5 Essential Pit Beef Sandwiches in Baltimore

By ExtremeFoodies on July 21st, 2015

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Baltimore skyline/Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

When most people think of Maryland, they think of crab cakes and football. These words made famous in the hit movie “Wedding Crashers” may be true, but a less-commonly known Maryland favorite is the pit beef sandwich, a Baltimore blue-collar tradition.

Pit beef originated in a working-class neighborhood on the east side of Baltimore decades ago and has spread like wildfire across the city to its outskirts. But most venues stay true to the pit beef’s humble beginnings by operating out of shacks, huts, trucks, parking lots and, in one case, a mechanic’s garage. The ingredients are simple, cheap and readily available.

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Courtesy of FoodNerd.com

Not overly seasoned with sauces or dry rubs like its Southern counterparts, pit beef is top round lightly seasoned with salt and pepper and slowly grilled medium-rare over an open pit of charcoal.

The typical pit beef sandwich consists of the juicy, tender meat sliced thin to very thin (depending on the venue) and piled high on a Kaiser roll, topped with sliced onion and lathered with Tiger sauce. This rich, creamy confection of mayonnaise and horseradish is, in my opinion, one of the greatest culinary creations in history.  Fast, simple, delicious.

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Chaps is famous for its pit beef barbecue/Courtesy of HungerMaps.com

The pit beef sandwich is not so much a culinary accomplishment as it is a way to experience something truly original to Baltimore and Maryland. Sitting at a picnic table outside a hole-in-the-wall pit beef hut in a location you probably wouldn’t dare leave your vehicle at night while chowing down on a juicy pit beef sandwich is an experience undeniably, allegorically Baltimore.

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Baltimore's Inner Harbor/Courtesy of Wikipedia

Being from Maryland, I decided to make my “birthright” pilgrimage to the Charm City to find the Holy Grail of pit beef sandwiches. Here are my findings.

1. Pit Beef Sandwich - Expressway Pit Beef

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Expressway Pit Beef

The Expressway Pit Beef in Odenton is a local favorite. Jason and April Farrell opened the “Beef Stand,” as it’s lovingly nicknamed by their regulars, in 2002 after having great success with their Bay Area Catering Company.  The venue is a wonderful and eclectic roadside hole-in-the-wall, as is in accordance with Pit Beef Law!

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Expressway

Their pit beef is an ode to the original and it was good, but not fantastic. The beef was a little overcooked, especially in comparison to its competition.

2. Pit Beef Sandwich - Pioneer Pit Beef

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Pioneer Pit Beef

The Pioneer Pit Beef hut in Woodlawn is an incredible experience. As you follow Google map’s directions, you find yourself at the intersection of Johnnycake and Rolling Pioneer. This little yellow-and-green building on the corner is hidden behind a liquor store. Once you step out of your car and see it for all its beauty, you actually can drink in its appeal.  

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Pioneer Pit Beef

Ordering is a cinch. There are two questions. 1) How do you want it cooked? 2) What would you like on it? Lines move quickly, so be sure you are ready to order. The coolest part about this venue is the guy taking your order, who slices the hot top round right in front of you. After successful completion of your order, this kindly fellow will hand you a big, hot slice of pit beef as a reward. The pit beef is succulent, warm and cut fairly thick. This is a serious sandwich able to satiate a big hunger, especially when accompanied by the delicious fresh cut fries.

3. Pit Beef - Andy Nelson’s Barbecue

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Andy Nelson’s Pit Beef

Andy Nelson’s, located in Timonium, MD, is an all-out barbeque joint but still makes an amazing pit beef sandwich. Nelson’s is a family-run company that traces its barbeque lineage nearly 100 years to Alabama. Barbeque runs thick through the veins of Nelson family.

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Andy Nelson’sBarbeque

Andy’s austere curb appeal and eclectic interior atmosphere give it a Southern experience unlike any other in Baltimore. The icing on the cake is the dining area next door in a refurbished mechanics’ bay.

4. Pit Beef Sandwich - CHAPS Charcoal Restaurant

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CHAPS Pit Beef

CHAPS’ pit beef is the superstar of Baltimore, and has been spotlighted on “Man vs. Food” and “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.” Regardless of whether this joint has been overexposed by the Food Network, they aren’t jaded. They continue to serve great pit beef sandwiches with a gracious smile.

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CHAPS Charcoal Restaurant

You will find this delicious sandwich in an absurd location. CHAPS stands in the parking lot of a strip club, hunkered against Pulaski Highway with a beautiful view of the adult book store across the street.  Don’t let the location put you off. Their pit beef is genius.

5. Pit Beef Sandwich - The Canopy

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The Canopy Pit Beef

We finish our tour with the official winner, The Canopy in Ellicott City. This small, rundown establishment is not much to look at, as seems to be the pit beef mantra. But it delivers where it counts. The building is the original -- the last standing location of a local chain that, in its heyday, totaled 15 locations. The owners, who wanting to get back to their roots and focus on quality, scaled back to the original location. The Canopy’s 30-year history is a testament to its expertise and devotion to pit beef. To describe this pit beef sandwich is to describe everything we love about this meaty mouthful.

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The Canopy

The meat is rare and sliced razor thin, without the tough, fatty stringiness many of its contemporary colleagues possess. When eating Canopy’s pit beef sandwich, you won’t have to contend with pulling too much meat out in a single bite and/or having to chew incessantly. The Canopy’s excellent top round cut is cooked to such perfection you’d have a harder time biting through an ice cream sandwich. The meat is complemented by a fresh, soft Kaiser-like potato roll and finishes with a mouth-dazzling duo of Tiger sauce and onion.

It was an eye-opening journey trying these outstanding pit beef masters, and it was a delightful surprise to discover that what seemed to be the most unlikely candidate proved to be the most outstanding.