Transform Leftover Roast Beef Into This Classic New Orleans Sandwich

Louisiana, and New Orleans in particular, is rightly famous for its cornucopia of unique foods from gumbo to beignets at Café du Monde. The city is also no slouch when it comes to its sandwich game, and there the po'boy reigns supreme. Locals grew up eating these overstuffed sandwiches on French bread, and while fried shrimp or oyster are near the pinnacle, nothing can beat a roast beef po' boy. And the bonus is that making one of these at home is a bit easier than frying up a mess of seafood, especially if you happen to have some leftover roast beef in the fridge and are looking to get creative.

The big difference between a roast beef po' boy and a regular roast beef sub is the gravy. When you're eating a good roast beef po' boy, the gravy should be dripping down your arms and pooling on the plate, requiring a stack of napkins to get through. The trick to achieving the same texture and flavor at home using leftovers is all about the gravy, and there are a variety of ways to get there depending on how much time and effort you're willing to put in.

The simplest method to turning your leftover roast beef into a delicious po' boy involves whisking together beef consommé and powdered gravy mix that's then simmered with the roast beef. This is fast and easy, but if you're willing to spend a bit more time, you could make a classic gravy. This starts with a roux of flour and butter cooked with minced garlic and black pepper before adding beef stock or broth to the pan until it thickens. Toss in the leftover roast beef, let it warm up in a pan, and you'll be nearly ready to enjoy your po'boy.

The bread you choose is also key to the perfect roast beef po' boy. The French bread from Leidenheimer Baking Company in New Orleans is a classic choice since it's wider than a baguette and therefore able to hold a lot of roast beef with its crisp crust and airy, pillowy interior. If you live outside of Louisiana, you'll have to look elsewhere. A good choice is either a Vietnamese bánh mì loaf or Cuban bread. A hoagie roll also works in a pinch, but should be crisped up in the oven first. Finally, you have to decide whether to dress your po' boy with shredded iceberg lettuce, tomato slices, pickles, and mayonnaise. But by far, it's a good gravy and bread that turns your leftover roast beef into a true po' boy.