Guinea Grinders: The Iowa State Fair Grinder Sandwich

This famous Iowa State Fair guinea grinder recipe is piled high with ground beef, Italian sausage, and pizza sauce with melty mozzarella cheese. Plus, it freezes well!

Why this recipe works

If you’ve ever wandered the midway at the Iowa State Fair, you probably know the smell of a guinea grinder from a mile away. Ground beef and spicy Italian sausage simmered low and slow in pizza sauce, spooned into a split loaf of French bread or bomber buns, and buried under melted mozzarella. It’s hot, messy, and definitely requires quite a few napkins.

This Iowa State Fair grinder sandwich can be made in either a skillet or crockpot. The skillet version is the fastest way to get grinders on the table. Just brown the meat, stir in the sauce, and you’re ready to fill the bread. The slow cooker version is ideal when you’re feeding a crowd. Brown the ground beef and Italian sausage in a skillet first, then transfer everything to the crockpot with the sauce and let it cook. If you’ve got guests coming, you can have the meat simmering long before anyone arrives. It stays warm and ready right in the crockpot.

Looking for more ground beef ideas? See our collection of 90 best ground beef recipes here.

Why is it called a Guinea Grinder?

Many Italians aren’t happy with the name “guinea grinder” as its origins date back to when Italian immigrants were called “guineas”. It’s considered a racial slur and some restaurants in Iowa have even changed the name of this sandwich to plain old “grinder”. The word grinder refers to the act of grinding your teeth back and forth to bite through the tough bread in the sandwich, which would also indicate they didn’t toast them early on.

I’ve chosen to keep the historical name, with full respect and no ill intent. Partly to honor the roots, and partly because it’s still the name most use when they’re hunting for the version they remember from the Iowa State Fair.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

SAUSAGE – Authentic fair grinders are made with Graziano Brothers Italian Sausage, which I highly recommend using! If you aren’t local to Des Moines, you can substitute with whichever brand of Italian sausage you prefer, either hot or mild will work.

BREAD – Instead of French rolls (or bomber/hoagie buns), two loaves of French bread cut in half serve the same purpose.

SAUCE – You can use your favorite brand of jarred pizza sauce or make a batch of homemade pizza sauce for this recipe.

How to Make Guinea Grinder Sandwiches

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. If sausage has casings remove them and crumble into pan with the ground beef. Brown both meats together until no longer pink. Drain fat.
3. Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder and pepper flakes into the pizza sauce.
4. Add the sauce mixture to the browned meat and stir to combine. Bring to a boil then simmer 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Open each French roll (cut in half if needed). Remove some of the bread from each side of the bun to create a “bowl” for the meat.
   
   CHEF TIP – You remove the bread from the top bun to make room for the mounded meat.
   
   
6. Fill the bowl of the bottom bun with meat mixture. The meat will mound.
7. Cover the meat mixture with shredded Mozzarella cheese.
8. Place the top of bun onto the sandwich and wrap the entire thing in foil. Repeat for all sandwiches. Bake for 15 minutes in the oven and serve.

Crockpot Guinea Grinders

You can heat the meat mixture in a crockpot until guests arrive. Put the browned meat and the seasoned sauce into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 1-2 hours, stir once or twice during cooking. Then preheat the oven and assemble, wrap, and bake the sandwiches.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

A guinea grinder is a hot Italian sandwich popularized at the Iowa State Fair. It’s a mixture of ground beef and Italian sausage that’s simmered in pizza sauce, piled onto French bread, and topped with melty mozzarella. Don’t confuse it with an East Coast grinder, which is a cold deli sub. This right here is a Midwestern delicacy that’s served warm, somewhat similar to a sloppy joe with Italian flair.

Traditionally, Iowa grinders are made with Graziano Brothers Italian sausage. Graziano Brothers is a Des Moines Italian grocery store that’s famous for their Italian sausage. If you can’t get Graziano, any good quality hot or mild Italian sausage will work as well.

Yes, the meat mixture freezes really well! To freeze, allow the meat mixture to fully cool then transfer it to an airtight container. Freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and rewarm in a skillet over medium-low heat. In my experience, the meat mixture tastes a little saltier after freezing, so I would suggest stirring in a splash of water when reheating to rebalance the flavors.

Not technically. The two names are used interchangeably in Iowa where you’ll hear both “guinea grinder” and “Italian grinder”. Though outside of Iowa, an Italian grinder typically refers to a cold sub that’s layered with deli meats, cheese, and a grinder salad inside a toasted bun.

Serving Suggestions

Guinea grinders are often served with or without mozzarella cheese and sometimes with banana peppers, onions, or even mushrooms. I opted for the cheese but left off the peppers to keep it family-friendly for the kids. As with any recipe, you can tailor it to suit your own taste buds if needed.

Serve with onion rings, french fries, potato chips, or a pickle spear.

By the way, you’re in the right place if you’re looking for my original photos! Our photos have updated, but the recipe is the same. Does this photo look familiar?

More Ground Beef Recipes

• Ground Beef Casserole
• The Best Meatloaf Ever
• Baked Salisbury Steak with Gravy
• Sloppy Joe Cornbread Casserole

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