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one cold sandwich cut into two halves on an ordinary plate using soft untoasted sourdough with pale unbrowned bread faces, thin loosely folded cooked roast beef with lightly pink centers and browned edges, firm unmelted aged cheddar slices and small cornichons sliced thinly lengthwise into narrow green strips over smooth pale Dijon-mustard butter, with no toast marks, whole mustard seeds, large round pickle slices, melted cheese, gravy, greens, chips or garnish
Andre Lewis

Cold Roast Beef and Cheddar Sandwich

Roast a small eye of round ahead of lunch, chill it thoroughly and slice it thinly across the grain for this cold beef-and-cheddar sandwich. A firm chilled roast is easier to cut into clean slices than a warm one that bends under the knife. Mustard butter seasons the sourdough, while finely sliced cornichons add crunch beside the aged cheddar. Keep the meat in loose folds rather than compressing it into a solid stack. The longer preparation time includes chilling the roast, making this a useful sandwich to plan the day before rather than starting with hot meat when it is time to pack the bag.
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Prep Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/4 lbs trimmed beef eye-of-round roast
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 8 slices sourdough sandwich bread
  • 4 oz aged cheddar thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup cornichons drained, thinly sliced lengthwise and blotted dry

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Rub beef with olive oil, salt, garlic powder and pepper and set on a rack in a small roasting pan.
  2. Roast for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 325°F and cook for 25 to 40 minutes more until the center reaches 145°F. Rest for 15 minutes, including at least 3 minutes before cutting.
  3. Cut the roast crosswise into 2 shorter pieces and place in a shallow container. Refrigerate promptly for about 3 hours until 40°F or colder; prep time includes this chilling period.
  4. Slice cold beef very thinly across the grain. Mix softened butter with Dijon and spread over one face of every bread slice.
  5. Divide cheddar over 4 bread slices, add loosely folded roast beef and dry cornichon slices, then close with remaining bread. Cut each sandwich in half.
  6. Serve cold or refrigerate at 40°F or below, using ice packs for transport.