While I’m from the midwest (Illinois and Wisconsin), a large majority of my ex-husband’s family is from, and still lives in Iowa. Every year they go to the Iowa State Fair, and a few years ago we finally had the chance to join them. While there, my ex ate a sandwich from one of those fair carts called a grinder, though not too long ago they were still called “Guinea Grinders“.
Guinea Grinder – why that name?
Many Italians aren’t happy with the name “guinea grinder” as its origins date back to when Italian immigrants were called “guineas”. It’s considered a racial slur and some restaurants in Iowa have even changed the name of this sandwich to plain old “grinder”. The word grinder refers to the act of grinding your teeth back and fourth to bite through the tough bread in the sandwich, which would also indicate they didn’t toast them early on. No matter what you call it, it’s really delicious and freezes well too!
Finding a recipe for these Grinders on the internet wasn’t as easy as searching for something more widely known. Because this sandwich is really only found in Iowa, there weren’t many search results for the recipe. There were a few different versions, but the one I chose was closest to the one my husband enjoyed at the fair. They offer it with or without Mozzarella cheese and sometimes with banana peppers. I opted for the cheese but left off the peppers to keep it family friendly for the kids. The recipe I found called for a French loaf, which is what I used here, but at the fair they used more of an bomber type bun.
These were really good, easy to make, and as I mentioned, can be easily frozen. I did find that the reheated meat mixture seemed saltier after being frozen, so I would suggest adding a bit of water when warming it up the second time around. I also used shredded Mozzarella instead of sliced, which the original recipe calls for. This is definitely a great addition to my list of ground beef dinner ideas!
This recipe makes 12 grinder sandwiches. I made 6 grinders and froze the other half for another meal. You could just cut this in half as well.
Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe
You will need the following
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 30 oz homemade pizza sauce (or jar pizza sauce)
- 4 loaves French bread, sliced in half horizontally
- Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Remove sausage casings and crumble into pan with the ground beef. Brown both meats together until no longer pink. Drain fat.
Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder and pepper flakes into the pizza sauce.
Put the browned meat and the seasoned sauce into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 1-2 hours, stir once or twice during cooking.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut the split French loaf into 3 separate sandwiches. Repeat with second loaf. If making all 12 servings, repeat with 3rd and 4th loaf.
Pull a small amount of bread out of the bottom of the loaf to make a bowl for the meat.
Fill the bowl with meat mixture.
Cover the meat mixture with shredded Mozzarella cheese.
Place the top of loaf onto the sandwich and wrap the entire thing in foil. Bake for 15 minutes in the oven and serve.
Guinea Grinder: Iowa State Fair Food
IMPORTANT - There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 30 oz homemade pizza sauce or jar pizza sauce
- 4 loaves French bread sliced in half horizontally
- Mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- If sausage has casings remove them and crumble into pan with the ground beef. Brown both meats together until no longer pink. Drain fat.
- Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder and pepper flakes into the pizza sauce.
- Put the browned meat and the seasoned sauce into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 1-2 hours, stir once or twice during cooking.
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut the split French loaf into 3 separate sandwiches. Repeat with second loaf. If making all 12 servings, repeat with 3rd and 4th loaf.
- Pull a small amount of bread out of the bottom of the loaf to make a bowl for the meat.
- Fill the bowl with meat mixture.
- Cover the meat mixture with shredded Mozzarella cheese.
- Place the top of loaf onto the sandwich and wrap the entire thing in foil. Bake for 15 minutes in the oven and serve.
Amanda Davis
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Steve DePhillips says
Story goes people complained about the guinea and they changed to Jennie Grinder after my Grandma Jennie DePhillips who had been making them for years and actually put a patent on Guinea Grinder name back in the 40s
The drive in on Hubbell in Des Moines is now called Jennie’s original Guinea Grinder now. It’s a long family recipie and I’ve been eating them for as long as I can remember but just isn’t the same as Grandmas. Love and miss you.
And Amanda we may be distant cousins.
But then all of us Italians are related aren’t we.
Enjoy.
Amanda Formaro says
Great background story, thanks Steve! And I wouldn’t doubt if we are related somehow. Seems like half of Des Moines is related to Formaro somehow! LOL
Gina says
Jeannie grinders were the best. Starred eating them in 1975 and every year that was our first stop at the fair. The ones at the fair are not The same The ones on Hubble. Jeannie mastered them.
