I saw this recipe as I was searching for an interesting sub recipe last week. This one caught my eye because it looked so unique. On Saturday, I loaded up the crock pot with a variety of similar ingredients to make a mighty tasty sandwich.
There were a few things that I might rethink next time, though. First off, I have to figure out a way to add more ingredients to each of the sandwich sections. While I packed in as much as would fit, the sandwiches seemed a bit skimpy when I separated them from the loaf. Other than that, this thing was great! I am going to try it again today now that I have finished my trial run.
Below, I have printed my recipe for the ingredients to be used for the crock pot grinder.
1 loaf of Italian Bread, unsliced
1/2 lb. sliced provolone cheese
1/2 lb. hard salami, thinly sliced
1/2 lb. Virginia ham, thinly sliced
1/2 lb. turkey pastrami, thinly sliced
Sliced onions
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced pepper rings, patted dry
1/2 tsp. oregano
Partially slice Italian loaf to resemble sandwich slices. (Do not cut through the bottom of the loaf). Layer sandwich meat, cheese, onions, tomatoes and peppers in individual piles.Sprinkle with oregano. On a cutting board, carefully pack each pile of ingredients into the sliced loaf making sure to fill only every other opening.
Double wrap the loaf in aluminum foil; making sure to fold and close edges firmly. Pour 1/2 cup water in the bottom of the crockpot. Place a heat proof bowl in the bottom of the pot to keep the sandwich above the waterline. The water will steam the sandwich as it cooks. Place the sandwich into the crockpot. Cover and cook on LOW temperature for 4 hours.
UPDATE:
Here’s another great combination
1/2 lb. provolone cheese, thinly sliced
1/2 lb. hard salami, thinly sliced
1/2 lb. Virginia Ham, thinly sliced
1/2 lb. pepperoni, thinly sliced
6 tablespoons Chicago style mild giardiniera, to spread over bread
I just finished making the grinder a second time and boy it turned out great! I added pepperoni to the sandwich meat slices and used mild, Chicago style giardiniera to spread on the bread instead of the onions and peppers…ooey, gooey, melted cheese and lots of Italian flavor.