Meet Spiedies: The Sandwich So Good It Has an Entire Festival Dedicated to It

The more I learn about regional cuisines, the more I realize that each state has its own dishes that are unique to that place. Consider Chicago deep-dish pizza, the Boston Cooler (which isn’t actually from Boston), or the wide range of Southern dishes that have been created throughout the years. The spiedie sandwich is no different. 

What Is a Spiedie Sandwich?

These sandwiches hail from the Greater Binghamton area of New York. The origins of the sandwich are widely debated among the community but the name comes from the Italian word “spiedino,” which means “skewer” in English. Essentially, a spiedie is a meat that is marinated in a mixture of oil, vinegar, and herbs for 1 to 3 days. Then it’s skewered, grilled, and served on Italian bread with no condiments. The traditional meat served is lamb, but it can also be served with chicken, pork, or venison. 

This sandwich is so good that a festival was created to celebrate it. The Spiedie Festival and Balloon Rally started in 1983 and 40 years later, it continues to bring thousands to the area to share their favorite spiedie recipes.

If you’re unable to make it to the festival to get a taste of this epic sandwich, no worries. We've got you covered. And while it might not be exactly the same as if you were to get it at the festival, the Allrecipes community has commented that it's pretty darn close. "Haven't had a spiedie in Binghamton before (despite living there several months), but my husband tells me these are the real thing," community member carol810 wrote. "We love them."

How to Make a Spiedie

With a spiedie, it's all about the marinade. Tradition calls for oil, vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, garlic salt, a medley of herbs, salt, and pepper. If you want to be truly authentic to the spiedie culture, community member Chez Robe-Air suggests adding a splash of red wine to the marinade, saying, "Wine, like Chianti and Chianti vinegar, [is] the closest to what the Italians on the North Side of Endicott, NY, actual home of Spiedies, used with their homemade wine/vinegar." Marinate your meat of choice in this mixture in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours, shaking the container every 6 to 8 hours to redistribute the marinade.

When you are ready to cook, shake off any excess, and thread the meat onto skewers. Cook your skewers on a preheated grill, turning about every few minutes until the meat is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear. Take the meat off the skewers and pile it onto some Italian bread. But remember, no condiments! Thanks to the herbs and aromatics, this sandwich is already packed with flavor, so you won't miss the condiments anyway.