punch, lends itself well to this recipe to intensely season the ground beef fast, just by mixing it in. No Worcestershire sauce? A 1:1 swap with soy sauce works best for this recipe, for every tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce you can use a tablespoon of soy.
garlic powder. This dried and finely ground to a flour-like consistency allows the garlic to disintegrate quickly and incorporate into this recipe. Garlic powder is more concentrated and adds the right amount of garlic flavor.
sliced dill pickles or bread and butter pickles.
American cheese. This is optional, but endorsed as an acceptable topping by locals of Sioux City, where some believe the loose meat sandwich first appeared on the food scene.
hamburger buns

Note: ingredient measurements are found in the recipe card below.

recipe tips and variations

Yield: This loose meat sandwich recipe (aka Maid-Rite) makes 2 delightfully messy sandwiches – perfect for a simple supper for two.
Storage: Let leftover steamed meat cool then store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Make ahead: Make the meat up to 3 days in advance – do not add the cheese or the onions. But do let the meat cool and then store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stove top or in the microwave until warm, add onions and American cheese, cover, set aside and prepare the buns.
Freezer: Steam and season the meat (again do not add the onion or the cheese), then spoon into individual servings or into desired number of servings into freezer-safe containers or sealable freezer bags. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove or in the microwave. Once the meat is warmed through add the onions and cheese, cover and set aside while you prepare the buns.
Take your Maid-Rite to a new level: Layer your favorite burger toppings on top of a pile of loose meat. Try a melty cheese (like American cheese), red onion, tomato slices, a splash of barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, or ketchup.

making a maid-rite

To achieve the sandwich’s trademark loose, pebbled texture, we gently simmer 85 percent lean ground beef with lemon-lime soda, the maid-rite “secret ingredient” to enhance the beef’s subtle sweetness. Simple seasonings of salt, pepper, mustard, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce, combine with the beef and simmer together in a skillet until the beef is thoroughly cooked but not browned.

ground beef, mustard, salt, garlic salt, pepper, lemon-lime soda and worcestershire sauce in a skillet — Place ground beef and seasonings in skillet

ground beef simmering in a cast iron skillet — Simmer ground beef

Now stir in the onions and slices of cheese, cover, and remove from heat to keep the meat warm while preparing the buns. Adding the onions to the beef just before serving allows them to soften slightly but still retain a crisp texture.

simmered ground beef topped with onions and american cheese in a skillet — Add onions and cheese

Spread more mustard on the bun bottoms, then using a slotted spoon, mound beef mixture over top. Layer on pickles, bush on more mustard on the bun top and Serve.

loose meat sandwich on a bottom bun with American cheese, pickle slices and mustard toppings — Top with sliced pickles and more mustard

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #ourtable42.

Loose Meat Sandwich (aka Maid-Rite)