Steaming Along
The rest of Maryland may have the crabcake sandwich, but ‘steamers’ are a Washington County classic
By April Bartel
It’s not a clam or steamed hams. Technically, it’s not a “loose meat” sandwich or even (gasp) a sloppy Joe. It’s a steamer—a humble, handheld meal that’s been quietly simmering in the hearts and kitchens of Washington County for nearly a century. And while it may fly under the radar of national food trends, around here, steamers are serious business.
For many folks, from Clear Spring to Sharpsburg and up to State Line, Pennsylvania, these meaty morsels taste like childhood, church dinners, carnival season, and Little League games. Depending on who you ask, a steamer is either an art form, a comfort food, or an easy, economical way to feed the masses.
April Spessard prepares another steamer to serve at Holsinger’s Meats & Deli.
Ask a local where steamers come from, and you’ll get a subtle variety of answers, all tied to the heyday of the railroads around Williamsport circa 1930, hungry drifters, and a good-hearted tavern-keeper. Williamsport native and county commissioner Jeff Cline is a go-to guy for steamer lore.
“It’s from an old hobo who came into the town of Williamsport many years ago and traded this recipe for some food,” Cline says, sharing an excerpt from a community cookbook printed decades ago. It lists the basics: hamburger, diced onion, salt, and a generous dash of pepper, with a can of tomato soup, all “steamed” in boiling water until tender, up to two or three hours. “The longer you cook them, the better they taste.”
Cline explains how to spot an authentic steamer. Aside from their fine texture and restrained use of sauce that packs neatly into a bun, he says, “Steamers come in dark brown. Sloppy Joes come out red.”
Steamer from Holsinger’s.
And he should know. “Steamers were a staple in my family—mom and four boys and a husband. It was quite common on a Saturday for her to cook several pounds of steamers. We just loved them.”
When his mom passed away, he inherited a treasured possession, her steamer pot.
“It is sitting on my stove right now, and I use it.”
More than meat on a bun
Everyone agrees that a steamer is ground beef on a soft, white bun, but after that things start to diverge. Some people lean toward ketchup for sweetness, others swear by tomato paste or adding a spike of mustard.
Online groups abound with suggestions from adding stuffing mix for texture or bits of green pepper, subbing tomato paste for soup. Purists, like Bonnie Hawker of Bonnie’s at the Red Byrd in Keedysville, keep it simple.
A steamer meal from Holsinger’s.
“People get used to what a steamer tastes like,” she warns, noting the number of uber-local variations. “From here to Lovettsville there’s a difference.” And while fans may try them everywhere, they always go back to their favorites.
Steamers are a weekly special at Bonnie’s. She says steamers probably gained popularity because they were fast and cheap—a budget stretcher using relatively-affordable ground beef and easy cooking technique. But don’t let their simplicity fool you.
“It’s just a good, wholesome sandwich,” she says. “And it’s great with my coleslaw.”
Like any regional dish, steamers come with their share of fierce defenders. Mark Brugh, who lives in Hagerstown and spends time giving Civil War ghost tours in Sharpsburg, has strong opinions.
“Throwing meat in a frying pan is not the answer,” he says, only half joking.
Brugh’s earliest memory of steamers goes back to Halfway and Little League games in the 1960s.
“You got either a hot dog or a steamer after the game,” he says. “I could put a steamer away real easy.” He remembers school lunches, too. “If it was steamer day, that was just great. That sealed the deal.”
He describes the flavor he wants: a slight sweetness, some tomato taste, a bit of mustard or Worcestershire—not too fancy. And don’t even think about mushrooms.
“I love mushrooms,” he says. “But I’d never put them on a steamer.”
Among friends, he’s known for posting about steamers every year on July 9, homage to Funkstown icon and steamer-maker, Junior Hose. Nowadays, his favorite steamer spot is Locust Point Market in Hagerstown for flavor and value. “I’m living in a memory when I eat one.”
Crowd pleasing fare
Locust Point Market gets plenty of rave reviews online. Kelly Marconi, owner, along with his wife, Kristin, make their steamer filling on a little stove at the back of their old-school quick mart, along with homemade soups, salads, subs, sides, and desserts. Folks stream in continuously, so they usually cook more than 10 pounds of steamer filling per day. They use ketchup and a few “special seasonings.” And folks can add cheese for a few cents more.
“We’ve been making steamers the same way since 1982,” he says, when his parents, Frank and Noni, started the business. At one point, the family also ran a store in Falling Waters. Firehalls, churches, and businesses would buy steamers in bulk for their own events. People regularly tell him they come from West Virginia, Chambersburg, or Sharpsburg for his steamers…and a hit of nostalgia.
Hartle’s Subs is a Hagerstown favorite for steamer sandwiches.
“There are not too many more of these mom-and-pop shops,” he says. “When people pass so many other places to come in here for steamers, I’m very grateful.”
Hartle’s is another contender on the steamer scene. This beloved sub shop turned 60 this year. Their Italian sub may be a classic, but their steamer sub is a hefty meal, especially paired with their uniquely seasoned fries. Diners could opt for a smaller hot dog bun, but owner Rich Robertson says bread makes the sandwich. For his two locations, rolls are hearth-baked in Baltimore on a bed of cornmeal.
