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Roast Beef "Debris" Po'Boy

Source of Recipe

From "Emeril's Kicked-Up Sandwiches" by Emeril Lagasse


Recipe Introduction

"Everyone in New Orleans has their favorite po'boy. For some, it's fried oysters; some like grilled hot sausage; and for many, it is this�a pot roast stuffed with lots of garlic that's cooked until it's literally falling apart. The meltingly tender meat is then shredded and added back to the beefy pan drippings that soak into the po'boy bread like no one's business. Don't let the name scare you�the tiny bits of meat that fall into the drippings are the 'debris' part, and it's certainly the best kind of debris I've ever heard of. Warning: bring a napkin."

List of Ingredients

◦ 1 boneless beef chuck roast (3 to 4 pounds)
◦ 10 cloves garlic, cut in half lengthwise
◦ 2 teaspoons salt
◦ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
◦ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
◦ 2 cups beef stock or packaged low-sodium beef broth, plus more if necessary
◦ Six 6-inch lengths po'boy bread or Italian or French bread (see Note)
◦ Mayonnaise, homemade or store-bought
◦ 10 ounces provolone cheese, grated
◦ Thinly shredded iceberg lettuce
◦ Very thinly sliced tomatoes
◦ Thinly sliced dill pickles
◦ Louisiana red hot sauce (optional)


Recipe

Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, make 20 evenly spaced small slits, about 1 � inches deep, all over the pot roast. Insert the garlic cloves as deep into the slits as possible. Season the roast on all sides with the salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 300� F.

Heat a 6-quart Dutch oven over high heat. Add the oil, and when it is hot, sear the meat until it is very well browned on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes per side (don't be afraid to let the roast get very brown�this is where a lot of the flavor comes from). Then carefully add the stock and cover the pot. Transfer the pot to the oven and cook, turning the meat once or twice during cooking, until the roast is falling-apart tender, 3 to 3 � hours. Check occasionally to make sure that there is always at least 1 inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot, adding water or additional stock as necessary. Remove the roast from the oven and let it rest briefly. Increase the oven temperature to 375� F.

Using two forks, pull the meat apart into thin shreds, mixing the meat with the accumulated drippings in the bottom of the pot. Allow the meat to cool slightly and absorb the juices before making the po'boys. (The meat can be cooked and shredded up to 1 week in advance and refrigerated until ready to serve; if prepared in advance, it will need to be rewarmed�covered and in a low oven�before assembling the sandwiches.)

Halve the po'boy bread lengthwise, and spread both sides of the bread liberally with mayonnaise. Place the bottom halves of the bread on a baking sheet, and spoon the meat filling over them, drizzling it with extra drippings. Then top the meat with the grated provolone. Bake in the oven just until the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. Sprinkle with hot sauce, if desired, and top the po'boys with the top halves of the bread.
Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings






❧ Note:
Traditional New Orleans po'boy loaves are airy, long French breads. If you cannot find po'boy bread in your area, substitute any long Italian or French bread loaves that are not too dense. If the only bread you can find is very dense, consider pinching out the center doughy portions so that your po'boy is not overly bready.