Roast Beef Po'Boys

Roast Beef Po'Boys

I remember as a small child our family treat was going to Lil' Rays to get a sloppy roast beef po'boy. I could not imagine life without a po'boy. Most people eat theirs dressed, which means with lettuce and tomatoes. Me, I prefer mine with extra gravy and lots of mayo only. Some like fried shrimp, and some like fried oysters on theirs. My husband prefers his with a hamburger patty. Anyway you eat it, I think it is the bread that matters most. You got to have some good po'boy bread or it's just another sandwich.Before Hurricane Katrina we could get Desporte's bread anytime. They made the best around. Now however, I get mine from New Orleans. One store I am lucky to live near has it sent in from New Orleans. I buy it four loaves at a time.

I have searched everywhere for the best recipe to make po'boys, and after trying many, I finally found one that my family raves over. They say it is like eating in New Orleans!!

You will need:
2 lbs of  roast
French bread 
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 cup oil
2 tsp Kitchen Bouquet
3 cups broth, reserved from the boiled beef
1 garlic clove sliced in small pieces

You will need a dutch oven. (My momma always said you have to sear your roast before cooking so I do.)  Trim the fat off your roast, discard. Make several small slices in your roast and place sliced garlic cloves deep into the roast. Place a tsp. of oil in your dutch oven. Put in your roast and let sear on each side until slightly brown. Cover with water. You will need to boil your roast for about an hour and a half. It will not be tough I promise! Remove roast and let cool on a plate. Keep your broth for gravy.You will need about 3 cups.
In a small bowl you will mix your flour, pepper, salt, oil, and Kitchen Bouquet. It will look like a brown lump. Make sure you have your broth at a boil and add your flour mixture to the boiling broth. I use a whisk to break it all up and mix it well. My family likes their gravy dark so you can add more Kitchen Bouquet to the gravy if you wish. If your gravy is too thick add water, if too thin, make a little more flour mixture to add to it. 
Your roast should be cool enough to handle, if you have a meat slicer YAY, if not well, join the club, and get busy slicing by hand. You will need to slice as thin as you can. This takes awhile but it is worth it. 
Place the sliced roast in a baking pan and cover completely with the gravy. Then tightly cover with foil. You will then place it in a 350 degree oven and bake for about an hour. It will be very tender. 
Slice your french bread and slather with mayo, and top with roast beef and gravy. Add lettuce and tomato if you wish yours dressed. Press down on your po'boy and then place it on a cookie sheet and toast slightly in the oven remove and EAT, but better get some napkins.... 
 A yummy side dish to eat with your po'boy:
My family has a quirky twist to our po'boy eating. We like to sop up the drippings with our french fries. So, when we are home I fry up some fries, and we cover them with some of the gravy and roast pieces. YUM! It is really good! Also you can use plain potato chips instead of fries.