Instant Pot Canteen Sandwich–a loose meat sandwich with lots of flavor. Serve on a toasted bun with mayo, cheese, tomatoes and pickles.
Note: the SLOW COOKER instructions are listed in the recipe card below
Instant Pot Canteen Sandwich
The Canteen Lunch is a restaurant that opened in 1927 in Ottumwa, Iowa and it remains in operation today. Their specialty, the canteen sandwich, is a loose-meat sandwich resembling that of a “Maid Rite” or “Sloppy Joe”. It is different because of how it is seasoned and it is served more like a hamburger with condiments like pickles, ketchup, mustard and sometimes cheese. The major difference between a canteen and a sloppy joe is the absence of a tomato-based sauce.
My version of the canteen sandwich has lots of flavor from seasoned salt, garlic powder, pepper, mustard, ketchup, vinegar, celery, beef base and dried onions. I even used a little bacon for extra flavor. I piled mine high on a toasted bun that was loaded up with mayo, pickles, tomatoes and cheese.
This was an easy dinner that we all loved. It’s perfect to feed a crowd…you can easily double or triple the recipe. The Instant Pot will keep the meat at the perfect temperature on the keep warm setting while you serve dinner in shifts to those coming and going.
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
For the meat mixture:
- Bacon–or 1 Tbsp of bacon fat
- Lean ground beef–I used 93/7. You can also use ground turkey.
- Celery
- Seasoned salt–I used Lawry’s brand
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder–or 1 Tbsp of minced garlic
- Apple cider vinegar
- Yellow mustard
- Ketchup–of chili sauce
- Minced dried onions–or 1 tsp of onion powder
- Better than Bouillon Beef Base–or chicken base
- Water
For serving:
- Hamburger buns–or another bread product of your choice like sliders, hoagie buns, etc.
- Mayonnaise–or miracle whip
- Sliced pickles–dill pickles is what I used
- Sliced tomatoes
- Sliced cheese-I used sharp cheddar. Use whatever cheese you like best.
Steps
- Brown the meat: Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. Cut the bacon into half inch pieces. When display says hot add in the bacon (or bacon fat), ground beef and celery. Break up the meat. Brown for about 5 minutes. Cancel off sauté setting.
- Add flavor: Stir in the seasoned salt, pepper, garlic powder, vinegar, mustard, ketchup and onions.
- Deglaze pot: Add in the Better than Bouillon and water. Scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking.
- Pressure cook: Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 5 minutes. When time is up move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Reduce liquid: Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. Stir to break up meat. Let the liquid reduce down for about 3 minutes. Stir well.
- Serve with all the fixings: Toast the buns. Spread mayo on bottom of bun. Scoop some of the meat on top. Then top with pickle, tomato and cheese and top bun. Serve and enjoy!
Notes/Tips
- Serve with potato chips and fresh fruit like grapes, strawberries or watermelon.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd. Do not double the amount of water. Keep the same cooking time.
- Store the meat leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- This recipe can be gluten-free if you serve on gluten-free buns.
- Alternatively, you can serve this meat over salad or in lettuce wraps for a lower carb option.
- Other recipes you can make with apple cider vinegar are Instant Pot Boarding House Meatloaf Bites and Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Country Ribs.
More Loose Meat Sandwich Recipes…
- Instant Pot Sloppy Dorothy Sandwiches
- Instant Pot Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
- Straight From Heaven Sandwich
- Instant Pot Sloppy Ottos
- Instant Pot Hot Beef And Cheese Sandwich
- Instant Pot Big Mac Sloppy Joes
- Instant Pot Pizza Joes
- Instant Pot Crumbly Burgers
- Instant Pot Creamy Sloppy Joes
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
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PrintInstant Pot Canteen Sandwich
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
A loose meat sandwich with lots of flavor. Serve on a toasted bun with mayo, cheese, tomatoes and pickles.
Ingredients
- 1 piece of bacon or 1 Tbsp of bacon fat
- 1 pound of 93/7 lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
- 1 rib of celery, diced
- 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 1/2 Tbsp ketchup
- 1 Tbsp minced dried onions
- 1 Tbsp Better than Bouillon Beef Base
- 1 cup water
For serving:
- Hamburger buns
- Mayonnaise
- Sliced pickles
- Sliced tomatoes
- Sliced cheese
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. Cut the bacon into half inch pieces. When display says hot add in the bacon (or bacon fat), ground beef and celery. Break up the meat. Brown for about 5 minutes. Cancel off sauté setting.