Christie Papiani says
My family is actually relates to thr DePhilllips and the Formaros! My aunts, married one of each!…along with Leo’s, Tumea’s and others!
Deborah Lake says
Tried this recipe and it was wonderful. I made my own pizza sauce using the same spices plus fennel seed and a little sugar. The only problem I encountered was removing the sandwich from the tin foil. I might try a little Pam to counter act that. But over all, a great guinea grinder.
Amanda Formaro says
Glad you liked it deborah! Not sure why the foil stuck, maybe line the foil with a little parchment next time. :)
Margie Millard says
Use Reynolds wrap non stick it is fabulous. I am making grinders tonight, yummy yum, I am from Des Moines it is wierd but I thought everyone knew what a grinder was, guess I am just an Iowa girl lol, but the Reynolds non stick works a little more expensive but worth it.
Chris Thomas says
I remember these from when I was a child in New York City. There was a an old guy on the boardwalk at Coney Island that used to sell the best Guinea Grinders in Brooklyn; well seasoned, sauced and smothered with fresh mozzarella, all on a fresh Italian sub roll, and then popped under the salamander until melted and bubbly.
I made these the other night for my wife and I. I made my own Italian bread as well. It’s apparent that no one in SC knows how to make anything other then this soft, mushy, no body, tasteless concoction that they call bread; and they can’t make a crispy crust either: Same with bagels. Yuch!
Shame on you, French bread for Guinea Grinders? You’ll have to go to Confession for that.
God bless.
Amanda Formaro says
Ha ha Chris, well you use what’s available to you. Italian bread at the stores here is really too wide for a sandwich. The french bread is narrow and the perfect size. :) Stores here have mastered the crispy crust though, I have to give them that! ;-)
Chris Thomas says
Have you ever had a “Spiedie?” Spiedies are indigenous to the Binghamton, NY, area; heavy Italian influence up there. It’s really old world Italian and was introduced to the US around the very early 1900’s.
It’s usually cubed beef or lamb that is marinated for a long time in a special marinade; the pro’s marinate it for up to 2 weeks. Then it’s skewered and cooked over a charcoal fire. Some of the vendors cover the meat with smoked Provolone for the last minute. Then take a split 6”-8” Italian sub roll and use it to pull the meat off the skewers and onto the roll. Sprinkle it with some fresh marinade or Italian dressing, some Italian herbs, and you have a Spiedie.
In the 70’s a guy named Salamida introduced Spiedies and his sauce at the NY State Fair. It’s been popular ever since, and he’s even bottled the stuff, “Salamida Original State Fair Spiedie Sauce.”
I use the sauce to marinate a lot of stuff; chicken and veggies for the grill are our favorites. We’ve found it down here, in SC, in Piggly-Wiggly, Publix and Bi-Lo.
Amanda Formaro says
Oh my, no I’ve never had one but the way you are describing them sounds amazing! I found the site http://shop.spiedie.com and will have to try these!
Hollie says
These are sooo good! Loved them. My boyfriend has been talking about Guinea Grinders since we met 2 years ago, and I finally made these to try them–will definitely be added to my recipe box! Thanks!
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Hollie! So glad you enjoyed it and were finally able to try them! :)
David says
I love that you call them Guinea Grinders! Grew up in Iowa and that is how I came to know them. Great recipe.
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks David! And thanks for the reminder, I think it’s time to have these again.
brett west says
Amanda,I grew up in the central Iowa area,and absolutely love guinea grinders.Iowa is a pork state,they also make great tenderloins.I never had any idea what guinea meant in the name of the sandwich,so to me it is not a racial slur,some people need to not be so sensitive.Anyway thanks for the recipe,im not sure it will be the same without good Iowa Italian sausage but Im definately going to make some.
Amanda Formaro says
I’ve heard great things about the sausage in Iowa! Hope you enjoy the recipe Brett :)
Denise says
I’d recommend Graziano’s Italian sausage!!!
Amanda Formaro says
I’ve heard that! i will definitely get some next time I’m there :)
Tom Day says
My Italian barber out here in Massachusetts just mentioned “guinea grinders” to me yesterday. While the name “guinea” is a slur, I think there are a lot of Italians who jokingly use it themselves and don’t consider it particularly vile. Out here, a grinder is any sandwich made on a long loaf of bread, what is known elsewhere as a sub or hoagie. So, calling it simply a “grinder” would give no info as to what’s in the sandwich.
