A Club Sandwich, also known as a Clubhouse Sandwich or a Double-Decker, is essentially a sandwich with 2 layers of fillings between 3 slices of bread. Mostly, the recipes call for fillings of cooked chicken breast and bacon strips, but there are various versions of the sandwich nowadays. A decadent preparation, the sandwich is mostly cut into quarters and is held together by cocktail sticks or wooden toothpicks.
Origin of the Club Sandwich Recipes
Although the origin of Club sandwich is hazy and mostly a matter of speculation and guesswork, it is known to have appeared on American restaurant menus as far back in the 1890s. The name probably comes from the fact that the preparation was hugely popular in resorts and country clubs. The most popular and widely believed theory about the invention of the sandwich credits the Saratoga Club-house with the discovery. It is believed that the sandwich first appeared there in 1894.
One of the oldest known recipes for the sandwich was published in 1903 in the Good Housekeeping Everyday Cook Book by Isabel Gordon Curtis and in 1904, the sandwich grabbed much spotlight at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis where as many as four restaurants had put their versions on the menus.
Over the years, this sandwich has evolved in many ways but the basic preparation method and recipe remains the same.
Ingredients for the Double Decker
Traditional Clubhouse or Club Sandwich ingredients are turkey on the bottom layer and bacon, tomato and lettuce on the top. Usually served on toasted bread, the sandwich has honey mustard and mustard as common condiments. Variants of the preparation use different meats like chicken and beef instead of turkey. Also, while traditional vegetables used are tomato and lettuce, cucumbers can also be a part of the preparation.
Preparation as per Club Sandwich Recipes
Preparation time of this sandwich is about 8 to 10 minutes. The bread is toasted and on the bottom layer, the meat (chicken, turkey or beef) is placed. The top layer is filled with tomatoes, bacon and lettuce and the sandwich is cut into two halves or four quarters and held in place with wooden toothpicks or cocktail sticks. Dressings used can range from mayonnaise alone to mustard, mayonnaise, honey mustard, etc.
Serving and Eating the Clubhouse Sandwich
The sandwich is served hot and can be accompanied with fries or raw vegetables on the side (mostly cucumber or tomato slices). Ketchup or cream cheese can be served on the side as dip.
Variations of Double Decker
While the Turkey Club is the traditional sandwich, there are various versions of the preparation, mostly based on the type of meat used. The Chicken Club has chicken as the meat on the bottom layer while the Roast Beef Club uses roast beef. Other variations of Club Sandwich include use of ham instead of bacon, addition of a fried egg and/or cheese slices.
Club Sandwich Recipes Health and Nutrition Facts
The use of rich ingredients makes the sandwich high in fat and calorie content and thus an unsuitable food for people who are obese or suffering from high cholesterol or heart disease. A few substitutions in the ingredients used, however, can make consumption of the preparation in small quantities more suitable for these people. Brown bread, lean meat and low-fat dressings can replace the standard ingredients and fried bacon can be substituted with lean ham slices to make the Club Sandwich healthier.