Where’s the beef? Why, it’s right here sandwiched in a weck roll. The Buffalo, New York, specialty beef on weck is rumored to be the creation of German baker William Wahr, who is said to be responsible for bringing kummelweck—the bread used to make the signature sandwich—to Buffalo. A lot of regional sandwich history is pretty fuzzy (people weren’t writing this stuff down, unfortunately), but the story goes that Wahr created beef on weck when a customer came to him asking for a sandwich that was easy to eat standing up. While you could argue that a lot of sandwiches are easy to eat standing up, we love a little sandwich lore. Just go with it.
The point is that beef on weck is simple and doesn’t have a lot of toppings that will make a mess, whether you’re standing or sitting. Traditionally, it consists of thinly sliced roast beef and horseradish sauce, with beef consomme on the side for dipping. The star ingredient, of course, is the kummelweck, a kaiser-like roll that’s topped with caraway seeds and kosher salt. If the closest you plan on getting to Buffalo is visiting your nearest Buffalo Wild Wings, then worry not. Here’s our guide to making the ultimate beef on weck at home—we even found the good bread!
- Primo Taglio London Broil
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Since roast beef is pretty much the only thing in this sandwich, it has to be good. And this Primo Taglio London broil—which you’ll find behind the deli counter—is about as good as it gets for your next beef on weck. It has excellent texture and a rich, meaty flavor that’s amped up by a coating of seasonings that really works its way into the meat. As we said, beef on weck traditionally calls for thinly sliced beef, but since this stuff is freshly sliced at the deli, you can get thicker slabs if that’s your style for a beef on weck at home.
Read the full ranking of the best roast beef
Credit: Liv Averett / Vons
- DiCamillo Bakery Kummelweck Rolls
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No one on the Sporked team hails from Buffalo, but even if we didn’t grow up eating weck, we know good bread when we taste it—and these kummelweck rolls from DiCamillo bakery are good. They’re topped with lots of pretzel salt and an ample amount of caraway seed. When we heated these in the oven, they emerged with an irresistible golden sheen. The insides are pillowy enough to absorb the consomme, but not so delicate that they can’t hold up to moisture. The rolls come in orders of two-dozen, but you won’t be mad about having a lot of these stashed in the pantry or freezer. Promise.
Read the full ranking of the best weck you can order online
- Baxters Beef Consomme
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When we taste tested beef consomme, we did so with beef on weck in mind. We always have sandwiches on the brain! Compared to other beef consomme on the market, Baxters has an additional ingredient that contributes major flavor: sherry. This stuff is so good that you can really just heat it in a saucepan and get to dunking that beef on weck.
- Woeber’s Sandwich Pal Horseradish Sauce
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Beef on weck is all about the beef, but the zing of horseradish sauce really brings those rich, meaty flavors to life. Woeber’s horseradish sauce is essentially zing in a bottle. It’s got that satisfying back-of-your-throat kind of bite, and then plenty of burn to set your nostrils ablaze, too. It’s also wonderfully creamy, adding a textural component to your beef on weck. Plus, it’s literally called Sandwich Pal! How could a sandwich not be better with a sandwich pal at its side?
Read the full ranking of the best horseradish here!
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Amazon
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