Horseshoe sandwich
An Illinois classic invention - the Horseshoe - yummy grill favorites composed in a unique arrangement!
A horseshoe you ask? I didn’t know the origin or the reasons for the name either as I ate my way through the layers of crispy french fries, the rich, rarebit cheese sauce and hamburger to the toasty bread. What’s not to like in that combination - except that it might be too much for one sitting. But no Illinoisan ever forced me to eat the whole thing. You will be relieved to know there is the smaller version called the “Pony” for when the grown-up version is just too much. There is also a breakfast variety that is often composed of ham, bacon, eggs, tator tots with the cheese sauce or even gravy.
This Midwest concoction’s name apparently derived from the original creation which featured a slice of bone-in ham, in the vague shape of a horseshoe, with the french fries sprinkled around the meat representing the nails used to secure a horseshoe. And the cheese sauce - who knows?? But chef Joe Schweska of the Leland Hotel in Springfield, Illinois must have felt the sauce had a way of making the whole dish say “Giddy-up”.
Having since sampled several varieties, the recipe lends itself to various renditions, and I have taken the liberty in this recipe to suggest one such - using tender roast beef and homemade crispy Belgian french fries to elevate it a bit toward “haute cuisine”. At the same time, there are shortcuts you can take your “pony” down, to achieve acceptable results when making a quick family dinner or haven’t quite honed your blacksmith techniques to creating the original horseshoe.
When I first sampled it in downtown Springfield, feeling I had best try the local specialty as friends urged me to, “try it…you’ll ike it”, indeed I did, especially the richness, slightly rarebit flavor of the cheese sauce, as I took a lap around the track with this local favorite!
Illinois Horseshoe Sandwich
CHEESE SAUCE
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup beer
1/2 pound grated Gruyere cheese (or Swiss, Emantaler, or Cheddar)
6 pieces thick-sliced hearty bread or Texas Toast
3 tablespoons butter
6 ground beef hamburger patties fried to desired doneness and seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. (Or, as featured in this version, 2 1/2 cups roast beef, cooked until very tender and shredded.)
3 cups frozen french fries or peeled and sliced fresh potatoes
1/3 cup chopped parsley or chives for garnish
Other garnishes might include, bacon bits, pickled hot peppers, sliced olives, french fried onion rings, etc.
-MAKE CHEESE SAUCE:
-In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk into the butter. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add milk to roux and continue stirring until all milk is added and mixture is smooth.
-Heat and stir frequently until sauce thickens and bubbles slightly around the edges. Lower the heat to low and continue cooking and stirring until the sauce is smooth and thick, about 3 minutes.
-Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add nutmeg, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Remove the pan from the heat and place the grated cheese on top of the hot mixture. Let it rest about 5 minutes before stirring it in to allow the cheese to temper so that the sauce won’t break.
-Stir the cheese in gently, placing the pan back on medium heat, until the cheese is completely melted. Use cheese sauce while still warm and easy to poor. Cheese sauce can be cooled and chilled in a sealed container for several days. To reheat, slowly reheat over low on the stovetop to desired consistency.
FRENCH FRIES:
-If using frozen french fries, cook them according to package directions.
-If preparing homemade french fries, this technique will create delicious crispy fries like the Belgians make! Slice the potatoes to desired thickness (not too fat or it is difficult to cook them through) 1/2 inch is recommended. Soak the potatoes in water for at least 1 hour. Rinse twice with running water and rub with paper towels to dry.
-Heat 4 cups of vegetable oil in a deep medium saucepan, dutch oven or electric fryer (making sure the pot is deep enough that the oil will not bubble up over the edge when you place your fries in). The oil should not reach more than a third of the way up the sides of the pot if using a saucepan or dutch oven. Heat the oil to about 300 degrees on a thermometer. Place the fries into the hot oil a handful at a time so as not to overcrowd them and allow them to cook in bubbling oil for about 5-6 minutes to par-cook them.
-With a slotted spoon remove the potatoes from the oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate as you fry the remaining potatoes.
-Increase the heat to 400 degrees and fry each batch again until they are crisp and golden brown about 5 minutes more. Remove them with slotted spoon to paper towels and salt immediately.
TOASTED BREAD:
-To prepare bread, toast bread either in a toaster or oven until golden then generously spread with soft butter.
TO ASSEMBLE HORSESHOE:
-Place 1 slice toasted bread on an individual serving plate. Place cooked hamburger patty on top of the bread. Pour about 1/4 cup of warm cheese sauce over the patty. Top with a generous handful of fries on top of the cheese sauce and then pour another 1/4 cup of cheese sauce over the fries. Garnish with chopped parsley or chives. Repeat for each serving. Serve immediately.
-Makes 6 servings
Place shredded roast beef on toasted thick-sliced bread.
Poor Cheese Sauce over roast beef.
Pile fries on top of first layer of cheese sauce.
One more layer of cheese sauce and a garnish of chives!
Ingredients for the original Horseshoe made with hamburger patties.
PERSNICKETY NOTES:
*Shortcut suggestions:
-Use hamburger buns instead of Texas Toast. Grill those instead or toast in a toaster.
-Use hamburger patties instead of the roast beef for the meat, or ham slices or even breaded chicken patties if you prefer.
-To make a quick version, people often use use quick cooking frozen french fires, crinkle-cut fries or even tator-tots as the potato element.
-A purchased cheese sauce or any type of homemade cheese sauce can be used, using American or cheddar cheese.
