Meat + Stuff = ?

Have you ever had that conversation with someone? You know the one. Where you discuss the proper title to the hamburger + stuff in the crockpot at the potluck? Is it a tavern? Sloppy Joe? Loose meat sandwich? Well, I decided to look into it further to see if I could find out the true difference.

According to Wikipedia (definitely the a reliable source!):

 

• A tavern sandwich is a sandwich commonly consumed in Iowa in the United States, originally consisting of unseasoned ground beef on a bun, mixed with sautéed onions, and sometimes topped with pickles, ketchup and mustard. The sandwich was created in 1934 by Abraham Kaled at Ye Olde Tavern Sandwich Shop in Sioux City, Iowa. (Mariani, John F. (1999). Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink. New York: Lebhar-Friedman. p. 297).
• A sloppy joe is an American dish of ground beef, onions, sweetened tomato sauce or ketchup and other seasonings, served on a hamburger bun. Contradictory lore suggests that the Original Sloppy Joe Sandwich was invented at Sloppy Joe's Bar in Key West, Florida, or by a cook named Joe at a cafe in Sioux City, Iowa.

And, in case that wasn’t enough information, here are a bunch of other names that these hamburger + stuff sandwiches are also called.

• Yip Yips in Southern Illinois near St Louis.
• Yum Yums in parts of the Midwest USA, particularly in Nebraska
• Wimpies in parts of the Northeast USA, especially Northeastern Pennsylvania
• Slushburgers in parts of the Upper Midwest, particularly in Eastern Montana and Western North Dakota
• Barbecues in other areas of the Upper Midwest, and also in some parts of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
• Hot Tamales in parts of northeastern Wisconsin, particularly in the Sheboygan area despite the fact that tamales are a completely different food item.
• Taverns in parts of northwest Iowa and Minnesota.
• Sloppy Janes in parts of central Minnesota.
• Steamers in parts of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland.
• Gulash (not to be confused with Goulash) in parts of the Upper Midwest, especially in areas where people of Scandinavian heritage, boasting Viking roots, are prominent.
• Dynamites in northern Rhode Island.
• Manwich in parts of Northern New Jersey, after the popular name brand sauce, as a distinction from the local variant also known as a "sloppy joe".

Here are my impressions on all of this very valuable information.

1. Who knew Iowijans could be so darn creative?? Seriously, inventors of both the Sloppy Joe AND the Tavern?? I take back all of my previous negative thoughts about that state.

2. Only Nebraskans would seriously call a sandwich a Yum Yum.