These hot beef sandwiches are essentially a version of French dipped sandwiches. They are made from pot-roasted brisket and slathered in lots of cooked onions. Each guest assembles their own sandwich, adding a mixture of roasted peppers, cherry peppers, and pepperoncini. The trick is to eat it without dripping half the sauce all over your shirt. If you can’t find a 6-pound piece of brisket then use two smaller 3- to 4-pound pieces for the pot roast.
Ingredients:
For the Pot Roast:
- One 6-pound beef brisket or two 3- to 4-pound pieces
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 1/2 cups canned reduced-sodium chicken broth
- Half of one 12-ounce bottle light beer
- 6 cups thinly sliced onions (from 3 large onions)
- 8 garlic cloves, chopped
- For the Sandwiches:
- 8 to 12 6-inch long French rolls, halved lengthwise
- Two 12- to 16-ounce jars roasted red bell peppers, cut into rough strips
- One 12-ounce jar cherry peppers, stemmed, sliced
- One 12-ounce jar pepperoncini
- Hot-pepper sauce
Directions:
FOR THE POT ROAST:
Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Combine salt, pepper, basil, and oregano in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture generously over the entire brisket. Heat oil in a heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add meat and cook until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer meat to a platter. Set aside. Add broth and beer to Dutch oven. Using spatula or spoon, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to boil. Return brisket to pot fat side up. Sprinkle onions and garlic over brisket.
Cover pot and bake 1 hour. Arrange onions under the brisket. Bake uncovered 1 hour, adding more liquid, if necessary, and stirring onions halfway through baking time. Turn brisket over. Cover and continue cooking until a fork can easily be inserted into meat, about 1 1/2 hours longer. Cool meat in the sauce.
DO-AHEAD TIP:
Pot roast can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer meat to a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate. Pour sauce and onions into a storage container and refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice meat across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in large baking dish. Strain sauce into a 4-cup glass measuring cup. Transfer onions to a medium saucepan. Spoon fat from atop sauce. Pour sauce over meat. Cover baking dish and bake in the oven until heated through about 25 minutes. Rewarm onions over medium heat, about 8 minutes.
FOR THE SANDWICHES:
Spoon warm onions into serving bowl.
Place rolls in the serving basket. Place roasted red bell peppers, cherry peppers and pepperonicini in separate serving bowls. Allow guests to assemble sandwiches by dipping rolls into sauce; filling rolls with meat, topping with onions, and any or all of various peppers and hot pepper sauce.
nutrition information per serving
792 calories; 33g total fat; 211mg cholesterol; 2955mg sodium; 38g carbohydrates; 5g fiber; 79g protein
