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Pressed Picnic Sandwiches are fun to make, easily to customize, and not messy! They’re a fun make ahead recipe for any picnic or outdoor adventure.

I have made a couple of pressed sandwich recipes for my blog. I think the most popular one is the Italian Pressed Sandwich. It boasts pepperoni, capicola ham, calabrese salami, fresh mozzarella, and tomato pesto. It is one flavor packed sandwich just like this one is!

What is a pressed sandwich?

That’s kind of self-explanatory. It’s a sandwich that is pressed with something heavy to flatten. This also gets all the ingredients to really blend and meld together. It also means your sandwich shouldn’t fall apart when you’re eating it making it perfect for picnics or outdoor outings.

This is different than a panini in that there is no heat involved in the pressing of the sandwich. It’s pressed in the fridge with a jar of mayo, brick, or heavy canned goods on top. Use whatever you have that is heavy to weigh the sandwiches down.

When making these sandwiches I would not suggest using regular sandwich bread. You’re going to need a crusty or hearty roll or French bread to make these sandwiches. I used ciabatta rolls that I love for these sandwiches. The bread is crusty enough to absorb any excess liquid and stand up to the pressing process without falling apart.

I don’t know who invented the pressed sandwich, but there is the shooter’s sandwich from England. It’s a sandwich of steak and mushrooms inside a hollowed-out loaf of bread that is weighed down. Originating in the 1900s, this sandwich was popular with hunters as a lunch they could take with them on a hunt. Now it’s a popular travel item or family lunch.

What’s in a pressed picnic sandwich?

You can put whatever you want in a pressed picnic sandwich. I put some sandwich pepperoni, salami, and off the bone ham in this sandwich. Of course, I had to add cheese so there’s provolone and mozzarella in there, too, along with some mayonnaise and a little lettuce.

I used off the bone ham, which at my store, is like a whole ham that’s sliced and actually looks like ham unlike the black forest or honey ham. That doesn’t look like real ham to me. This off the bone ham my store sells looks like I cooked ham and sliced it up for sandwiches. It’s the perfect smoky flavor this sandwich really needs.

I contemplated a roast beef and horseradish sandwich. And I still might create something like it now that I’ve read about the shooter’s sandwich. I mean, that just sounds delicious! Filet and mushrooms in a sandwich? Yes please!

Don’t stick with just sliced meats. Feel free to use some tuna salad or salmon salad in a pressed sandwich. Just make sure to put cheese or lettuce in there to keep the bread from getting too wet from the salad. You could also do that with a layer of mayo or some other sandwich spread.

How do you make a pressed picnic sandwich?

I started with the mayonnaise on the bread. It’s a great barrier to keep the bread from getting too wet from all the other ingredients you add the sandwich. So, if you want tomatoes on there, have at it! Then I added small layer of lettuce. Normally I use a lot more lettuce, but I didn’t want it to be the star of the sandwich. I wanted the meats to be the star.

Next, I added the heart of the sandwich. There’s a layer of mozzarella, sandwich pepperoni, salami, off the bone ham, and then provolone cheese. Simple ingredients, but they make for a hearty and delicious sandwich perfect for a picnic or even a day hike. I contemplated some mustard which I love with salami, but I decided to keep it simple and use mayonnaise.

Feel free to use pesto like I did in the original pressed sandwich I made. Or an olive spread like and muffaletta sandwich. You could even try a hummus and go the Mediterranean route! I’m not kidding when I say you can easily change up the ingredients to match your taste.

What does a pressed picnic sandwich taste like?

Oh so delicious! The ingredients meld together and taste so good! The pepperoni and salami are spicy and salty delicious. The ham is smoky. Provolone is creamy and mozzarella are both creamy good. Lettuce adds a little texture. And the mayonnaise adds a spicy kick because I used Duke’s.

The bread is hearty and is the perfect wrapper that holds all the ingredients together. The mayonnaise makes sure the bread doesn’t get soggy. And pressing it all together means it’s not going to fall apart when you eat it! That’s what makes it all so perfect for a picnic or an outing.

We used to take sandwiches like this on our day hiking trips. They’re so packable with a little bag of chips and some water. We would plan the hike to stop at a scenic spot along the trail to take a break, have lunch, and be fueled up for the rest of the trip around the trail.

Just look at all those layers of sandwich goodness in there. You know it’s going to taste delicious with all that flavor. And definitely not fall apart on you like an egg salad or tun sandwich. Or one of those Dagwood stacked sandwiches. This is a tidy bread package with meats in the middle perfect for a picnic.

Packable Picnic Recipes

• Chipotle Hummus from Magical Ingredients
• Classic French Bread from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Easy Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies from Art of Natural Living
• Herb Garlic Potato Salad from That Recipe
• Pressed Picnic Sandwich from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Southern Style Potato Salad from Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box

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