What Goes Into A Grinder Sandwich?

Depending on where you are in the world, sub sandwiches are called many different names. The meat, cheese, and veggies assembled on a long roll (which itself may be called by another name) might be known alternately as a hoagie, a sub, or a grinder. The sub is arguably the most broadly recognized, thanks to the fast food franchise also known for penning a famous earworm about a five dollar footlong. A hoagie, for example, is more popular in and around Philadelphia. And the sandwiches don't differ much in taste or appearance. 

Whether you're mixing turkey, ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and the spreads and seasonings of your preference, a grinder piles ingredients onto a roll just like the others do. The titular differences are often regional, and splinter even further from this lunch trifecta of hoagie, sub, and grinder. Each, too, also has its own anecdotal etymology, plus personal opinions about what makes which one which when toasted or served cold. But, obvious outliers aside (other common sandwich fillings like peanut butter, hot dogs, or lobster are not among hoagie, sub, or grinder canon) there aren't a ton of hard and fast rules about what can and cannot go into a grinder.

The special thing about grinders (and subs, hoagies, and all the rest) is their abundance. They should each be overflowing, suitable for two, and could even present a case for using a knife and fork like you would with a burger. That creates not only opportunities for sharing and leftovers, but unending possible flavor profiles. Layer a grinder with capicola, salami, pepperoni, provolone, and the requisite rest, and you've replicated some of the best Italian subs in the U.S., according to reviews.

Add some bacon, lettuce, and tomato to a grinder's poultry base, and you've approximated an even heartier BLT. Or marry eggplant with roasted peppers, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella or feta, and a sprinkling of basil leaves for a garden delight. While grinder pedants may prickle, you can even veer into theme, with ingredients like roasted bird, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce combining to create a whole thanksgiving plate all in one handheld ... whatever you want to call it.