What my barber described was a long loaf of Italian bread stuffed with salami, prosciutto, other Italian cold cuts, provolone cheese, and olive oil. Basically what I have always called an “Italian Grinder”. Anyhow, just thought I’d chime in with this regional variation on the “guinea grinder”. The above recipe sounds delicious.
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks Tom! I think that slang changes over the years and racial slurs turn into slang. I think there are still some of the old school generation that are offended by it, but my husband is Italian and it doesn’t bother him one bit. I appreciate you stopping by!
fred says
address to Graziano”s http://www.grazianobrothers.com/index.htm
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks for sharing the link Fred!
Sally Knox says
Hi Amanda and thanks for the recipe and all the interesting comments. I have known these sandwiches as Guinea Grinders. As a simple Iowa girl, I truely didn’t know that Guinea referred negatively to Italians. The only Guinea I knew was the country and the noisy birds that live down the road from us! Ha. I’ve lived in the Des Moines, Iowa area for 33 years and my original Guinea Grinder recipe came from an elderly Italian woman I cared for… and she called them Guinea Grinders. It’s a wonderful sandwich and I’m making them this weekend for the family. Always a big hit. (ps… she chopped the peppers and onions fine and added them to the meat mixture) Sally
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Sally! Thanks for the comment. I have heard of a few different versions of this sandwich, they all sound delicious!
Christine says
I am from Des Moines the grinder place at the fair is called Jenny’s grinders. They now have a little place open on Hubbell. She uses graziano sausage and rotella’s hoagies. This recipe sounds really good cant wait to try it out. Thanks
Amanda Formaro says
yes, pretty sure that’s the one I’ve seen at the fair!
Tom Sacco says
It’s not so much State Fair Food as it is Italian food sold at the state fair.
When was this article written? I ask because I’m pretty sure the word Guinea vanished from food stands at the
Iowa State Fair in the 1990’s. Calling it a grinder is fine; it’s Guinea that makes it an insult.
With the last name of Formaro, I would think you’d be more enlightened about this.
Check out urban dictionary.com for more – http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=guinea -as they define Guinea, “The most vile racial slur that can be used against an Italian-American.”
PS: I feel sorry for “white people” who can’t whip up stuff like this w/out a recipe. I guess it’s just in my Guinea blood!
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Tom, the article was written in 2011. When I visited the state fair in 2010 there was a stand there calling them Guinea Grinders. I know this, because I had never heard of them before that moment. And yes, I have the last name of Formaro, but only by marriage. I am not Italian by blood, I am British. Thanks for your comments.
Annunziata says
Just found your “Amanda’s Cookin’ site while looking for info on Guinea Grinders. You state that “because this sandwich is really only found in Iowa…” That’s not true. I’m Italian and grew up in Hartford, Connecticut where we ate “Guinea Grinders” all the time. This was back in the ’50’s. These absolutely wonderful sandwiches were made up, pretty much, of anything Italian, i.e.: Ham, salami, mozzarella, provolone, sweet red peppers, tomatoes, you name it. Never knew why they were called Guinea Grinders. I knew the “Guinea” part had to do with Italians, but that was all I knew. Don’t know the origin of “Guinea”. Now I know the “grinder” part. Makes sense.
Shawn says
I’m an Iowa girl and I love grinders and tenderloins and both are extremely easy to make. The grinders here are in keeping with the state fair ones but if you want a traditional, true to the past “guinea” grinder you need both Italian sweet and hot green peppers, sweet onion, and roasted garlic all chopped and added to the meat when cooked. Don’t forget to top with Provolone and Parmesan, then wrap and bake. YUM.. they are a whole new world of flavor.
Tenderloins are too easy too. Take a boneless loin from your meat department and have them cut it into 3/4 inch thick “chops”, you’ll get between 12 to 16 depending on how big your loin is. Place your chop on a cutting board or a surface that you can pound it on without damaging your counter. Pound it out to the size of a tea saucer or a bit bigger, I use my iron skillet but mom uses a meat tenderizer mallet. Pat dry with paper towels and set aside. Meanwhile grind saltine crackers to almost powdery consistency, add pepper to taste to your crackers. Beat 2 eggs for every four loin slices and dip each loin in the egg, being sure to cover both sides well, then press into the crackers until well covered. Fry in vegetable oil that is preheated to 350 or until a cracker crumb bubbles when dropped in the oil. Brown on both sides until juices run clear, add your choice of toppings and bun.
