Beef on Weck

Upstate on a Plate

Iconic dishes that shaped the flavor of New York’s North Country and beyond

Food is one of upstate New York’s great storytellers, and in The Flavor of Upstate New York, author June Hersh invites us to listen closely. On the surface, the region’s dishes are fun, creative and deeply comforting — the kind of food best enjoyed with cold beer and good conversation, writes Hersh. But beneath every familiar bite are layers of history, geography and culture.

Chicken riggies, salt potatoes and beef on weck speak to the resourcefulness of Italian, Irish and German immigrants. White corn carries the legacy of the Indigenous Haudenosaunee people who first cultivated this land. Even a simple sprinkle of granola reflects the region’s long tradition of innovation.

Hersh dedicates this book to the Haudenosaunee who revered this land, to the industrious immigrants who helped it flourish, and to the Jewish families who brought humor, mahjong and endless buffets to the Catskills when few other places welcomed them. Their stories — and their food — come together in a rich cultural and culinary mosaic that defines upstate New York. The Flavor of Upstate New York is part cookbook, certainly, but more, it’s a living history, showing how meals have long brought people together at the table across generations, cultures and communities.

Recipe for Beef on Weck

Serves 6 people

Start to finish: 1½-2 hours

If a French dip roast beef sandwich and cozy slippers had a love child, writes Hersh, the result would be beef on weck. This staple of Western New York, most specifically Buffalo, is like slipping into a well-worn booth in your favorite tavern. Paper-thin slices of slow-roasted beef are piled high on a kümmelweck roll — a kaiser-style bun topped with caraway seeds and crunchy salt — then finished with a swipe of sharp horseradish and served with rich au jus for dipping. Born from Buffalo’s deep German roots and fueled by salty bar culture and post-exposition crowds, beef on weck has earned devotees from neighborhood regulars to Chef Anthony Bourdain himself.

Beef

• 1 (3-pound) eye round
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, cut into lengthwise slivers
• 1 cup beef broth

1. Let the beef come to room temperature 1 hour before roasting. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and generously season the beef with kosher salt and pepper to create a flavorful crust. Cut small slits throughout the top of the roast and insert the garlic slivers.
2. Roast for 15 minutes at 450, then reduce temp to 350 and roast until medium rare, about 45 minutes longer. (Alternatively, use 2 pounds thinly sliced rare deli roast beef plus a packet of gravy for the jus.)

Kümmelweck Roll

• 6 kaiser rolls
• 1 egg white, beaten
• ½ teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Brush the top of the rolls with the egg white and sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of caraway seeds (more if you like a pungent roll) and a scant ¼ teaspoon of salt on each. Bake for 5-8 minutes until the tops have browned slightly. Remove from the oven and slice each roll in half.

Horseradish Cream

• ¼ cup mayo
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and chill until ready to use.

Assembly

1. Heat the jus in a medium saucepan. Remove the horseradish cream from the fridge. Dip the sliced beef in the jus to warm up a bit, but be sure you do not overcook it; you want the beef to remain rare. Pile the beef on the roll. Dip the top half of the roll in the jus and then spread horseradish cream on top. Close the sandwich and serve with a dipping bowl of jus on the side and a dill pickle spear.

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• Homemade Granola
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