Roast Beef Po’ Boy With Debris Gravy Recipe

Submitted by diner524

"This is a recipe I found on www.nolacuisine.com, which I adapted to make the gravy (as it didn't really have a flour slurry to thicken the gravy). Here is what is stated about the recipe: "There is nothing quite as soul satisfying (or messy) than a good old Roast Beef Po’ Boy in New Orleans. The best way to judge a good one is by the number of napkins you used to keep your chin semi-dry (Seriously, make sure you are stocked up on napkins.) My favorite place in New Orleans for a Roast Beef Po’ Boy is Parasol’s in the Irish Channel." "I’ve found that I like a mixture of Beef Stock, Chicken Stock, and water for my braising liquid. The reason I don’t use straight Beef Stock is that I make an extremely rich one, and I reduce my gravy instead of using a thickening agent. When all is said and done, the gravy was just too much of a good thing, too intense. This way comes out just right. Extremely Beefy and delicious!""

 

• Ready In: 4hrs 15mins
• Ingredients: 24
• Serves: 4-6

ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 lbs beef chuck roast
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• kosher salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• cayenne pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons lard (or Vegetable Oil or bacon grease)
• 1 small onion, Diced
• 1 small carrot, Diced
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 cup chicken stock
• water, if necessary
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• kosher salt and black pepper

• Debris Gravy(to add to remaining drippings or liquid or meat bits in pan)

• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 1⁄2 cups water (or more beef stock or broth)
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• garlic powder, to taste
• french bread roll, about 9-10 inches long
• shredded lettuce
• mayonnaise

directions

1. Cut small slits into the roast, about every 3 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 & Black Pepper, season with Cayenne to your taste, I don’t use much.
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 burning it. 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. 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 3-4 hours or until the meat falls apart by staring at it.

5. For the Debris Gravy:

6. Mix the flour, water/stock and seasoning in a jar or container to thoroughly mix all the ingredients, you don't wants lumps of flour so shake it like crazy.
7. Carve the meat into very thin slices, it will be hard to do and will fall apart, that is good. All of the bits and pieces, that fall off are your Debris (pronounced DAY-bree.) Add all of the bits and chunks to you cooking liquid. Heat the liquid/bits until boiling, no slowing add in the flour slurry mixture until you reach the desired thickness, may need to add more stock/water if it gets too thick.

8. For the Po’ Boy:

9. New Orleans Style French Bread (Po’ Boys are generally about 9-10 inches long per sandwich. As you can see I made mine a bit smaller, shame on me.) Cut the bread 3/4 of the way through leaving a hinge (as seen in the background of the pic.) I find the hinge makes for slightly, easier eating.
10. Shredded Lettuce (or Cabbage a la Mothers).
11. Mayonnaise.
12. Roast Beef (see above).
13. Debris Gravy.
14. Slather the bread with a very generous portion of Mayonnaise on the inside of the upper and lower halves. Place about a cup of Shredded Lettuce on the bottom half. Cover the lettuce with a generous portion of the “sliced” Beef. Drown the beef with Debris Gravy.
15. Grab a stack of napkins, a cold beer and enjoy!

Reviews

[rusticgirl]

This gets 4 stars as written, but with the slight mods I made the second time this was SPECTACULAR. Use only beef broth (low sodium or so salt added - the worcestershire is salty enough). This needs a 'meaty' broth so don't bother with chicken broth, it's adds zero flavour. Use 4 cups beef broth instead of 2 otherwise it will dry up. While it's cooking (I cooked mine in the oven at 300 degrees F), make a proper deep brown roux. It takes at least an hour on a very low simmer. I used 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup flour, stir frequently until it's chocolatey brown. When the roast is finished cooking, add debris gravy to the roux plus the extra beef broth - this makes outstanding gravy.

 

[Random Rachel]

This was excellent, and reminded me of a New Orleans poboy :) I threw the gravy ingredients in the crock pot with a sliced roast, which made both preparation and cleanup quite simple. For ZWT9

 

[ColoradoCooking]

We both really liked it but thought it could be improved. Next go, I’d use BEEF broth and add more seasonings. It was a little bland for us, so up the seasonings and throw in some jalapeños (I did, just not enough). I did this in the XL Instant Pot Slow Cooker mode, all three stages, one pot, less mess! The recipe I have said top with red onion and dill pickles.

 

[kellyhughes1111]

Yup this IS it! Nice dark rich debris gravy. Taste just like my MIL roast beef. She's from Bayou Vista La and knows her food. Nolacuisine has awesome recipes. I made his redbeans&rice. My FIL told me "girl don't change a thing, taste just like in Nawlins, dem some good beans".