- Stir in the seasoned salt, pepper, garlic powder, vinegar, mustard, ketchup and onions.
- Add in the Better than Bouillon and water. Scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 5 minutes. When time is up move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. Stir to break up meat. Let the liquid reduce down for about 3 minutes.
- Toast the buns. Spread mayo on bottom of bun. Scoop some of the meat on top. Then top with pickle, tomato and cheese and top bun. Serve and enjoy!
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Add raw ground beef and celery into Instant Pot (no bacon for slow cooker version). Break up the ground beef with a wooden spoon.
- Stir in the seasoned salt, pepper, garlic powder, vinegar, mustard, ketchup, onions, Better than Bouillon and only a half cup of water (for slow cooker version).
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours. Remove lid. Stir to break up meat.
- Let cook on high for about 20 minutes.
- Toast the buns. Spread mayo on bottom of bun. Scoop some of the meat on top. Then top with pickle, tomato and cheese and top bun. Serve and enjoy!
- Category: Beef
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
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Sandy Gotter says
Can you put Mac and cheese In The slow cooker? I love my slow cooker as you can tell. 😋
Karen says
I’ve had mixed results with this. Here is one recipe that was good: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/crockpot-bacon-mac/
scott says
Wow. Was really looking forward to this recipe, and it ended up being a big flop here, with one family member turning away after the first bite. Followed the IP directions to the T, smelled great cooking, I even did the mayo, tomato, cheese and pickles since I like them all. But it just tasted ‘funky’. None of us could put a finger on exactly what we didn’t like, but we all agreed that we won’t be making this again.
Hey, they can’t all be winners and it’s fun to try new recipes and see what you do and don’t like!
Karen says
I wonder if you didn’t like the vinegar?
scott says
we really aren’t sure, we honestly did try and figure out just what it was we didn’t like. everything was fresh, though the beef was 94% because that’s what the store had. anyway, still a fan of your site and have had many great recipes from here.
Debbie says
I’m going to make this today in a Crock Pot. I want to use fresh onion, I have Vidalia on hand..
I don’t like the flavor of dried onion. I’m thinking a 1/4 cup minced. Is this going to work in a crock pot? or is the onion going to disappear? any suggestions?
Debbie says
As it turned out, I used Dark Beauty’s idea & made it on the stove in a skillet.
I did have to drain the fat from the ground beef, it just seemed like too much grease.
I had no bacon, so had to skip that. I used equal parts of diced celery & diced onion & 1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic, all cooked with the Ground Beef. After the fat was drained, I added everything else. I used a beef concentrated broth (2tsp) & only 1/4 cup water. I brought it to a simmer for about 5 minutes,
It was delish !! Pickles a must. Easy Peasy ! Definitely going into the Rotation.
Thanks Karen for your wonderful recipes !
Karen says
I’m so happy to hear it! Thanks for sharing Debbie!
Karen says
Yes that would be great!
Cynthia says
Hi Karen, this recipe popped up on my Facebook feed today, so I thought I would give it a try. It was excellent. So simple, yet so tasty. I didn’t have Better than Bouillon so I used beef broth. I put cheese on the bottom bun before I put the meat on. Pickles are a must. Thanks!!
Karen says
I agree! Pickles are a must! Thanks for the 5 stars.
Dark Beauty says
Finally a recipe without tomatoes 🍅!
I will give it a rating once I actually try it. I have celery I need to use up. It looks delicious and simple.
Karen says
It’s so good!
Dark Beauty says
Sorry I didn’t know you can’t edit a post. But now that I have made it, I love the flavors! I substituted tamarind (thing I found on the internet) for ketchup, because I can’t do tomatoes.
Ended up making it on the iron skillet by accident to break up the frozen grass fed beef but it worked very well. Got the buns toasted with butter in the boiled than toast again with cheese.
100% will make again, reminds me of “The lunch box” on Roseanne show.
Karen says
So glad you liked it! Thanks for the 5 stars!