Little Chicago Approved? History, Recipe, Information

Timeline:

1924 - Dave Higgin created the tavern sandwich in 1924 at his restaurant, Ye Old Tavern.

1925 - Charles Miles opens his small local grocery store in Sioux City, Miles Inn.

1926 - Muscatine resident and founder of the Maid Rite restaurant franchise created his version of the loose meat sandwich.

1927 - The Maid Rite restaurant chain is established.

1934 - Abraham, or Abe Kaled purchased Ye Old Tavern, renamed it Ye Olde Tavern and created his own formula for the loose meat sandwich, calling it the Ye Olde Tavern Tavern.

Abe and his wife, Bertha sold the sandwiches for a dime each in wax paper without a plate. They originally bought the buns from a local bakery, the Iowa Baking Company, which was later acquired by and renamed as Old Home Bakery. The buns were from then on dual-sourced depending on bread quality. Because of the restaurant's success, imitations started appearing, though they were actually an imitation themselves, based on Dave Higgin's original creation.

Later on, the restaurant went from just serving sandwiches to serving meals also. Abe's sandwich creation was served at fundraisers, churches, restaurants, and bars in and around the greater tri-state and Sioux City area.

Bertha sold the taverns at an event called Tavern Days, Ye Olde Tavern Day which served 875 people in less than two hours. Their children helped at the restaurant when Bertha became ill. The restaurant closed in 1974 because of Bertha's failing health; none of their children were interested in operating it.

At some point during its history Ye Olde Tavern sold the recipe for their famous tavern sandwich to the owner of Coney Island. Coney Island has been using it ever since. They currently use it for their tavern or loose meat sandwiches at the Hamilton Blvd location.

1940's to 1950 - Miles Inn becomes a bar.

c.1950 - Charles Miles invents his version of the loose meat sandwich, the Charlie Boy, naming it after his son, Charles Jr.

July 1955 - Vincent and Marie opened Tastee Inn and Out opened at 2610 Gordon Drive in Sioux City.

1957 - A second Tastee Inn and Out location is opened at 1902 Court Street in Sioux City.

1974 -  Ye Olde Tavern closed. Some time after 1974 Gus's Family restaurant opened in the building at 14th and Jackson Streets in Sioux City, Iowa Ye Olde Tavern occupied. Gus's had their own recipe of the tavern sandwich.

April 2012 - Gus's Family Restaurant closed. Ending another era of tavern sandwiches. a new restaurant will open in the same location. It is unknown as to whether or not they will serve tavern or loose meat sandwiches.

2012 - 2013 - The Garden Cafe opened in the same building that housed the original Ye Olde Tavern and Gus's Family Restaurant.

There is a rumor stating Carroll Dietz created something called a steamed hamburger sandwich in Missoula, Montana in 1920. This same information states it was copied by Abraham Kaled in 1934 at Ye Old Tavern in Sioux City, Iowa. There is no documented proof of Carroll Dietz creating such a sandwich in 1920. There is documented proof of Dave Higgin first creating the tavern sandwich at Ye Old Tavern. Until such documented proof is presented it shall stand that the tavern sandwich was first invented in Sioux City in 1924.

Sources:

From possum to loose meats, Sioux City had it all

These loosemeats have staying power

Battle of the loosemeats

Miles keeps 'em smiling

Tastee Inn and Out History

A classic born in Iowa: loose meat sandwich

The Original "Tastee" From Tastee Inn & Out

The Blue Mill Tavern Loosemeat Sandwich

A TALE OF THE TAVERN

Taverns that have stood the test of time

Previous articles in the series:

Little Chicago Approved? Loose Meat Sandwich Restart

Little Chicago Approved? How a Tavern Shall be Made

Little Chicago Approved? How a Tavern Shall be Made

The term loose meat is generic and encompasses pretty much all forms and styles of the sandwich. It is more commonly known as the tavern, a tavern has to be made a certain way for it to be defined as a tavern.

The definition of a loose meat or tavern is: ground beef prepared loose, not formed into a pattie, scooped onto a bun, typically with an ice cream scoop and topped with, but not limited to: mustard, ketchup, onion, pickle, even cheese and bacon. Tavern meat, when cooked right, should have 2 distinct tastes: 1. seasoned, steamed beef. 2. a light greasy taste and texture. A true tavern NEVER has any sort of sauce or gravy added to into the meat while cooking, whether tomato based or otherwise. Once a sauce is added the sandwich is no longer a tavern and CANNOT be called such. Tavern meat shall NEVER have rice mixed in with it during the cooking process. Meat that does shall never be called or considered tavern meat, but rice can be used as a topping or condiment.

A true tavern shall have 3 things:
1. A bun that is not too thick, too thin, too dry or too soft. The typical bun is made with white flour. But can be made with wheat and other types of grain. The bun shall be baked as to not allow all of the moisture of the meat and condiments to be soaked into the bun to make it too mushy or be so dry it falls apart. The bun can have sesame seeds on it or be dusted with corn meal but should not be too large. The inside of the bun can be toasted and/or buttered.

2. Condiments and toppings that are well proportioned together. There is no limit to various condiments or toppings, as establishment is different and everyone has their favorite. But one condiment or topping shall not over power another. Condiments and toppings can include, but are not limited to: ketchup, mustard, pickle, onion, cheese, bacon, and even lettuce, tomato and rice. Sloppy Joe sauce or gravy sauces are NOT condiments when cooked into the meat as sauces are mixed with the meat to make a different type of sandwich. But such sauces or gravy can be added as a topping or condiment after the meat is cooked as can rice. Condiments or toppings should be offered by the establishment preparing the tavern leaving it to the individual consumer to decline and add condiments and toppings themselves.

3. The meat shall have enough spice to allow for the taste of both the meat and the spice. It shall never be bland with no taste from the spices or so much spice there is no flavor from the meat. Cooking th emeat with onions in it is acceptable. The meat shall be moist, but not so much that it soaks into the bun to make it mushy. The meat shall not be too lean or have too much fat content, 85% is usually ideal. The meat shall stay on the bun but not be so moist it sticks together as if it is a solid patty of meat. The meat shall be loose enough so that some will fall out of the bun, making a spoon a necessary utensil to consume the loose meat that does fall out of the bun.

Previous articles in the series:

Little Chicago Approved? Loose Meat Sandwich Restart