“I eat a lot of steamers,” he says, sheepishly admitting, “sometimes I just put it in a bowl.”
Steven Schuhly says Hartle’s is a crave-worthy Hagerstown staple.
“As long as I’ve been alive, it was pizza from Rocky’s and subs from Hartle’s.” Steamers are also tied to family events, warming in a crock pot for Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, even Christmas. When he thinks of the perfect steamer “it needs to be savory, sweet, and most importantly, finely ground. That’s the most important bit. Personally, I like a Martin’s potato roll, a bit of diced onion, and yellow mustard.”
For longevity, Holsinger’s Meats & Deli gets the award. This business was founded in 1876, well before steamers became entrenched on local menus. Sixth generation family members, Richie Holsinger and his sister April Spessard run the current location, opened in 1964. Holsinger’s supplies plenty of local restaurants as well as individual customers who come for their fresh ground chuck, steaks, and house-made smoked specialties like baloney, jerky, bacon, hot dogs, and ham.
“We have a high standard for our products,” says Holsinger, who says they grind hamburger five times a day. “We purposely do small batches for freshness.”
That meat goes into their steamers, which are a regular Friday special. Normally, their steamers come on a five-inch potato roll, but shoppers can order a sub, pint or a quart… until they sell out. You can call ahead but remember to add some fresh cut Boardwalk style fries.
Starting with just steamed hamburger, the recipe at Earl’s Market continues with onions, which are then steamed with the meat, then mixed with ketchup and mustard.
Byers Market originated in Williamsport, the steamer capital, in 1956. Michael Byers, with his son Jeremy and daughter Kaylin Staley, represents the third generation of a family steeped in sandwich lore.
“Steamers have always been on the menu,” he says. “Ever since I took over in 1987.”
Their remaining store on North Burhans Boulevard is bigger than it looks. It’s 7,500 square feet of groceries and sundries, ready-to-eat meals, including a luscious peanut butter frosted chocolate cake, Krumpe donuts, made-to-order eats, as well as check cashing and a Western Union outlet.
He remembers getting steamers from Erns Tavern as a kid.
“I haven’t been able to duplicate theirs for some reason,” he admits.
But people still come to Byers for that nostalgic hit, and now you can even personalize your steamer through their kiosk and app. It’s easy to get carried away, adding grilled peppers, olives, tomatoes and the like.
“Most people are purists,” Byers says. “But we make room for everyone.”
They keep the original Williamsport recipe alive at Byers Market and serve it on a classic hamburger bun.
“The hallmark of a classic steamer? Steamed, seasoned ground beef. That’s it,” Byers says. “Well, maybe a little mustard and onion.” Cheese is optional. “And we have the best chocolate milk in town.”
Out and about
In local restaurants and community stores around the county, steamers are de rigueur. They always have them at woman-owned Battleview Market in Sharpsburg where Patricia Lowery is the manager.
She jokes that she didn’t like the school lunch version growing up but, now that her mom’s recipe is on the shop’s menu, it’s their most popular sandwich. You can even get it atop a hot dog, a “steamer dog.” Not satisfied with mere Manwich or ketchup, she says, “I added a little sweetness, and people loved it.”
The place is open 24 hours a day and its extensive menu includes breakfast treats like blueberry hotcakes or chipped beef on biscuits as well as lunch and dinner specials like crispy fried chicken, liver and onions, or spaghetti. If you’re stopping by their Sunday farm market or another event in Battleview’s back field, it’s a great excuse to try a steamer. Lowery admits, “I could eat one every day.”
Just a bit over the Maryland state line, Earl’s Market in Pennsylvania extends the tradition to a second state. Owners Beth and Brad Wise both grew up eating steamers. Originally a meat market and grocery begun in 1951, the full deli was added about 15 years ago.
As long as anyone can remember there have been country hams and giant wheels of sharp Wisconsin cheddar, sliced to order. When the couple took over almost three years ago, Beth Wise tweaked the original steamer recipe. Her version is subtle, familiar, and steeped in family memory.
“I make it the way I always did at home,” she says.
She uses fresh ground beef with a little onion and light sauce piled on a hamburger bun—hold the green peppers.
Kelly Marconi from Locust Point mixes up another batch of steamers.
“Gibbles potato chips with a steamer,” she sighs. “That is perfection right there.”
In a region where history runs deep and community matters, steamers have become a cultural icon—something you offer with pride to guests and family alike.
“It’s a part of the tradition of many people’s lives,” says Jeff Cline. “It’s comfort food. It’s memory. It’s love on a bun.”
Tasting all the region has to offer is an opportunity, according to Visit Hagerstown’s Dan Spedden, for folks to find their own favorite.
“Explore the wonderful breadth of restaurants in (and around) Hagerstown,” he declares, “where locals can find hidden gems right in their backyard.”
And if you’re lucky, that gem just might be a perfectly seasoned, tender, and tidy little sandwich that’s been steaming in a pot for ages. One bite and you’ll never confuse a steamer with a sloppy Joe again.