Beef on Weck is a huge tradition in Western New York, but it can be impossible to find in other parts of the country. Thanks to this easy recipe and my secret to the easiest homemade kummelweck rolls ever, you can make delicious beef on weck sandwiches at home.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
- Homemade kummelweck rolls. Made with just 3 ingredients, these rolls will take your sandwich to the next level.
- Perfect for game day. Keep the meat warm in your slow cooker and your guests can keep coming back for more.
- Slider-sized. For built-in portion control!
Game day is coming up, and it’s time to make an important decision: what to eat?
No matter what team you’re rooting for, you can’t go wrong with grilled chicken sliders, wings or chili. But if you want to add something more to your spread, you need to try this Beef on Weck recipe.
The homemade kummelweck roll will knock your socks off, and you’ll get bonus points for serving up an authentic taste of Buffalo.
These sandwiches are simple, but they have all of the essentials: savory meaty goodness, crunchy bread with the perfect amount of salt, and touch of heat.
This is a recipe that you’ll have on repeat all season long.
What is Beef on Weck?
Beef on weck is a specific type of warm roast beef sandwich that’s popular in Buffalo, New York.
It’s made with thinly sliced, slow roasted roast beef served on a kimmelweck roll.
To make a beef on weck sandwich, you slather a roll with horseradish, pile it high with rare roast beef warmed in au jus, and dip the top of the roll in even more au jus before placing it on top of the sandwich.
Beef on weck can be found pretty easily in Western New York (Charlie the Butcher is a must-visit in the area, but I’ve also had decent sandwiches right at the Bills Stadium)
It’s hard to find these sandwiches once you venture out of upstate New York, but thanks to this recipe you can make great beef on weck at home.
What are Kimmelweck rolls?
Kimmelweck rolls (also known as kummelweck rolls or weck) are kind of like pretzel rolls’ older, cooler cousin. They’re a little softer – similar to kaiser rolls – and topped with coarse salt and caraway seeds.
They’re so good.
They’re also nearly impossible to find, so I had to take matters into my own hands.
Kimmelweck rolls look like they’d be really difficult to make, but trust me: they’re not!
I made these super easy homemade weck rolls by shaping store bought Italian bread dough into slider rolls. It’s so easy, and you’d never be able to tell if you didn’t see the wrappers in the trash.
They’re also great for making ground beef sliders and other mini sandwiches!
Fun Fact
If you’ve ever wondered why Buffalo Wild Wings is sometimes called “BW3’s” it’s because they used to be called Buffalo Wild Wings and Weck. Beef on weck is a Buffalo tradition right up there with the chicken wing!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Bread dough. You can buy a pound of pizza dough or use 2 tubes of Pillsbury French bread dough.
Flaky Kosher salt. Flaky salt is key to proper kimmelweck rolls. Whatever you do, don’t try swapping this for regular table salt.
Caraway seeds. It wouldn’t be weck without it!
Roast Beef. Make your own (these sandwiches are a great way to use up leftover holiday roast!) or buy a pound of roast beef from the deli counter.
Prepared horseradish. For that spicy kick that goes so well with roast beef. If you like a little less heat, you can use horseradish sauce or mix the horseradish with a little plain Greek yogurt, sour cream, or mayonnaise.
Beef Stock. This forms the base of the au jus.
Red Wine. Use a dry red wine.
Worcestershire Sauce. To add extra richness and depth to the gravy.
How to make kimmelweck rolls
Divide the dough into 24 pieces. It’s helpful for them to be roughly the same size, but don’t worry about them being super exact.
Roll each piece of dough into a ball.
Press the top of each dough ball into a mixture of kosher salt and caraway seeds.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until toasty and golden brown.
Slice the rolls using a serrated bread knife.
How to assemble the sandwiches
Make the au jus by heating the beef stock, wine, and Woerchestershre sauce. Season with black pepper.
Dip the roast beef into the au jus.
Layer one piece or roast beef onto the bottom of each roll.
Top the roast beef with horseradish sauce.
Dip the cut edge of the top roll into au jus, then place it on top of the sandwich.
Commonly asked questions
Can I make these ahead?
I’ve never been a big fan of pre-made sandwiches because they get soggy too fast. That’s especially the case with these, and you’ll definitely want to eat them quickly after they’re assembled.
But if you want to keep these sandwiches warm for a an afternoon or evening of snacking, you can use your crockpot! Add the roast beef and jus to your slow cooker and leave it on the warm setting. Then your guests can make their own sliders with piping hot roast beef.
What if I don’t want to bake the rolls from dough?
You can make full sized beef on weck sandwiches using kaiser rolls! Brush the top of each roll with egg wash, then sprinkle liberally with salt and caraway seeds. Bake at 350ºF for 5 minutes.
Is beef on weck the same as a French dip?
These sandwiches are similar, but not the same. A french dip is typically served on baguette, which the kummelweck roll is essential for a beef on weck. French dips are also usually topped with cheese and served with additional au jus for dipping.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes! Use your favorite gluten-free pizza dough for the rolls and be sure to use a gluten-free beef stock and check the label of your Worcestershire sauce. Within the US, Lee and Perrins is gluten-free.
For more football food
- Parmesan-herb party pretzels
- Baked Buffalo chicken taquitos
- Spicy Cranberry Meatballs
- Smoky and Sweet Turkey Chili
You’ll also love these other New York inspired recipes:
- Chicken riggies
- Chicken spiedies
- Buffalo chickpeas
- Buffalo chicken lettuce wraps
- Buffalo street corn
- Buffalo chicken meatball subs
Beef on Weck Sliders
Ingredients
For the Kimmelweck Rolls
- 2 tubes Pillsbury French Bread or similar bread dough
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- ½ teaspoon flaky kosher salt
For the Beef
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup low sodium beef stock
- ⅛ cup red wine
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- cracked black pepper
- 1 pound sliced roast beef
- 3 teaspoons prepared horseradish
Instructions
To make the rolls
- Divide the dough into 24 portions. Roll each dough portion into a ball.
- In a small dish, combine the caraway and salt. Lightly press the top of each dough ball into the salt mixture.
- Arrange the rolls 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until crusty and beginning to brown.
- Let the rolls cool, then slice in half using a serrated bread knife.
To make the sandwiches
- While the rolls bake, melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the beef stock, wine, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, until warmed through.
- Spread the bottom of each roll with a thin layer of horseradish.
- Dip the roast beef into the au jus, then place one piece of beef on each roll.
- Dunk the cut edge of the top rolls into the au jus, then place on top of the sandwiches.
- Serve warm.
A perfect recipe for weck rolls. The roast beef you can make easily enough, the challenge for me was always finding or simulating the weck roll, until I read this. You have to try this recipe.
Was excited to try this recipe but sadly, the roast didn’t turn out. Needs to cook longer or a different cut of beef. Rump or round is too tough for 2.5 hours on low in a slow cooker. Great idea but the cook time is off.