Welcome to the Club Sandwich

When my daughter was a teenager, we had a Saturday ritual: lunch at the local diner. Invariably, she would order a chicken club sandwich. It reached a point where the waitress wouldn’t bother to ask her what she wanted; just “the usual?” My daughter just loved that combination of sliced chicken, crispy bacon, crunchy iceberg lettuce, juicy slices of tomato, and mayonnaise. Again and again and again.

It seems that the club sandwich was cooked up more than 100 years ago. Historically, it originated in the clubs of New York City late in the 19^th century. Originally, it comprised two toasted slices of Graham bread, layered with chicken or turkey and ham and served warm. Another story is that the sandwich was invented at the Saratoga Club in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.  In addition, it’s suggested that some early club sandwiches featured sliced tongue rather than poultry.

James Beard in his American Cooking calls the club sandwich one of the greatest sandwiches of all time, but he was also adamant about the bread. A three-decker – as we see in many restaurant variations – is “not authentic.”  “Whoever started that horror should be forced to eat three-deckers three times a day for the rest of his life.” Beard advocated using freshly made, crisp buttered toast.

Ask chefs and other experts what makes a good sandwich, and it boils down to four main ideas that contribute to the yin and yang culinary variety that makes a good meal. First, think chewy – something you’ll get from your meat and/or your bread. You also want some fat as in all the classics: mayonnaise in a club, the melted cheese in a good grilled cheese, or simply peanut butter in a PB&J. Then you’ll want some texture and crunch. That comes from lettuce, pickles, cucumbers, or just a good toasted bread. Last, you’ll want some good mouth feel. That good sandwich should have the right complement of hot/cold, sweet/sour, and crunchy/soft. When you’re assembling that sandwich, make sure that anything juicy does not result in a soggy sandwich. And, when adding ingredients, less is more; not too much meat or cheese. You also can get a brighter sandwich with a little acid, whether from mayo, lemon juice, vinegar, or just plain tomatoes. Finally, pay attention to the right bread for your sandwich: soft for soft fillings and chewy for those tougher meats.

You’ll find that restaurants are fairly liberal when they are offering a club sandwich. Different meats abound. You’ll find not just turkey clubs, but albacore tuna clubs (tuna salad, cheddar, Swiss, lettuce and tomato on wheat); ham and Swiss clubs (ham, Swiss, with bacon, lettuce, and tomato on rye); or even a German club (liver sausage, Swiss cheese, onion, sauerkraut, bacon, lettuce, and tomato on dark rye). Of course, you could come up with your own innovation. After all, you’re probably starting with bacon, mayo, and maybe a tomato. Then, pick your favorite protein.

Not sure what you want? Here are a few recipe ideas from Pinterest. Also, TikTok has some club recipe features. Maybe your family recipe box or cookbook has something. Want to share your favorite club sandwich ideas?

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