Eric Scott’s Beef on Weck

As the cheesesteak is to Philly, the Beef on Weck is to Buffalo.

Growing up in Western New York, this regional delicacy was as much a staple for me as the chicken wing. It's a roll piled high with tender, thin, sliced roast beef that is flash-cooked in hot au jus. It's served with horseradish and a side of hand-cut fries. This is perfect for a family meal, football party, or anytime!

What the heck is a Weck?

The secret is in the roll. Kummelweck (shortened to "Weck") is a traditional German roll. It's a fragrant, dense roll crusted with kosher salt and caraway seeds that is perfect for sopping up all the delicious au jus. It's virtually impossible to find a Weck roll outside of the Buffalo area, and baking them from scratch can be time-consuming. In this episode, I show you how to make an excellent substitute using Kaiser rolls from your local bakery. If you would like my mom's traditional German recipe, just send me a message, and I'll be happy to share.

Au Jus is the juice left over from roasting beef. It's a must for this sandwich. If your deli roasts their own beef, ask them for it. You can also get jarred or powdered au jus, and it works just fine. However, DON'T use gravy. Gravy is too heavy, and you won't get the full, rich flavors of the beef. The goal is to flash-cook the beef in the hot au jus, but don't let the au jus boil. At a boil, the beef will become tough, not tender.

Hand-cut steak fries are the perfect pairing for this delicious sandwich, and I'll show you how to cut them, season them, and cook them to perfection in your air fryer.

Eric Scott is Vice President, Senior Political Director and Director of Special Projects for New Jersey 101.5. He anchors "New Jersey's First News" and weekday morning newscasts from 5 to 10 a.m., in addition to hosting a bimonthly Town Hall series.

More from New Jersey 101.5: