Taverns, loosemeats et al.: A comparison

Since the whole sloppy joe thread has been a little active lately, I thought I'd post the edible portions of my research into the crumbled-hamburger sandwich question.

We start with a recipe for "Taverns," from the Immaculate Conception Parish cookbook from Cherokee, IA, ca. 1960:

2 lbs hamburger
1 onion, minced
1 tsp dry mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups water

Bring all ingredients (except hamburger) to a simmer and simmer 10 min. Add hamburger (without browning) and simmer for 20 min. more.

This is one of nine recipes for Taverns in the book. Two of the nine call for the hamburger to be browned before being simmered with the sauce; the rest call for the meat to be added directly without browning.

From the Ramsey Reformed Church "Recipe Roundup at Ramsey" cookbook (Titonka, IA; date unknown to me but probably from the late 1960s or early 1970s; an absolute gold mine of northern Iowa farm cooking) comes this rather alarming recipe for an enormous quantity of Sloppy Joes:

8 lbs. ground beef, browned
8 cups onions (sauteed)
8 1-lb cans pork and beans
6 cups ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp prepared mustard
2 cups water

Combine all and bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes. Serve as open face sandwiches or as taverns.

The same book yields these two recipes for "Bar-B-Q" and "Quick Barbecue":

1. Bar-B-Q
2 1/2 lbs hamburger
1 1/2 large onion
2 cans tomato soup
1 cup catsup
1 1/2 tbps horseradish or 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to season

Brown hamburger and onion. Add rest of ingredients, mixing all together. Simmer 1/2 hour. Add water to thin, if necessary. Makes 1/2 gallon.

2. Quick Barbecue

Brown 1 package (1 1/4 lb) hamburger quite well. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over meat. Stir well. Add one can Campbell's onion soup. Mix well and cook until right consistency (will stick). Add 1 tablespoon catsup, more if desired. Spoon on buns and serve.

The following recipe, from a cookbook published by the Linn Area Credit Union in Cedar Rapids, IA (2001) yields something very close to what's served at the Maid-Rite restaurants:

Maid-Rite Loose Meat

1 1/2 to 2 lbs ground beef
1 med. onion, chopped
1 can chicken broth
Salt & pepper to taste

Crumble beef in skillet and brown over medium to medium-low heat. Add onions and cook until onions begin to turn clear. Drain off fat. Meat should be very crumbly. Add broth and cook down until juice is almost gone. Salt and pepper to taste.

I say "very close" because I'm not sure real Maid-Rites have any onion in them.

I have, as yet, been unable to locate a recipe for a Nebraska-style "Tastee" sandwich, the tomatoless one thickened with a crumbled-up hamburger bun.

Just for comparison, here's a recipe for Coney Sauce from the Immaculate Conception Parish cookbook:

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 8-oz can seasoned tomato sauce
1/2 to 3/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
1 clove garlic, minced

Brown ground beef slowly, but thoroughly, breaking with a fork until fine. Add remaining ingredients, simmer for 10 minutes.

Not all that far off from the taverns/loosemeats/sloppy joe recipes.

Thanks for sharing the recipes! Some new stuff to toy with...

Bwa-hahahhahahahahha
Copper