The Biggest Sandwich You've Ever Made

[Jason Perlow]

For our 4th of July Picnic tonight (our town does a fireworks display on the 2nd in the town park) we've decided to make a really big sandwich for a bunch of people, along with traditional picnic salad accoutriments.

I submit to you, The Sangweech.

Here we have an entire hollowed out ciabbatta loaf purchased from Fairway Market in NYC, piled on with various types of Italian cold cuts, provolone, fresh mozzarella, arugula, basil, artichoke hearts, and preserved red peppers, with vinaigrette dressing.

The sandwich will be wrapped in wax paper and compressed, refrigerated for several hours so all the flavors will mix into the bread.

Sangweech, fully compressed and put back in the bread wrapper, ready for the picnic.

[ellencho]

I think that is the utmost possible respect that you can show to a loaf of bread, well at least that, or a really good quality butter

Edited July 2, 2005 by ellencho (log)

[Mabelline]

What size of chainsaw will you use to part that baby out? It is surely the food of the gods. Looks good enough to make someone cheat on their burger!

[Daniel Rogov]

Looks like a truly great sandwich. Calls to mind the "good old days" when attending Stuyvesant High School (when it was still on E 15th Street) and when opposite the school was a sandwich joint affectionately known as "Ptomaine Joe's" where the hero sandwiches were truly heroic and those who attacked them no less so.

Enjoy your picnic!!!

[NulloModo]

hehe very nice Sandwhich... reminds me of some of the stuff Primo Hoagies claims to make, though not nearly as overstuffed as that (not that overstuffed is a bad thing, in fact, it is a very, very, good thing).

Damn it, this thread is going to make me bake a loaf of flax bread just to make the sandwhich to end all sandwhiches... well, until someone one ups me that is...

[C_Ruark]

Subway's Jared would be pi...ahem... jealous .

Jason,

Just out of curiosity/astonishment... how much meat is that?

Chris

[Jason Perlow]

Subway's Jared would be pi...ahem...  jealous  .

Jason,

Just out of curiosity/astonishment... how much meat is that?

Chris

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Dunno. We bought like 2lbs of cold cuts (1/3lb of each meat) plus like 1/2lb of provolone and a mozzarella but we had some left over. We did one layer of meat for each kind of meat, but we have like 6 kinds of salumi on it -- 3 kinds of salami, mortadella, cappicola, and some kind of sliced/store baked ham from Fairway.

[divalasvegas]

That looks incredible and delicious. What kind of bread did you use? Also, I think a Muffaletta on that type of bread would be over the top!

[Jason Perlow]

That's a full sized Ciabatta loaf.

Basically, I was going for the muffaletta vibe. I wanted to put it on a big round loaf but they didn't have exactly what we wanted at Fairway. I also wanted to use some of that Central Grocery Olive Salad but we were out of it as well -- hence our substitution of marinated artichoke hearts and preserved peppers.

[divalasvegas]

Thanks. Jason if one wanted to make a sandwich like that but with the intent of melting the ingredients inside like for instance a humongous Cuban Sandwich with a toasty buttery outside how would that be accomplished by the home cook? It would be too big for any George Forman Grill or Pannini maker I've ever seen.

[Jason Perlow]

I don't think you could make a panini-like thing that gigantic.

I think if you wanted to make something big that was toasty on the outside, I'd make a stromboli. But of course, there's no limitations as to what you can put inside a stromboli, you could certainly stuff it with Cubano ingredients. Actually, that sounds really good.

[Daniel]

How about an iron? a la prison grilled cheese.

Edited July 2, 2005 by Daniel (log)

[divalasvegas]

Since I have a twisted mind and I'm trying to avoid stuff I actually need to get done around the house, I've been pondering this earth shattering question. I was thinking that if one had a griddle that covered two burners, one could melt butter and put on the humongous Cubano and then put a sheet of aluminum foil on the top half and weight it down with a couple of small cast iron skillets (or another griddle), maybe with a large can of tomatoes in each pan. Heat would be on low-med, when bottom is toasty, then butter the top half, flip it over, and do the same thing. When that side is toasty, maybe wrap it up in some heavy duty aluminum foil and put in the oven at a low temperature until heated through.

