KEY WEST SANDWICH MASTER IS ON A ROLL — HE’LL ‘MEAT’ YA AT THE MOOSE LODGE

Jason Thompson of the Hog’s Breath Saloon picks up a pit beef sandwich and drenched wings from Micah Woerner’s Moose Pit at the Key West Moose Lodge. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly

Micah Woerner is on a roll — as a Key West sandwich master.

He got locals hooked last year on his Little Whitehouse Subs, with the essential South Jersey sub rolls, sky-high sliced meats, fresh toppings and clever names. (Not to mention his partner, Joy Terwilliger’s daily cupcake selections.)

Woerner now has expanded his empire to include one of his own hometown favorites from his native Baltimore  — two-handed pit beef sandwiches. (There’s also pit turkey and pit ham.)

The Moose Pit’s pit beef sandwich is, as owner Micah Woerner says, the closest thing to Arby’s a Key Wester can get without driving. (Plus it’s a half-pound of sliced beef on a good kaiser roll.) MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly

You’ll need both hands — and plenty of paper towels. Forget those tiny, takeout napkins and flimsy forks. These sandwiches — pit beef, pit turkey and pit ham with cheddar, onions and homemade sauce — demand and deserve your full attention.

“And then maybe a nap afterward,” Woerner said, laughing while expertly slicing a half-pound of pit beef that then heads to the grill, where it’s melted with cheddar and onions if desired.

His new Moose Pit is located in the back of the Key West Moose Lodge that faces Eisenhower Drive. Head around back to Pearl Street for the backyard barbecue spot.

“The Moose Lodge wanted to upgrade its food offerings and I wanted a place to do pit beef,” Woerner said. “I’m really excited to be here. We just opened a month ago and people are already finding us and coming back.

In addition to pit beef, turkey and ham sandwiches, Micah Woerner’s new Moose Pit at the Moose Lodge offers burgers, chicken sandwiches and 14 flavors of crispy wings.

“The front of the lodge is reserved for Moose Lodge members, but Woerner’s backyard Moose Pit is open seven days a week to the public. We do takeout, and picnic tables here. Plus we’re setting up cornhole and other games to really make it comfortable.”

“Pit beef is a Baltimore favorite,” Woerner said. “It’s a unique version of barbecue that includes slow-cooking meat on a charcoal grill and then slicing it really thin. Our classic sandwich is called The Baltimore featuring pit beef, onions and tiger sauce. And our other most popular sandwich is the Key West with pit beef, cheddar and homemade island sauce. It’s as close as you can get to an Arby’s sandwich, but with more meat and without the 187-mile round trip.”

Woerner said there’s a true Key West/Baltimore connection with pit beef.

“Boog Powell, who was a star baseball player from Key West, later went on to play for the Baltimore Orioles,” Woerner said. “And now he owns three locations of Boog’s Pit Beef in Ocean City, Maryland and at Camden Yards baseball stadium and the Ravens’ stadium.”

But there’s no need to go that far for the giant, juicy sandwich.

The new Moose Pit, 700 Eisenhower Drive, is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. Online ordering is coming soon, but for now, call 305-395-2955.

Mandy Miles drops stuff, breaks things and falls down more than any adult should. An award-winning writer, reporter and columnist, she's been stringing words together in Key West since 1998. "Local news is crucial," she says. "It informs and connects a community. It prompts conversation. It gets people involved, holds people accountable. The Keys Weekly takes its responsibility seriously. Our owners are raising families in Key West & Marathon. Our writers live in the communities we cover - Key West, Marathon & the Upper Keys. We respect our readers. We question our leaders. We believe in the Florida Keys community. And we like to have a good time." Mandy's married to a saintly — and handy — fishing captain, and can't imagine living anywhere else.