Roast Beef Po'Boy Recipe

What do you think of when you think of New Orleans food? You may think of sugar-dusted beignets from the famous Café Du Monde, but those interested in something savory are sure to love a po'boy. This is no ordinary sandwich: The Southern staple is so popular, it's even sold in some New Orleans vending machines. These days, it's most commonly made with seafood like fried shrimp, but a few decades ago, roast beef reigned supreme, just like it does in this recipe that piles flavorful, juicy shredded roast beef onto a soft bread roll alongside fresh, crunchy accompaniments like lettuce, tomato, and pickles.

Though the beef is the star here, when it comes to po'boys, don't overlook the bread! "French bread rolls work the best for this recipe," recipe developer Leah Maroney says. "You want something that is soft, but also slightly crusty. You can use a firmer roll like ciabatta, but it won't have the same effect."

We've already covered what bread is best to use here, but aside from the French rolls, you'll need onion, tomato, garlic, shredded lettuce, sliced pickles, mayo, flour, salt, pepper, Creole seasoning, beef bouillon, browning sauce, and bottom round roast. "You can use other kinds of round roasts," Maroney says. "Something with nice marbling works best for flavor." You may also need butter and vegetable oil, so keep those handy.

Preheat your oven to 275 F, then bring your attention to the meat. Start by mincing the garlic and covering your roast in it, along with some salt and pepper. Place a Dutch oven on the stove over high heat, and when it's hot, add your roast and sear it for several minutes on each side until well browned. Take it out of the pot and set it aside. "If there isn't enough fat to coat the bottom of the pot," Maroney says, add some vegetable oil for the next step.

Once you've got enough fat in the pan, add your sliced onions and cook until they smell great and look a bit browned. Lower the heat, add the flour and Creole seasoning, and stir until you don't see any powdery bits. Add the browning sauce, bouillion, and water, then bring the mixture to a boil.

Now that your liquid is boiling, put the roast back into the pot, cover it with an overproof lid, and put it in the oven for 4 hours to braise. Once it's done, take the lid off and let it cool down a bit, then take the beef out and cut it into round pieces. Put your pot of liquid back on the stove and boil it once again so any bits of meat or onion come up from the bottom of the pot and the liquid becomes thicker, like a gravy. Put the meat back in and stir — it should fall apart into shreds.

At long last, it's time to make your po'boy sandwich. Take your rolls (toasted and buttered, if you prefer), spread them with mayo, and pile on the roast beef, gravy, lettuce, tomato, and pickles. Serve with some extra gravy if you want, and dig into your homemade roast beef po-boy.

This recipe is a bit of a project, so if you'd like to make some of it ahead of time, you're in luck. "The roast can be cooked a day in advance, stored in the refrigerator, then sliced and heated in the hot gravy," Maroney explains. "The roast beef mixture can also be frozen in plastic bags and reheated in a large pot with the addition of a ¼ cup water." The next time you're in the mood for a sandwich, why not treat yourself to a nice New Orleans po'boy?