What on Earth Is a Peameal Sandwich?

Unless you call Canada your home or frequently traverse our northern neighbor’s many cities, you may not be familiar with peameal sandwich recipes. After all, they are few and far between on American menus and in recipe books.

So what is a peameal sandwich? As you can see as you read through the ingredients for this cured pork-based recipe, cornmeal is a key element. Originally, pioneers rolled their pork loin not in meal made from corn but from ground peas. In other words, it was peameal!

Today, most cooks use cornmeal as a fine substitute when pulling together their favorite peameal sandwich recipes. However, if you can find or make peameal, knock yourself out. Your sandwich will taste incredible and be historically accurate too.

Tricks to Making an Unforgettable Peameal Sandwich on the Grill

Beyond following the grilled peameal bacon sandwich recipe, you will probably want to add your own finishing touches to this meal.  Pitmasters like to make recipes their own. We encourage experimentation, which is why we have a few tips and tricks to offer to help you pull together a delicious peameal sandwich:

• Get the best cut of pork loin you can. Great peameal sandwiches start with great cuts of meat.
• Consider substituting maple syrup crystals for part or all of the brown sugar. Maple syrup is a staple in Canada and is available locally in many places. Maple syrup will switch up the sweetness and add maple’s distinctive flavor to the overall finish.
• Substitute spices and seasonings whenever needed. No juniper berries in your pantry collection? No problem. Juniper and caraway are interchangeable, and you can probably get your hands on some caraway seeds pretty quickly.
• See if white versus yellow cornmeal makes a difference in your cooking. If needed, you can substitute semolina for cornmeal if you find yourself without this key ingredient.

Make Grilled Peameal Bacon Sandwiches Party and Tailgate Stars

If you tend to always grill the same type of foods for your parties and tailgates, surprise your guests with some grilled peameal bacon sandwiches. You can even turn them into sliders if you buy mini buns. There’s no need to explain the background of what peameal means. Just serve up your dish and enjoy the compliments.