Amanda says
Thanks Shawn! I will have to try them with the peppers. I trust your Iowa girl knowledge! :)
Sharon Shryock says
Thank you sooooo much for posting this recipe. I have been looking and keeping my eyes out for a real grinder recipe like they make em at the Iowa State Fair. I am an ex carnie … and besides the nightly fireworks, the awesome steak dinner vendor and grinders… thats just a whirlwind of awesome memories!! Thank you and God Bless I am so happy to be able to share these with my family now!!
Amanda says
You’re welcome Sharon, so glad it was helpful!
hawkeyeui93 says
Amanda: For what it is worth, Chef Formaro seems pretty accessible and if you ever get a chance to try your recipe with Graziano’s Hot Sausage, you will see why others have made mention of it. Now, you need to teach everyone how to make another Iowa/Illinois/Indiana favorite: The Pork Tenderloin Sandwich.
Amanda says
Ah if only I lived in Iowa to stop by one of George’s restaurants! ;-) AND I already have the pork tenderloin sandwich on this blog! :-) We LOVE those, I have the post here https://amandascookin.com/2008/09/pork-tenderloin-sandwiches-schnitzel.html
hawkeyeui93 says
Amanda: Oops, I didn’t see it! I moved back to Iowa about six years ago after more than a decade in Texas and you don’t realize all of the local variations of foods you once enjoyed can be locked into the small geographical area where you grew up. When I made Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches for my friends in Texas they thought it was a crazy concept … that is, until they actually tried it!
Amanda says
I totally agree with you! When I moved to Vegas I missed so many things. Like here we have the Italian Beef and Bratwursts. Finally places started popping up to fill the need from restaurants entrepreneurs that used to live out here and had moved there. It’s funny though. I had a friend out there that was from New York. She had no idea what an Italian Beef was, and she would tell me how she would get a buttered roll for breakfast from the bakery every morning. I was clueless. LOL!
Craig says
Paul must be from out East…
Ground Italian sausage (Graziano’s) is the way it’s done around here … thus the ‘Grinder’ label … Los Compadres had the best and biggest around … Anyone who hasn’t had Graziano’s Italian Sausage is really missing out.
The Iowa State Fair just happens to be going on right now … I’m hungry and may have to go tonight and get this grinder and one from the booth right across from it to take home … Both booths have been right across from each other for years.
Thanks for making me hungry Amanda
BTW, I know a lot of Formaro’s … are you related to the chef by any chance?
Amanda says
Hi Craig! Hope you made it over to the fair, I wasn’t able to attend this year and miss it! I’m not sure if we are related to George Formaro or not. I would imagine that the Formaro’s all stem back from the same immigrants and I definitely have relatives in the Des Moine area (my mother in law and her family all live there and several people from my FIL’s side as well). I am Facebook friends with Chef George, but we don’t know each other and don’t talk on FB, it’s just kind of “there”. I would love to not only meet him, but actually have a chance to sit and talk food with him. I’ve found such a connection with other foodies! I’m sure George gets plenty of fan mail and tons of Formaro’s claiming to be relatives and maybe hoping to cash in on his success. I don’t ever want him to view me that way, so I pretty much keep my distance. There’s a black sheep side of the Formaro family, some of which my husband was definitely related to LOL so I’m sure that George is cautious about who he talks to or gets to know. Maybe someday I’ll have the opportunity!
Paul Isham says
A real grinder has cooked sweet bell peppers, salami, ham, lettuce,
oil, vinegar on a french roll! NO ground beef!
Amanda says
Thanks Paul :) I’m just posting the grinder that I know from the fair, but it’s always good to here about different versions!
Lola says
This is a Guinea Grinder! They are ALL made with beef
Nadine says
I’m from Iowa! Another basic, easy way to make these is with straight Italian sausage (Graziano’s if you’re on the south side of Des Moines) mixed with velveeta cheese and pizza sauce. No need to dig out the bread, we like em as messy as we can get em!!! Place that mozza cheese on the top, wrap in foil and kick em in the oven (or grill) 20 minutes or so. I prefer mine with a generous amount of jalapenos! So many ways to make a Guinea Grinder. The State Fair calls them Jenny Grinders too!
Amanda says
Sounds fabulous! I need to get these on the menu again :)
J. Page says
Some here in Des Moines IA put a jar of peppers ‘n sauce and a can o pizza sauce..
Amanda says
Yum, sounds good!
lisa says
Thanks for posting this recipe. I can’t wait to try it. I get so homesick for Des Moines food!