The great meat or bread debate

One of my favorite podcast that is no longer running was the 1up Fm. During their reign, they often had this debate that center which is more important. The meat or the bread for a good sandwich.

Now this debate which seems rather straight forward is actually quite deep. For instance, which is the main flavor component the bread or the meat? You can have a sandwich that has this great aromatic crusty bread, but then the meat does not live up to the bread. All you really taste is the bread. Then how many times have we eaten a sandwich where the meat was fine, but the bread was soggy or stale? I myself have been disappointed before with one component or both, in my sandwiches.

To have a great sandwich, no doubt you really need both. The bread has to be crunchy on the outside with a great crust (herbs and flavoring are optional). This give the foundation of the sandwich. This is the first thing you taste, and there is nothing like a sound of a good crunchy bread as you are biting into it. You do not want a bread that is so strong in flavor that it hides the meat, but you do want one that adds flavor. More of a subtle note in the background.

The meat has to be juicy, enough so that some of the juice flavors the bread. It does not have to salty meat, because I have tried sweet and savory meats and some of those are outstanding. For example, some of the Vietnamese sandwich are quite sweet, yet quite delicious. The meat needs to be a decent amount, nobody wants to take 3 or 4 bites of bread without getting to the meat. The bread maybe the first thing you taste, but the meat must be the taste that you remember. Why? Well, we often name our sandwiches based on the meat, so we associates the name and taste of the meat. There are a few bread that the name is included, most often it's because they also have strong flavors. Rye for example is a bread that can stand with the meat.

But the meat must be full of flavor and full body.

There you have it, both are equally important in a great sandwich. Now if someone where to point a gun to my head and make me choose. I would say I have to go with meat. Like I said, it maybe the second thing you taste, but it must be the taste that you remember.

Now someday we'll look at whether a good sandwich needs any condiments.

Update: We had posted a poll on this site to see if our readers agreed with me. And apparently most of you do. The final results were 70 percent was for meat and 30 percent was for bread.