Beef On Weck: The Iconic New York Sandwich Everyone Needs To Try Once In Their Life

Buffalo, New York, may be famous for its wings but there are several other culinary treats to which it lays claim: sponge candy, spaghetti parm, and loganberry drink. But if there's a true icon of the Western New York city, it's beef on weck, a sandwich featuring thin slices of roast beef, topped with pan drippings and placed on a bun known as a kummelweck. It may not be New York State's favorite sandwich –- that honor goes to pastrami on rye –- but it is certainly the favorite of this city at the edge of Lake Erie.

The roast beef portion of beef on weck can come from different cuts of meat, but the true star of the sandwich is the kummelweck roll, which is similar to a Kaiser roll that is hard on the outside and soft on the inside. What makes it unique is that the roll is topped with pretzel salt and caraway seeds (kummel means caraway in German). The man largely credited with introducing the bread to Buffalo is William Wahr, a baker from Bavaria, who either brought the roll from Germany or created his own version of a long thin baguette-like loaf used as a Halloween offering in the Swabia region of his former homeland.

Who first turned Wahr's creation into the perfect vehicle for roast beef is also up for debate, but in 2021 Schwabl's, a Buffalo stalwart since 1837, received recognition as the "home of the beef on weck" with historians giving the establishment a sign of distinction that reads the sandwich, "popular throughout Western NY" was "believed first served in late 1800s."  

A murky origin story

Though Schwabl's is officially "the home of beef on weck," the sandwich's origin story has always been debated. Joe Gohn, who owned the Delaware House, an inn and restaurant, also laid claim to the its creation. The inn sat across the street from an entrance to the 1901 Pan American Expo. According to What's Cooking America, Gohn thought a roast beef sandwich and a beer would be a great menu addition for those traveling there and tapped a local German baker to create a roll for the sandwich. The baker, who may or may not have been Wahr, suggested adding caraway seeds and salt. Another version credits a German immigrant with a bar on the waterfront who thought the salty roll would make his patrons thirstier and encourage them to buy more beer.

Schwabl's remains a local icon, but Anthony Bourdain thought Ulrich's 1868 Tavern was a hidden gem after having their beef on weck. Another beloved local spot is Charlie the Butcher. Wherever you go, the sandwich will likely be served with horseradish and some beef drippings, either on the sandwich itself or on the side for you to dunk and dip as you like. If you can't get to Buffalo, follow some important tips and make your own beef on weck at home.

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