Where the Hell is Daniel when you need him? I seem to recall pictures of his own huge f*#@*%* sandwich.

As you can tell I will do ANYHING to avoid unpleasant chores.

[Fresser]

I don't think you could make a panini-like thing that gigantic.

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You could if you used a dry cleaner's pants-presser to grill the thing.

I hereby nominate the Sangweech to be eGullet's new logo.

[Jason Perlow]

Here's some Treo-sized pics of friends enjoying the Sangweech:

Andy gettin' down with the Sangweech

JHLurie communing with the Sangweech

Sangweech plated portion

[ruthcooks]

My biggest sandwich was a homemade French loaf sliced into three horizontal slices. The bottom layer was homemade chicken salad and the top layer was BLT. Served at a small party; the rest of the menu is lost in memory, but the loaf was memorable.

[michaeldauphinais]

I can honestly say that of all the "big-ass sandwich" bookmarks I have, this one is my favorite:

http://myhighhorse.com/

Of course, it's also my only "big-ass sandwich" link.

[EdS]

That sandwich looks really tasty but the only way that would fit in my mouth is if a Monty Pythonesque 16-ton weight fell from the sky and smacked it into submission first.

[sapient]

During an all-night drink fest a friend of mine made his special sandwich that he named, "A Sandwich So Good It'll Make a Fat Baby Cry." I don't know about a baby but by the next day it certainly had us crying! :) Fortunately or not, I don't remember all that went into it.

[NulloModo]

During an all-night drink fest a friend of mine made his special sandwich that he named, "A Sandwich So Good It'll Make a Fat Baby Cry." I don't know about a baby but by the next day it certainly had us crying! :) Fortunately or not, I don't remember all that went into it.

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You must quiz the creators and find out.

I am thinking about the ultimate sandwhich right now... so far I have:

liverwurst, onions, tomato, lettuce, mayo, mustard, fried eggs (what great ultimate sandwhich doesn't have fried eggs?), lots of chlie peppers, perhaps some marinated veggies like artichoke harts, sun dried tomatoes, and roasted red peppers... and well, after that, I am at a loss.

Italian sausage, various cheeses, and anchovies seem like an obvious choice, but I'm not sure. After all, some bloke can't hold the greatest sandwhich in in history title, we American's are the inventor's of excess in all things, and being 4th of July weekend, i really want to win that title back. So share your ideas eGulleter's, the ultimate sandwhich awaits.

[CharityCase]

I'll try and post the pics from our Canada Day big-ass sangweech adventures. The ingredient list:

1. A french loaf with "big crusty" on the label

2. one kilo of salami, ham, roast beef and turkey

3. one combined pound of provolone, havarti and old cheddar

4. sliced red peppers, tomatoes, green olives, sauteed mushrooms and onions

5. balsamic vinegar

All of this mess was layered inside the hollowed-out loaf, with 50/50 dijon and yellow mustard on the bottom and a drizzle of balsamic on top. The whole thing was brushed with garlic oil, wrapped in foil and thrown on the BBQ for 15 minutes per side (lowest setting).

The result: Delicious.

[jhlurie]

That sandwich looks really tasty but the only way that would fit in my mouth is if a Monty Pythonesque 16-ton weight fell from the sky and smacked it into submission first.

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Jason has at least a 1-ton weight on it overnight. Thus, the "flat" picture he later took of the sandwich inside of it's plastic.

[EdS]

That sandwich looks really tasty but the only way that would fit in my mouth is if a Monty Pythonesque 16-ton weight fell from the sky and smacked it into submission first.

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Jason has at least a 1-ton weight on it overnight. Thus, the "flat" picture he later took of the sandwich inside of it's plastic.

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I think I was distracted by those close-ups he does that always make me hungry. I missed the plastic-wrapped version!

I need to make myself one of those.

[Ninjai Fanatic]

it reminds me of the "submarines" my dad used to make for us.. the largest I've made was about a foot and a half long by around 8 inches. I put okara(sp) mushroom and squash burgers, lots of lettuce, tomatoes, 2 kinds of cheese, butter, mustard, pickles, and ketchup. Personally I like to use the much softer breads for these gigantic sandwiches because it's much easier to eat- not you know, jaw breakers.