Today I am posting my 5th sandwich (6th post) and entering the 3rd week of Emeril’s Cookalong, promoting his new cookbook released Tuesday called, Kicked-Up Sandwiches: Stacked With Flavor. I have been at it creating some #serioussandwiches, and if you have been following the 22 bloggers participating, you will know they are ultra-delicious! If you have not, you can check out my posts with recipe’s below.
Sopressata & Genoa Salami Calzone
I love po’boys and apparently Emeril does too, as he was recently overheard stating that his “last meal sandwich” would include two; an Oyster Po’boy and the Columbia Street Grinder (both recipes are in his new cookbook). After living in New Orleans myself for a long period of time (and still visiting), my family grew to have our favorite go-to establishments, as well as po’boy’s. Whether it is Parkway Bakery, Parasol’s, Mahoney’s or another, nothing beats a great po’boy, especially the Roast Beef “Debris” Po’Boy in Emerils, cookbook, Kicked-Up Sandwiches!
From an excerpt in Kicked-Up Sandwiches, Emeril says, “You begin with a pot-roast stuffed with lots of of garlic cloves, cooked down until falling apart. The meltingly tender meat is then shredded, and added back into the pan drippings that soak into the po-boy bread like nobody’s business. Don’t let the name scare you, as the tiny bits of meat that fall into the pan are the “debris” part, and that certainly is the best debris I have ever heard of! Warning: bring a napkin.”
I visited Local Catch Bar & Grill on 30-A in Blue Mountain Beach this week for a fall menu tasting, and to update a local food story (page 12) I recently wrote. Chef Adam Yellin is from New Orlean’s, trained at Commander’s Palace, and this past spring opened a new restaurant in an old establishment in South Walton. Adam is a huge fan of Emeril, who has been seen about town in the last few weeks, as he is filming “Emeril’s Florida” which will air on the Cooking Channel in January.
Though Emeril has stopped at many of my favorite restaurants along the way, he missed a good one with Local Catch (see my photos)! Chef Adam was bummed needless to say, but I am hoping this might be incintive for Emeril to give Local Catch a try soon, as Chef Adam makes killer Baja Style Fish Taco’s, succulent Pork Nacho’s, and has a Po’ Boy Menu with, get this, A Roast Beef “Debri’s” Po’Boy! Local Catch also uses Leidenheimer bread from New Orleans, which in my opinion, is the best. Read here for the history of how the po’ boy came to be.
When I told Adam I was heading home to photograph my next #serioussandwich, he insisted I take home the Local Catch Debris Po-Boy to photograph as well, and … he did not have to ask me twice!
Since I can’t share Emeril’s Pot Roast recipe directly from the book (page 107), I have included his recipe from The Food Network. If you look to the right of my Po-Boy (below), you will aslo notice a serving of Emeril’s Classic Cole-Slaw (page 66-67). I added dill which his recipe did not call for, but either way it is delicious, just like all of the recipe’s in the book!
“Debris” Po-Boy’s
Ingredients
- 1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 pounds)
- 10 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in 1/2 lengthwise
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 to 2 long po’boy or French Bread loaves*
- Mayonnaise for dressing sandwiches (Duke’s, Blue Plate, Hellman’s)
- 10 ounces grated provolone cheese
- Thinly shredded iceberg lettuce, for dressing sandwiches
- Very thinly sliced tomatoes, for dressing sandwiches
- Thinly sliced dill pickles, for dressing sandwiches
- Red hot sauce, for dressing sandwiches, optional
Directions
* Traditional New Orleans po’boy loaves (like Leidenheimer) 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.
Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, make 20 evenly spaced small slits about 1 1/2-inches deep all over the pot roast. Using your fingers, insert the garlic cloves as deep into the meat as possible. Season the roast on all sides with the salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F
Heat a Dutch Oven just large enough to hold the roast over high heat. Add the oil and, when hot, sear the meat until very well browned on all sides, about 4 to 6 minutes per side. Don’t be afraid to let the roast get very brownthis is where a lot of the flavor comes from. When the roast is evenly browned on all sides, carefully add the broth and cover the pot. Transfer the roast to the oven and cook, turning once or twice during the cooking time, until it is falling apart-tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Check occasionally to make sure that there is always at least 1-inch of liquid on the bottom of the pan. Add more water, as necessary, to keep this level during the entire cooking process.
When the roast is very tender, remove it from the oven and let rest briefly. Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Using 2 forks, pull the meat apart into thin shreds, mixing the meat with the accumulated drippings left in the bottom of the pan. Allow meat to cool slightly before making po”boy.
Cut the po’boy bread into the desired lengths according to guests’ preferences, (most po”boy come in 4, 6, or 8-inch sizes.) Slice the bread(s) in half lengthwise and spread both cut sides liberally with mayonnaise, to taste. Spoon the moist meat filling over the bottom portion of each piece of bread, drizzling with extra drippings, then top with grated provolone and place in the oven just until cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and top “dress” with lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. Sprinkle with hot sauce, if desired, top the po’boy with the other half of bread, and serve immediately.
