Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Beef on Weck

Regional food is always fun.
Here, in Western New York, we love our chicken wings, our unique pizza, and beef on weck sandwiches. 
Beef on weck?  It is a sloppy, delicious roast beef sandwich that most people don't attempt at home.
Charlie the Butcher, in Buffalo is the home of great beef on weck.  Here, in Batavia, the Pok-a-Dot still holds sway as THE place to get one.  Recently, almost by accident, I found another place where I will order one.  The bar at Batavia Downs offers a beef on weck that is hard to resist.  They serve it with their home made potato chips. 
Out of town visitors have to have a primer on how to eat the sandwich.  It doesn't take too long to get the hang of it.

How to Eat a Roast Beef on Kummelweck: *

1.Take the top off the kummelweck roll;
2.Add the sauces: au jus and horseradish;
3.Make the sandwich as sloppy and wet as you can;
4.Replace the top;
5.Eat the sandwich;
6.Use a million napkins.
* The Kummelweck roll is a kaiser roll with caroway seed and coarse salt sprinkled on it. 

This is a sandwich that folks coming home for a vacation always have on their "must get" list.
I know people who now live away from our area now make their own.  For those who are brave enough to make them from scratch, here is the best recipe direct from Charlie the Butcher.

3 comments:

  1. loved this! I needed a beef on weck fix today and that's where I'm headed!

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  2. I'm from the UK and that looks GOOD. But I wouldn't want to work in Charlie's kitchen if you have to worry about things falling on your head (why the hard hat?).

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  3. Not sure about the hard hat. Maybe it is his signature. I can assure you, you can make this delightful treat without worrying about industrial accidents...just industrial size appetites.

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