Beef on weck

Abeef on weckis a sandwich found primarily inWestern New YorkState, particularly in the city ofBuffalo.It is made withroast beefon akummelweck roll, a roll that is topped withkosher saltandcarawayseeds. The meat on the sandwich is traditionally servedrare, thin cut, with the top bun getting a dip injusand spread withhorseradish.
The sandwich, along withBuffalo wingsandsponge candy, is one of the three best-known food specialties of Buffalo.
The origin and history of the beef on weck sandwich is not well established but is thought to predate the 1960s development of Buffalo wings by approximately a century.It is believed that a German baker named William Wahr, who is thought to have immigrated from theBlack Forestregion of Germany, created the kummelweck roll while living inBuffalo, New York.Wahr may have based the kummelweck roll on a special loaf left as a ceremonial offering for the dead known inSwabiaasSchwäbische Seele, which is a thin roll resembling a baguette that is topped with salt and caraway seeds.The sandwich's creation is estimated to have taken place some time in the mid-19th century, according to a butcher in Western New York.
A localpubowner is said to have used the roll to create the beef on weck, with the thought that the salty top of the roll would encourage his patrons to purchase more drinks.
The kummelweck roll (sometimes spelled "kümmelweck"), topped withkosher saltandcarawayseeds, gives the sandwich its name and a distinctive taste.Kümmelis the German word for caraway,andWeckmeans "roll" in the south-western German dialects ofPalatinate, theSaarland,BadenandSwabiaareas (northern Germans generally sayBrötchen). However, the roll used for this American sandwich tends to be softer and fluffier than a standard German Kümmelbrötchen or Kümmelweck.InAustria, a similar type of small white-bread is known asKümmelweckerl(diminutive fromWecken, which refers to a whole big bread, i.e.,Brotwecken).
Buffalo-area bakeries are the only commercial source for the roll.
A typical beef on weck is made from slow-roasted rareroast beefthat is hand-carved in thin slices, served on a kummelweck roll. The cut face of the top half of the roll may be dipped in thejusfrom the roast.Prepared horseradishis usually provided for the diner to spread to taste on the top half of the roll.Preparation is often done in view at a carving station.
The beef on weck has long been popular regionally, and has gained a following in other areas of the United States where it has been introduced.Expatriates from Western New York have taken the dish and brought it to other areas after relocating.For example, PJ's BAR-B-QSA inSaratoga Springsin Eastern New York is noted for its beef on weck.It has also been featured by chefs on cooking shows including thePBSspecialSandwiches That You Will Like.Bobby Flay,Anthony Bourdainand other chefs have featured the beef on weck, or a variant, on their television programs.
The American restaurant chainBuffalo Wild Wingswas started by former residents of the Western New York area and the original name of the restaurant was "Buffalo Wild Wings and Weck", abbreviated as "BW3", the third W referring to weck. Some still refer to the company with the extra "W" in its abbreviation, despite the fact it was removed in 1998.The chain used to serve an updated version of the beef on weck called the Thirty-Fifth Weck Sandwich.
The Daily Mealreviewed the beef on weck as a "roast beef sandwichthat dreams are made of" in their article "12 Life-Changing Sandwiches You've Never Heard Of".