Straight from Heaven Sandwich

Straight from Heaven Sandwich–the name says it all! A loose meat sandwich with the most amazing sauce and melty cheese. All together it tastes like manna in your mouth. Make this in your Instant Pot or on the stove.

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Straight from Heaven Sandwich

I was shocked at how amazing these sandwiches were. My whole family agreed. All who ate them said audible “yums” and “mmmms.” The sauce is the special ingredient that makes the sandwich come together into a beautiful experience. I highly recommend doubling the recipe!

This sandwich recipe comes from a sandwich shop that started in the 1980s in Reidsville, Georgia. The owner of the shop, Al Hodges, named the sandwich “manna sandwich” because it came to him “straight from heaven.” He said that on the morning he opened the sandwich shop he didn’t know what the signature sandwich would be. He prayed. God, if you’re not going to show me the ingredients, I’m just going to do the best I can. He dropped some diced onions into a skillet, and then God’s voice came, “I was given all of the ingredients that are supposed to go in a manna sandwich,” he says. “It was simple as that. I just started putting them in, and the recipe hasn’t changed since.”

These days the sandwich is perpetuated by his son, Houston, who runs a restaurant called Hoody’s Hoagies in Claxton, Georgia. “The manna sandwich—well, if people like it, that’s all they eat,” he says. “We’ve come up with a lot of sandwiches over the past thirty years, but some people here act like it’s still the only thing on the menu.” I really can see why! This sandwich is amazing. I think you’ll agree! Try it out this week.

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Ingredients

For the meat:

• Shallot–or ½ cup of diced onion
• Water
• Low sodium soy sauce–Kokkoman’s is the preferred brand
• Dried parsley
• Dried basil
• Garlic powder
• 85/15 ground beef–you can also use 90/10 ground beef

For the special sauce:

• Mayonnaise
• Catalina–or French dressing
• Ketchup
• Spicy brown mustard

For serving:

• Hoagie buns
• Swiss cheese–you can also use another cheese of your choice

Instructions

Instant Pot Steps:

1. Cook shallots: Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting (“more”). When display says hot add in the shallot, water, soy sauce, parsley, basil and garlic powder. Cook for about 3-4 minutes.
2. Brown beef: Add in the beef and break it up and brown for about 5 minutes. There will still be a little pink in the meat, that is okay. 
3. Slow cook the beef: Cancel off the sauté setting. Cover the Instant Pot. Turn Instant Pot to the slow cooker setting (“more”) and set the time to 30 minutes. (This stays good on the keep warm setting for several hours until you are ready to serve). 
4. Prepare the sauce by stirring the mayo, dressing, ketchup and mustard together in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to eat. 
5. Serve: split the rolls, slather with sauce and put cheese on top. Place under oven’s broiler until cheese melts (1-2 minutes). Heap the meat mixture on top and serve. 

Stovetop Steps:

Heat a pan over medium heat and add in the shallot, water, soy sauce, parsley, basil and garlic powder. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add in the beef and break it up and brown for 5 minutes. Turn heat to low and cover the pan. Let cook on low for 30 minutes and then serve (sauce and serving instructions listed in Instant Pot version). 

Notes/Tips

• This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. Increase ingredient amounts but keep the same cooking time. 
• You can use ground turkey in the place of ground beef
• Use a hamburger chopper tool* to break up the meat. They are the best!
• Try my favorite measuring spoons* for cooking and baking!
• I used a 6 quart pot* but you make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot with no changes.
• View the original recipe for this sandwich (I tweaked my version a bit)
• As with any sandwich the bread you use can make or break the meal. Use a fresh hoagie bun that you love for best results.
• Serve alongside a side salad or BBQ chips.
• Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• The seasoned ground beef can be used in everything from chili to spaghetti sauce. You can make a big batch and freeze whatever you don’t use in the hoagie roll.

More Amazing Sandwich Recipes…

Who doesn’t love a good sandwich? Sandwich night should be a thing…like instead of Taco Tuesday do Sandwich Saturday or something.

• Instant Pot Roast Beef Commercial
• Instant Pot Sloppy Ottos
• Instant Pot Hot Beef And Cheese Sandwich
• Instant Pot Big Mac Sloppy Joes
• Instant Pot Meatloaf Melts
• Instant Pot Pizza Joes
• Instant Pot Crumbly Burgers

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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*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.