Here's my latest column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail:
It’s the piece of bread most people pass over — the tough, crusty end of the loaf left behind after dinner.
In the Ohio Valley, though, that humble end piece has been transformed into a prized meal: the meatball heel.
Piled high with meatballs, sauce and melted cheese, the meatball heel is a cross between a loaf of Italian bread and a submarine sandwich.
This Italian-American creation popped up in the immigrant communities along the Ohio River in towns like Wheeling, Weirton and Steubenville.
It continues to be popular in old-school restaurants and taverns like Mario’s Restaurant and Lounge in Weirton that lists “Meatball Heel: End loaf of bread stuffed with meatballs” — served just as it’s been for decades.
At Naples Spaghetti House in Steubenville, Ohio, they even serve a few variations: Meat Sauce Heel, Meatball Heel, Sausage Heel, Mushroom Heel, Tomato Sauce Heel, Double Meatball Heel, Double Sausage Heel, Roast Beef & Gravy Heel and Meat & Mushroom Heel.
They all follow the same general construction: A thick, crusty “heel” of a loaf of Italian bread provides a sturdy base that is hollowed out and stuffed with a hearty serving of homemade meatballs, marinara sauce and melted provolone or mozzarella cheese that is broiled golden and bubbly. The result is a big, rustic, saucy pocket full of flavor that could last for several meals.
The meatball heel is not well-known outside of the valley, but it exemplifies much of what defines Appalachian food as a whole: rooted in working-class kitchens, tied to heritage and valued for making use of every part available.
Like so many Appalachian dishes, the meatball heel tells a story — one of resourcefulness, family, and finding comfort in what’s on hand. What began as a way to stretch a loaf of bread has become a regional icon, passed down through generations and still served with pride. It’s proof that even the overlooked “heel” can rise to legendary status.
