North Shore 3-Way Roast Beef Sandwich · PrimedTable
American🥩 Meat
North Shore 3-Way Roast Beef Sandwich
⏱ 180 min
A legendary Massachusetts North Shore classic featuring paper-thin sliced roast beef, melted American cheese, creamy mayo, and distinctive James River BBQ sauce piled high on a homemade toasted onion roll. The recipe is split across two days: roast the eye of round and chill overnight on day one, then make fresh onion rolls and assemble the sandwich on day two.
James River barbecue sauceroom temperature~½ cupest.
mayonnaisefor top bun~½ cupest.
beef brothsplash for warming roast beef~1 cupest.
Steps
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1
Prepare the eye of round: unwrap the roast and pat dry with paper towels. Trim excess external fat and silver skin with a sharp knife, being careful not to remove too much meat.
2
Season the roast: rub lightly with beef tallow, then generously season with kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Remember that seasoning will only be tasted on the edges when sliced thin.
3
Tie the roast with kitchen string using multiple knots to keep it tight and ensure even cooking.
4
Roast the eye of round: place in a 275°F oven and roast until the internal temperature reaches 125-126°F, about 1.5 to 2.5 hours. The temperature will rise another 5-7 degrees while resting.
5
Cool and refrigerate: let the roast rest about 30 minutes, then wrap tightly (sealing out air) and refrigerate overnight. Cold roast beef slices much thinner than warm roast.
6
Start the dough: in a mixer, combine 3/4 cup warm water (110-120°F), one packet of dry active yeast, and 1 tbsp sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy, indicating the yeast is alive.
7
Add remaining dough ingredients: add oil, one roughly beaten egg, and kosher salt. Gradually add flour while mixing until a slightly tacky, semi-sticky dough ball forms, about 5 minutes.
8
First rise: place dough in a bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm spot for about 1.5 hours until doubled.
9
Shape the rolls: after rising, punch down the dough gently to release air. Form into a round, cut in half, then quarter each half. Pull the edges of each piece underneath to form a smooth ball, pinching the bottom.
10
Place on baking sheet and second rise: arrange rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet with space between them. Gently pat the tops to prevent excessive doming. Cover and let rise 20-30 minutes.
11
Make the onion-poppy seed topping: toss finely diced onion lightly with oil and about 1 tbsp poppy seeds.
12
Egg wash and top: lightly brush each roll with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water), then sprinkle with the onion-poppy seed mixture.
13
Bake the rolls: bake in a 375°F oven for 18-22 minutes until golden brown.
14
Slice the roast beef: use a meat slicer to cut the chilled roast into paper-thin slices. Start at a thicker setting and adjust to a thinner setting for the desired thickness.
15
Warm the roast beef: heat a splash of beef broth in a pan, add the roast beef slices, warm for about 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Do not overheat.
16
Assemble the sandwich: place one slice of American cheese on the bottom roll, pile on the warmed roast beef, apply James River BBQ sauce (at room temperature) over the beef, and spread mayonnaise on the top roll.
17
Enjoy: pick up your towering sandwich and take a bite, savoring the contrast between the toasted crispy exterior of the roll and the soft interior, along with the layers of roast beef, cheese, BBQ sauce, and mayo.
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