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“I’m just a poor boy, nobody loves me.” Those words were sung by Freddie Mercury of Queen in the song “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Was he talking about the po boy sandwich? I don’t think so. But I have no idea what that song is about, really. So maybe, actually, he was talking about a po boy sandwich. But what is a po boy sandwich? That’s what this article is all about.
The U.S. has a plethora of names for a few types of sandwich that are pretty similar with some key differences. What makes a hoagie or sub or hero or grinder or po boy? Let’s focus on po boys because they’re the best. Let’s go down on the bayou and dig into some po boys!
What is a po boy sandwich?
A po boy is a sandwich originating from New Orleans and served throughout the Gulf Coast. You’ll see po boy also spelled po’ boy, po-boy, and poor boy. The big thing that separates po boys from other types of sub sandwiches is that po boys are usually served hot and they are made with French bread rather than Italian bread. It’s that perfect french bread with its crisp crust and fluffy center that sets po boys apart and makes them superior sandwiches. Now, when most people think of po boys they imagine a sandwich made with fried seafood. While it is true that a lot of po boys are made with fried shrimp, oysters, or something similar, one of the most classic New Orleans po boys is made with roast beef.
How to make a po boy?
So far, po boys don’t sound very specific. There seems to be a wide variety. So, how do you make a po boy? What goes on a po boy? First, the most important thing is the fresh French bread. Next, layer on some cold ingredients like lettuce, tomato, maybe some pickles, whatever you want. Then put some hot meat on there. You can’t go wrong with roast beef and gravy or a classic fried seafood option. Fried shrimp, fried oysters, soft shell crab, or a fried fish filet are all solid po boy options. For a condiment, there’s the traditional mayo option or you could go full on bayou mode and slather on a nice remoulade sauce.
Why is it called a po boy?
You have to admit, “po boy” is kind of a funky name for a sandwich. Where the heck did that name come from? There is no definitive historical record concerning the name. But the general consensus around New Orleans points to the Martin brothers as coining the term. Back in the 1800s, po boys were known as oyster loaves. An oyster loaf is just a sandwich made with French bread and fried oysters. Benny and Clovis Martin were former streetcar conductors turned restaurateurs. They opened their restaurant, Martin Brothers Coffee Stand and Restaurant, in 1921. In 1929, the streetcar workers of New Orleans went on strike. To help their conductor brethren, the Martins served the striking workers free roast beef sandwiches served on French bread. During an interview, Benny said anytime a streetcar worker would enter the restaurant, he and his brother would say, “Here comes another poor boy,” and soon the name became attached to the sandwich.
But the name isn’t the only thing the Martin brothers contributed to po boy history. According to Parkway Po Boys (which makes some of New Orleans’ best po boys), they also helped create the signature po boy bread. They worked with a baker to create a uniform, 32-inch loaf of bread that was perfect for cutting into po boys without wasting any bread. The brothers went on to become rich boys thanks to their po boys. We’re not actually sure how much money they made but that wordplay was too hard to pass up.
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