# What's the Best Deli Sandwich \*For The Meat\* **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 18, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-deli-sandwich-for-the-meat/752523 "2016-04-18T01:47:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-deli-sandwich-for-the-meat/752523/21 "2016-04-18T19:40:29Z")
[quote=“Spud, post:19, topic:752523”] I saw this and I immediately knew the “correct” answer. A peppered beef sandwich… no, not peppered pastrami. It may be a local thing, but at least someone else agrees with me. I prefer an onion roll but this is the same place I get mine from. [/QUOTE] I’ve only seen that at Shapiro’s. It’s basically like a peppery pastrami made from round, if I remember correctly. Bit of a different texture and leaner, too. Definitely one of those sandwiches where you really don’t want anything beyond maybe a little bit of mustard or horseradish. Montreal smoked meat is in the same ballpark: like Montreal’s take on pastrami. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-deli-sandwich-for-the-meat/752523/22 "2016-04-18T19:57:52Z")
Good flavorful ham makes all the difference in a ham sandwich. Sliced thick. A little mayo on wheat bread is all thats needed. Most deli ham is sliced so thin that there’s no flavor. Its just meat on the bread. Then you need American cheese, mayo, mustard and lettuce to get some taste. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-deli-sandwich-for-the-meat/752523/23 "2016-04-19T00:33:38Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Thank you all! Seems like a little “minimalism” is in order. > > (My usual deli approach is “everything.” Just slather on the toppings: onions, peppers, jalapenos, pickles, etc. The works! But at that point, the meat could be cardboard, and it’d be hard to know! \*\* A friend wants to take me to a deli that specializes in the very finest meats, and that was what prompted me to ask. \*\* I’ll follow what seems to be the consensus here – Roast Beef with a bit of mustard.) > > (Now my mouth is all a-watering!) It also might just depend on the deli. There are delis and there are **DELIs**. If you’re taking me to the best Jewish/kosher deli in Cleveland(Corky and Lenny’s) then I’ll have a corned beef or pastrami. I can get a better corned beef or pastrami at a Coptic Christian Deli(Slyman’s), also in Cleveland. I can get very good meat sandwiches at various delis in Cleveland, but never the quality of the corned beef or pastrami. ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-deli-sandwich-for-the-meat/752523/24 "2016-04-19T01:16:17Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > It also might just depend on the deli. There are delis and there are **DELIs**. > > If you’re taking me to the best Jewish/kosher deli in Cleveland(Corky and Lenny’s) then I’ll have a corned beef or pastrami. I can get a better corned beef or pastrami at a Coptic Christian Deli(Slyman’s), also in Cleveland. I can get very good meat sandwiches at various delis in Cleveland, but never the quality of the corned beef or pastrami. I’ve been to Corky and Lenny’s, my wife is from Cleveland. Very good, but typical corned beef/pastrami sandwich with more meat on it than you can possibly stuff in your mouth. Why do they do that? Anyway, it’s Genoa Salami with Provolone Cheese. Pick your condiments and sauces and even bread. It’s the Genoa. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-deli-sandwich-for-the-meat/752523/25 "2016-04-19T01:27:24Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > It also might just depend on the deli. There are delis and there are **DELIs**. > > If you’re taking me to the best Jewish/kosher deli in Cleveland(Corky and Lenny’s) then I’ll have a corned beef or pastrami. I can get a better corned beef or pastrami at a Coptic Christian Deli(Slyman’s), also in Cleveland. I can get very good meat sandwiches at various delis in Cleveland, but never the quality of the corned beef or pastrami. Grok… Do you recommend the same minimalism others have? White bread, a spot of mustard, maybe s&p, maybe a tomato slice? I’m kinda trying to figure out the ideal balance of “stuff to meat” ratio. (That said, I do love a good Reuben!) ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-deli-sandwich-for-the-meat/752523/26 "2016-04-19T01:43:45Z")
Minimalist? Ha! My meat sandwiches are: meat and bread. Of course, when you eat it like this the meat has no place to hide if it’s not excellent. Therefore I use Boar’s Head meats. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-deli-sandwich-for-the-meat/752523/27 "2016-04-19T02:01:15Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > White bread As I, teretii, pulykamell, Chronos, and stillownedbysetters have suggested, for a corned beef/pastrami type sandwich you want RYE bread… (Really, I think you’re overthinking this - if it’s truly a noteworthy place they probably have an idea how their meat is best served, just go with that…) ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-deli-sandwich-for-the-meat/752523/28 "2016-04-19T02:27:26Z")
That makes sense: I can just ask the server or counter-clerk. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-deli-sandwich-for-the-meat/752523/29 "2016-04-19T03:39:06Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’ve only seen that at Shapiro’s. It’s basically like a peppery pastrami made from round, if I remember correctly. Bit of a different texture and leaner, too. Definitely one of those sandwiches where you really don’t want anything beyond maybe a little bit of mustard or horseradish. Montreal smoked meat is in the same ballpark: like Montreal’s take on pastrami. It seems like as a kid I could find it at any grocery deli section. Just recently I found this [https://www.springvillereams.com/image/product/31057/Land\_O\_Frost\_Bistro\_Favorites\_Black\_Pepper\_Beef\_5\_oz/image/full.png](https://www.springvillereams.com/image/product/31057/Land_O_Frost_Bistro_Favorites_Black_Pepper_Beef_5_oz/image/full.png) Not quite as good as Shapiro’s though. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-deli-sandwich-for-the-meat/752523/30 "2016-04-19T13:02:26Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > Minimalist? Ha! > > My meat sandwiches are: meat and bread. Of course, when you eat it like this the meat has no place to hide if it’s not excellent. Therefore I use Boar’s Head meats. For commercial meats, Boars Head is one of the best. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-deli-sandwich-for-the-meat/752523/31 "2016-04-19T13:04:13Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > It seems like as a kid I could find it at any grocery deli section. Just recently I found this [https://www.springvillereams.com/image/product/31057/Land\_O\_Frost\_Bistro\_Favorites\_Black\_Pepper\_Beef\_5\_oz/image/full.png](https://www.springvillereams.com/image/product/31057/Land_O_Frost_Bistro_Favorites_Black_Pepper_Beef_5_oz/image/full.png) Not quite as good as Shapiro’s though. Interesting. I’ll have a look out for it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-deli-sandwich-for-the-meat/752523.md?page=1)