My Meals are on Wheels

One of America’s Favorites – Roast Beef Sandwich

A roast beef submarine sandwich

The roast beef sandwich is a sandwich that is made out of sliced roast beef or sometimes beef loaf. It is sold at many diners in the United States, as well as fast food chains, such as Arby’s and Roy Rogers Restaurants. This style of sandwich often comes on a hamburger bun and may be topped with barbecue sauce and/or melted American cheese. The roast beef sandwich also commonly comprises bread, cold roast beef (either the leftovers from a homemade dinner or deli meat), lettuce, tomatoes, and mustard, although it would not be uncommon to find cheese, horseradish, fresh/powdered chili pepper and even in some cases red onion. Roast beef sandwiches may be served cold or hot, and are sometimes served open faced.

Some trace the origins of the modern (American-style) roast beef sandwich as far back as 1877, with the then little known “beefsteak toast” recipe: cold beef, bread and gravy dish. In 1900, the dish was described by The Washington Post as “unattractive” and as “a tired ark in a gravy flood”. The dish gained popularity in the coming years and by 1931, some critics even went as far as to describe it as “a true taste of South Dakota”

Roast beef sandwiches have been a specialty of the Boston area, in particular in the North Shore of Massachusetts, since the early 1950s, typically served very rare, thinly sliced (sometimes referred to as shaved) and piled on an onion roll. Restaurants specializing it include Londi’s in Peabody, King’s of Salem, Hot Box of Somerville, Mike’s of Everett, Nick’s of Beverly, Harrison’s of North Andover, Land & Sea of Peabody, and Bill and Bob’s of Peabody, Salem and Woburn. In Brooklyn a small handful of establishments, beginning with Brennan & Carr in 1938, have served a variant of the sandwich, and two more directly Boston-derived roast beef restaurants opened in the early 2010s.

A modern variety of roast beef sandwich has become a staple in Eastern Massachusetts. Their most popular toppings are mayonnaise, James River BBQ sauce, and cheese (white American cheese on the bottom) individually or in some combination of the three, all together being called a “3-Way”. A horseradish cream sauce can also be added for extra tang/zest. Kelly’s Roast Beef restaurant of Revere, Massachusetts, claims to have invented the sandwich in 1951.

A traditional beef on weck sandwich

Beef on weck
The beef on weck is a sandwich found primarily in Western New York. It is made with roast beef on a kummelweck roll topped with salt and caraway seeds. The meat on the sandwich is traditionally served rare, thin cut, with the top bun getting a dip au jus and topped with horseradish.

Chivito sandwich
The chivito sandwich is a national dish in Uruguay, and consists primarily of a thin slice of filet mignon (churrasco beef), with mozzarella, tomatoes, mayonnaise, black or green olives, and commonly also bacon, fried or hard-boiled eggs and ham. It is served in a bun, often with a side of French fries. Other ingredients might be added into the sandwich such as red beets, peas, grilled or pan-fried red peppers, and slices of cucumber.

Corned beef sandwich
The corned beef sandwich is a sandwich prepared with corned beef. The salt beef style corned beef sandwiches are traditionally served with mustard and a pickle. In the United Kingdom, pickle is a common addition to a corned beef sandwich.

A French dip sandwich

A French dip sandwich

The French dip sandwich is a hot sandwich consisting of thinly sliced roast beef (or, sometimes, other meats) on a “French roll” or baguette. It is usually served au jus, that is, with beef juice from the cooking process. Beef broth or beef consommé is sometimes substituted. Despite the name, this American specialty is almost completely unknown in France, the name seeming to refer to the style of bread rather than an alleged French origin.

Pastrami on rye
The pastrami on rye is a classic sandwich made famous in the Jewish kosher delicatessens of New York City. First created in 1888 by Sussman Volk, who served it at his deli on Delancey Street in New York City. It became a favorite at other delis, served on rye bread and topped with spicy brown mustard. Delis in New York City, like Katz’s Delicatessen, have become known for their Pastrami on rye sandwiches.