Professional Category Winner
Recipe & Photo by Beth Crave
Waterloo, WI
- 4 pounds beef roast
- 4 tablespoons soybean oil
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 10 thumb size slices of fresh ginger
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons mirin
- 1/4 teaspoon curry paste
- 12 cups unsalted beef stock
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons red miso paste
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 2/3 cup Japanese sake wine
- 16 slices of rustic French bread
- 8 tablespoons butter, softened
- 16 thin slices Gouda cheese
- Ground mustard
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat an oven to 325°F.
Cut the beef into 2-inch pieces. In a large oven-proof saucepan over medium-high heat, add oil. When oil is hot add meat; brown the beef until caramelized on every side, approximately 5 minutes on each side. Remove the beef from the pan; let rest on plate. Add the sliced onions, garlic and ginger to the saucepan; sauté until soft, approximately 7-10 minutes. Return the beef to the saucepan; add tomato paste, soy sauce, mirin and curry powder. Stir frequently until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add in the beef stock, miso paste and sake wine. Stir until the miso paste has completely dissolved.
Cover saucepan; place in the oven for about 3 hours or until the beef is tender, and the liquid has reduced by 1/3.
Carefully remove all the beef, set aside.
Strain the liquid through a very fine sieve/strainer. Press on the solids to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids. Return the beef back into the saucepan along with the strained liquid. Using two forks; shred the beef in the liquid.
Taste the mixture; season with salt and pepper as desired.
To assemble the sandwiches: Pre-heat large skillet to medium heat. Spread butter on one side of each piece bread. Spread a thin layer of mustard on the opposite side of the bread. Place in skillet, butter side down. Place one slice of Gouda cheese on the bread. Pile the shredded beef on the cheese, place another slice of Gouda cheese on the beef. Top with another slice of bread with butter side facing up. Heat until golden brown on each side, about 3-5 minutes each. Repeat steps for remaining sandwiches.
Ladle the remaining liquid of beef mixture into eight soup bowls. Top each bowl with the sliced green onions.
Dip sandwich in liquid to eat.
- Yields: 8 servings