Hang Loose Recipe

Name: Mr. Pickle's Sandwich Shops Hang Loose Recipe
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 slices rye or sourdough bread; 12 oz hot pastrami (thinly sliced); 6 slices bacon; 4 oz cream cheese (full fat, softened); 1 whole ripe avocado; 4 leaves lettuce (iceberg or romaine, leaves); 1 whole tomato; 0.25 whole red onion; 2 slices dill pickle (sliced lengthwise); 2 tbs yellow mustard; 2 tbs mayonnaise; 2 tbs unsalted butter; 0.5 tsp kosher salt; 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 0.5 tsp lemon juice

Inspired by Mr. Pickle's Sandwich Shop

Time30m

Serves2

Pastrami, Bacon, Cream Cheese, Avocado + “The Works”

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Sandwich

8 slices rye or sourdough bread

12 oz hot pastrami (thinly sliced)

6 slices bacon

4 oz cream cheese (full fat, softened)

1 whole ripe avocado

4 leaves lettuce (iceberg or romaine, leaves)

1 whole tomato

1/4 whole red onion

2 slices dill pickle (sliced lengthwise)

2 tbs yellow mustard

2 tbs Mayonnaise

2 tbs Unsalted butter

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp ReaLemon lemon juice

Method

Sandwich

Prepare bacon

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until crisp and browned, about 6–10 minutes depending on thickness. Transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. When slightly cooled, cut each slice in half if desired. Reserve skillet (do not wipe) for warming pastrami.

Toast bread

Butter one side of each bread slice evenly with the unsalted butter. Heat a clean skillet or griddle over medium-low. Place bread butter-side down and toast until golden and crisp, 2–3 minutes per side. Alternatively, toast under a broiler briefly, watching carefully. Remove and keep warm.

Warm pastrami

Return the skillet used for bacon to medium heat. Add the pastrami in an even layer and warm for 1–2 minutes per side until heated through and edges begin to crisp slightly. Alternatively, steam slices between parchment in a covered skillet for 1–2 minutes. Keep warm.

Prepare avocado spread

In a small bowl, scoop the avocado and mash with a fork until mostly smooth but slightly chunky. Add lemon juice, 1/8 tsp kosher salt and a pinch of black pepper; mix. Spread the mashed avocado over two slices of the toasted bread (the internal facing sides).

Prepare cream cheese layer

Soften cream cheese if needed by stirring with a spoon until spreadable. On the other two slices of toasted bread, spread the cream cheese evenly to the edges.

Assemble condiments

In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and yellow mustard until combined. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Spread this mixture lightly over the cream cheese–topped slices (cream cheese will help hold it).

Prepare vegetables and pickles

Slice the tomato into 4 even slices. Thinly slice the red onion into rings. If pickle slices are thicker than desired, cut lengthwise into thinner strips. Season tomato slices lightly with the remaining 1/8 tsp kosher salt and a pinch of black pepper.

Layer sandwich

On the avocado-topped bread slices, place 3–4 oz warmed pastrami (half of the pastrami per sandwich). Top the pastrami with 2–3 bacon halves (per sandwich). Add lettuce leaf, 2 tomato slices, a few rings of red onion, and one long slice of dill pickle. Close each sandwich with a cream cheese– and mayo/mustard–topped slice of bread, buttered/toasted side facing out.

Finish and serve

Return assembled sandwiches to the hot skillet for 30–45 seconds per side (butter side down) to warm the exterior and help binding, pressing gently with a spatula if desired — this step crisps and melds flavors. Remove, cut each sandwich in half on a diagonal, and serve immediately.