Beef on Weck

Written by
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Leah Maroney
Updated 05/22/19
Beef on Weck

The Spruce / Leah Maroney
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 85 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Beef on weck is a classic Buffalo sandwich. It’s thinly sliced roast beef served on a caraway and coarse salt coated roll. It’s salty, meaty, and very satisfying.

The “on weck” part comes from the name of the roll, Kummelweck. These rolls can be hard to find outside of the Buffalo region, but you can easily make them at home with only four ingredients. Pick your favorite bakery-style Kaiser roll or hamburger roll, brush on a little egg wash, dip in coarse salt and caraway seeds, and bake at 350 F for five minutes. The blend of flavors is hard to forget, and you may find yourself making this sandwich over and over.

Serve with horseradish sauce and a side of warm beef jus for the most authentic experience.

Ingredients

  • For the Roast Beef:
  • 2 1/2 pound top round roast
  • 3 garlic cloves (sliced into slivers)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • For the Rolls:
  • 4 kaiser or hamburger rolls
  • 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 egg (beaten)
  • For the Horseradish Sauce:
  • 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather your roast beef ingredients.

    Beef on Weck
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  2. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut 1/2 inch slits all around the roast. Insert the garlic slices into the slits. 

    Beef on Weck
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  3. Coat the roast with olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. 

    Beef on Weck
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  4. Place the roast fat side up in a roasting pan and place it in your preheated oven. Pour the beef broth in the bottom of the roasting pan. Do not pour it over the roast. Bake for 15 minutes and then turn the heat down to 250 F. Cook until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 135 F. This will take 25 to 35 minutes, depending on the size and shape of your roast. 

    Beef on Weck
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  5. Remove the roast from the oven and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes. Place the beef drippings from the bottom of the pan into a small saucepan and keep them warm. 

    Beef on Weck
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

Prepare the Weck Rolls

  1. While the roast is resting, gather the ingredients for the rolls. 

    Beef on Weck
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  2. Brush the top of each roll with the egg wash. Whisk together the caraway seeds and the salt. Dip the top of the roll into the salt mixture. 

    Beef on Weck
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  3. Place the rolls on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 2 to 5 minutes or until the egg wash is set and the rolls are just slightly browned. 

    Beef on Weck
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  4. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool. 

    Beef on Weck
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

Prepare the Horseradish Sauce

  1. Gather the ingredients. 

    Beef on Weck
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  2. Whisk the ingredients together in a bowl.

    Beef on Weck
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  3. Thinly slice the roast beef. 

    Beef on Weck
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  4. Dip the roast beef into the jus and remove it quickly. 

  5. Cut the rolls in half and dip the top into the warm jus. Top the bottom of the rolls with roast beef. Spread the horseradish sauce on top of the roast beef and then top with the dipped roll. 

    Beef on Weck
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  6. Serve with extra jus and dig in immediately! 

Variations

You can use deli roast beef instead of making homemade roast beef, which will save a bunch of steps and lots of time.