Fold Deli Meat Around Slippery Ingredients For A Neater Sandwich

Assembling the perfect sandwich is a tall task, and while what qualifies as "perfect" differs from person to person, we can all agree that a few things hinder the sandwich-eating experience. If you've ever bitten into a sandwich only to have half of the fixings fall out the other side, you know what a problem slippery ingredients can present. Luckily, this issue can be combated with some strategically arranged deli meat.

The next time you put together a sandwich with slippery ingredients that tend to have a mind of their own, like tomatoes, cucumbers, or pickles, consider wrapping them in deli meat to keep everything in place. You can do this by tucking the sides of the meat over the pesky topping and then placing it on the bread. The goal is to create a pocket so that when you chow down on your sandwich, the meat stops any wandering ingredients from sliding around and making a mess. Doing so will also help to keep your bread from absorbing the liquid from food like tomatoes, improving the overall structural stability of your sandwich.

If your sandwich includes a leafy green like lettuce, you can use it to hold all of your fixings in place. In the same vein as the deli meat trick, by tucking your lettuce under each slice of bread and around all the meat, veggies, and sauce, you can create an edible wall that should stop everything from sliding out and keep the sandwich intact. Lettuce can also help you maintain order when used as a buffer layer between slippery toppings. On the days when you're not in the mood for greens, slices of cheese will also stop onions, pickles, and the like from sliding around. Basically, any way you can create friction will prevent ingredients from going rogue. For example, the beans spread on a torta are great for holding the avocado and other elements in place.

Wrapping the whole finished sandwich in parchment paper should also solve the issue of slippery ingredients while giving the sandwich a deli-esque touch. But if that's too much hassle for a quick meal, stick to the deli-meat-pocket technique for a solid sandwich that won't leave you picking up the pieces.