New Orleans Roast Beef Po-Boys

My New Orleans Roast Beef Po-Boy is dripping with a debris gravy that'll have you licking your fingers!

Here are some amazing drinks to wash down your po-boy: Hurricane Drink, Southern Sweet Tea, Hibiscus Sweet Tea, Strawberry Ginger Lemonade, and Blueberry Vodka Lemonade.

Latest Recipe Video:

I love sandwiches, and not many compare to a roast beef po-boy. There's something special about tender shredded roast beef that is well seasoned and smothered in an amazing gravy.

I'm going to take you on a trip to the Big Easy (New Orleans, LA) with this roast beef po-boy. You'll want to strap in once you have this fully dressed-sandwich. Your life will be changed forever.

The pot roast is the first thing we have to get right before making roast beef po-boys. With a successfully cooked pot roast, your roast beef will be part of the heavens. You can hear the angels sing when it's cooked right.

I like to use an instant pot to make my pot roast because it saves me a lot of time. However, feel free to cook yours in a Dutch oven or slow cooker.

What was the original po-boy?

A couple of stories are floating around about the origins of the New Orleans po-boy. The first mention of the term "poor boy" was coined by Madame Bégué, who ran a stand in the French Market in the late 1890s.

The term came about because African-American kids used to beg for sandwiches "for a poor boy" because they had no money.

Bennie and Clovis Martin claim that they coined the phrase during the streetcar strikes in 1929. They would serve free food to any poor boy or union member who came to their French Market stand.Oh, I need to add that John Gendusa bakery is the home of the original po boy bread. They were the bread suppliers for the Martin brothers. The irony is that Gendusa used his Sicilian heritage to create the famous French bread. You can still walk right up to the door and buy bread. This is where I would get my bread anytime I wanted to make po-boys at home or needed day ol' bread for bread pudding.

Key Ingredients

Before you start whipping up your roast beef po-boy, look at this list of ingredients to make sure you have everything you need.

Chuck Roast

Roast beef po-boys are always made with a chuck roast.

Seasonings

We're going to make our own pot roast seasoning blend but will also use onions, celery, garlic, and bay leaves as aromatics.

Beef Broth

I love to use low-sodium beef broth whenever I make this recipe.

French Bread

French bread has a crisp crust with a delicate interior which separates it from hoagies, grinders, subs, or heroes.

Shredded Lettuce

You have to dress your sandwich, including tomato, mayonnaise, and shredded lettuce. I like adding pickles too.

How to Make Roast Beef Po Boy recipes?

I want you to have fun making this roast beef po-boy recipe, so I'm going to teach you some simple techniques to get the most flavorful, tender roast beef. Now, recipes are plural because the only thing that separates a debris po boy from a roast beef is how much you shred the beef.

Roast beef will have nice noticeable shredded meat, and debris will be finely shredded beef; think of the smaller pieces of beef that'll be left floating in the gravy. So it's up to you how much you shred your meat.

Step 1: In a small bowl, combine salt, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin until smooth.

Step 2: Season chuck roast with ½ cup of pot roast seasoning evenly on all sides. Add oil to a 5-quart pot over medium heat oil is hot when flour bubbles when sprinkled in; add flour evenly over roast and shake off excess flour. Set aside 4 tablespoons of seasoned flour.

I like to use my stove to brown my roast and make my gravy because I can control the heat, unlike using the sauté function on my pressure cooker.

Step 3: Cook roast for 3 minutes on every side until golden brown. Set roast aside and stir in the seasoned flour until the roux turns peanut butter brown. Add onions, celery, and 2 teaspoons of pot roasting seasoning, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and bay leaves. Stir in beef broth and 1 teaspoon of seasoning, and bring to a boil.

Step 4: Add beef and gravy to the pressure cooker, cover, and cook on high pressure for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the roast is fork tender. Release the pressure, place the roast on a platter, shred it with two forks, and tent it with foil.

Step 5: Turn the instant pot on, sauté for 15 minutes, and cook until the gravy has thickened.

Step 6: To assemble, spread ¼ cup of mayonnaise evenly over the top and bottom of the bread. On top of the bread, place the lettuce, pickles, and tomatoes. On the bottom of the bread, add the pot roast and gravy, close the sandwich and cut it in half or into smaller desired pieces. 

How To Store Leftover Roast Beef Po-Boys

The pot roast is excellent the day of but even better the next day. Store in an airtight container for 7 days in the fridge.

Freeze in an airtight container for 3 months—Thaw before serving.

Reheat pot roast in a pot over medium heat until hot; time varies depending on the amount being reheated. Then dress your bread to your liking and enjoy!

Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks

Here are the best practices and flavor builders you'll need to make delicious po boys at home.

• I aim to cook every pound of chuck roast for 18-20 minutes of cooking time in a pressure cooker.
• I like to use my stove to brown my roast and make my gravy because I can control the heat, unlike using the sauté function on my pressure cooker.
• If you live outside of New Orleans, the closest thing to French bread can be found at your local Vietnamese restaurant, wherever they sell Bahi Mi sandwiches.
• If you use salted beef broth, you may need to add water to your gravy to reduce the salt flavor.
• You can use chicken stock instead of beef broth.
• Use your favorite pot roast seasoning instead of mine.
• When making your roux, you may need to adjust your heat if the roux is turning brown too fast.
• Traditionally cheese is not added, but you can add provolone cheese or mozzarella to yours.
• The phrase dressed means mayonnaise, tomatoes, and shredded lettuce will be added to your po boy.
• If you cook your pot roast in a Dutch oven, cook for 3-4 hours over medium-low heat.
• If you cook your pot roast in a slow cooker or crock pot, cook for 6-7 hours on low heat.

