The Cook's Corner

Roast Beef Po’Boy with Debris Gravy

By Staff Report

October 01, 2008 at 1:20 pm  | Mobile Reader | Print 

Photo and recipe courtesy of NolaCuisine.com.

Ingredients for the roast:

- 1 beef chuck roast (this one was 2 ½ pounds)

- 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced

- Kosher salt and black pepper

- Cayenne pepper

- 3 tbsp. lard or vegetable oil

- 1 small onion, diced

- 1 small carrot, diced

- 1 cup beef stock

- 1 cup chicken stock

- Water if necessary

- 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

- 1 tbsp. hot sauce

- 2 sprigs fresh thyme

- 1 fresh bay leaf

- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cut small slits into the roast, about every three inches, try not to pierce all the way to the bottom. Stuff the sliced garlic into the slits.

2. Season the roast very liberally on all sides with the salt and black pepper, season with cayenne pepper to your taste.

3. Heat the fat in a heavy bottomed Dutch oven over high heat. When the oil starts to smoke, wait a few more seconds, then carefully add the roast, cut-side down. Brown very well on all sides, without over cooking. Remove to a plate.

4. Drain off all but 1 tbsp. of the fat in the pan. Add the onions and carrots. Cook until the onions just start to brown. Place the roast back in the pan, then add the stocks.

5. Finish, if necessary, with enough water to bring the cooking liquid 3/4 of the way up the roast. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then back down to a simmer. Simmer covered for 3 to 4 hours or until the meat falls apart by staring at it.

For the Debris Gravy:

1. Carve the meat into very thin slices.All of the bits and pieces, that fall off are your “debris.”

2. Add all of the bits and chunks to the cooking liquid after skimming off the fat from the surface. Keep the carved meat with a little liquid on a warm plate, covered tightly with plastic wrap.

3. Bring the gravy to a full boil and reduce until it coats the back of a spoon.

4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ingredients:

- New Orleans-style French bread

- Shredded lettuce

- Mayonnaise

- Roast beef (see above)

- Debris gravy

Directions:

1. Slather the bread with a very generous portion of mayonnaise on the inside of the upper and lower halves.

2. Place about a cup of shredded lettuce on the bottom half.

3. Cover the lettuce with a generous portion of the “sliced beef.

4. Drown the beef with debris gravy.

This Roast will make about four very generous sandwiches.