FAQs

Here are the top questions readers have about making roast beef po-boys.

More New Orleans Recipes

These New Orleans food recipes will surely please anyone who loves good eating!

• New Orleans Mac N Cheese
• Seafood Filé Gumbo
• Blackened Chicken Po-Boys
• Red Beans and Rice
• Classic New Orleans Beignets
• Dirty Rice
• Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Before You Begin

Before getting started, here are the steps I use to get organized. 

Step 1: Get all ingredients and tools for the roast beef po boys on the counter.

Step 2: Put everything measured into individual bowls.

Step 3: Get ready to enjoy the best roast beef po-boys you've ever had by following this recipe.

If you're ever in the mood for a fantastic sandwich, be sure to make my roast beef po-boy recipe. It's dripping with deliciousness! If you give it a try, leave a comment and star rating if you do!

Click here to subscribe to MY Weekly Recipes for easy and free recipes right into your inbox! 

To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the Pin button on the recipe card, the sharing buttons above or below this post, or any of the photos above. 

Tag me @kennethtemple_ and use #LezEat on Instagram to share your remakes with me, and don't forget to leave a star rating and comment below. 

📖 Recipe

New Orleans Roast Beef Po-Boys

Kenneth Temple

My Roast Beef Po-Boy is dripping with a debris gravy that'll have you licking your fingers!

4.23 from 31 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 18 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Cajun, Creole, New Orleans

Servings 12 persons

Calories 456 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Pot Roast Seasoning:

• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons black pepper
• 1 tablespoon white pepper
• 1 tablespoon cayenne
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon granulated onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin

Pot Roast:

• 3 ½ lbs. beef shoulder chuck roast
• ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup oil
• 1 medium onion chopped medium
• 3 stalks celery chopped medium
• 5 garlic cloves chopped fine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 cups low sodium beef stock
• 10 oz. French bread halved
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup shredded lettuce
• 12 sliced dill pickles
• 2 Roma tomatoes sliced ½ inch thick

Instructions

 

Pot Roast Seasoning:

• In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients.

Pot Roast:

• Season chuck roast with ½ cup of pot roast seasoning evenly on all sides. Add oil to a 5-quart pot over medium heat oil is hot when flour bubbles when sprinkled in; add flour evenly over roast and shake off excess flour. Set aside 4 tablespoons of seasoned flour.
• Cook roast for 3 minutes on every side until golden brown. Set roast aside and stir in the seasoned flour until the roux turns peanut butter brown. Add onions, celery, and 2 teaspoons of pot roasting seasoning, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and bay leaves. Stir in beef broth and 1 teaspoon of seasoning, and bring to a boil.
• Add gravy and pot roast to the pressure cooker, cover, and cook on high pressure for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Release the pressure, place the roast on a platter, shred it with two forks, and tent it with foil.
• Turn the instant pot on sauté for 15 minutes, and cook until the gravy has thickened.
• To assemble, spread ¼ cup of mayonnaise evenly over the top and bottom of the bread. On top of the bread, place the lettuce, pickles, and tomatoes. On the bottom of the bread, add the pot roast and gravy, close the sandwich and cut it into desired pieces.

Notes

Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks

Here are the best practices and flavor builders you'll need to make delicious po boys at home.

• I aim to cook every pound of chuck roast for 18-20 minutes of cooking time in a pressure cooker.
• I like to use my stove to brown my roast and make my gravy because I can control the heat, unlike using the sauté function on my pressure cooker.
• If you live outside of New Orleans, the closest thing to French bread can be found at your local Vietnamese restaurant, wherever they sell Bahi Mi sandwiches.
• If you use salted beef broth, you may need to add water to your gravy to reduce the salt flavor.
• You can use chicken stock instead of beef broth.
• Use your favorite pot roast seasoning instead of mine.
• When making your roux, you may need to adjust your heat if the roux is turning brown too fast.
• Traditionally cheese is not added, but you can add provolone cheese or mozzarella to yours.
• The phrase dressed means mayonnaise, tomatoes, and shredded lettuce will be added to your po boy.
• If you cook your pot roast in a Dutch oven, cook for 3-4 hours over medium-low heat.
• If you cook your pot roast in a slow cooker or crock pot, cook for 6-7 hours on low heat.

Storage: 

Pot roast is excellent the day of but even better the next day. Store in an airtight container for 7 days in the fridge.

Freeze in an airtight container for 3 months—Thaw before serving.  

Reheat pot roast in a pot over medium heat until hot; time varies depending on the amount being reheated. Then dress your bread to your liking and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 456kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 31gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 2251mgPotassium: 707mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 613IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 5mg

Keyword new Orleans roast beef po boy, New Orleans style, po boy recipe roast beef, roast beef po boy, roast beef po boy recipes

Cooked this recipe?Let me know how it was!