Barnyard Peppercorn Sandwiches
Delicious, satisfying, warm sandwiches filled with meats from the barnyard and cheeses from the dairy!
Barnyard Sandwich sliders
3 pounds chuck roast
salt
coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons oil
1 packet of dry onion soup mix
1 cup water
1 pound pork tenderloin
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried basil
16 slices bacon, cooked until crisp
3 onions, peeled and thinly sliced into rings
1 large red or yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1/3 cup olive oil
6 ounces Gruyere cheese, sliced thinly
6 ounces Fontina cheese, sliced thinly
16 slider rolls or small buns
-FOR THE BEEF:
- Sprinkle salt, pepper and garlic powder all over the chuck roast generously and leave sitting out at room temperature for about 20 minutes. In an oven-proof dutch oven or roasting pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over high heat on stovetop, until it starts to smoke. Add the roast and sear and brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per side.
-Add a cup of water and a packet of onion soup mix and stir briefly. Cover the roast and cook at 300 degrees for 3 - 4 hours until fork tender, about 195 degrees internal temperature. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. (Reserve and refrigerate or freeze drippings to make gravy or other sauces another time.) When cool, pull the meat apart into the largest chunks possible, removing fat. as you do so. Chill for about an hour or more, then slice as thinly as possible, against the grain, for sandwiches. (I use an electric slicer to get it as thin as possible.)
-FOR THE PORK TENDERLOIN:
-Rub the pork tenderloin with 2 tablespoon olive oil and then sprinkle on salt, pepper and dry basil and rub over tenderloin until evenly distributed. Place in an ovenproof skillet (cast iron, or other heavy skillet or baking dish). Dry roast the tenderloin, uncovered for about an hour or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
-To make slicing easier chill the pork for at least 30 minutes or longer. (May be cooked ahead.) To prepare for sandwiches, slice the pork against the grain as thinly as possible for sandwiches.
-FOR THE ONIONS & PEPPER:
-Slice the onions as thinly as possible into rings (or let your food processor do the slicing.) Remove the core, stem end and seeds of the pepper and cut into thin slices. Add 1/3 cup of olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Add the onions and pepper and sprinkle with about a teaspoon of salt. Stir and allow to saute over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes then turn the heat down to medium-low. Continue to stir the onions and pepper frequently over the next 35 -40 minutes as they caramelize (do not cover). When nicely colored and very soft remove from the skillet and drain off excess oil either in a colander or by placing the onions on paper towels.
PARMESAN PEPPERCORN DRESSING:
2⁄3 cup mayonnaise
1⁄3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon finely sliced fresh chives or green onion tops
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce (optional)
-Combine all ingredients together and chill for at least 1 hour or up to several days, well covered.
TO ASSEMBLE SANDWICHES:
-Place sliced rolls, meats, bacon, cheeses, onions and peppers, and poppyseed spread on working space. Open the rolls and spread generously with poppyseed dressing on both the top and bottom of the roll. Layer 2 - 3 cheese slices on each roll, followed by a slice of bacon, then 1 - 2 slices each of the pork and beef, then top with about a tablespoon of the carmelized onions and top off with another slice of cheese.
-Place filled rolls on a large baking sheet covered with enough foil to cover the bottom of the sheet and come up and over to cover the rolls. Continue until all the rolls are filled and placed on the baking sheet. Cover the rolls loosely with the overhanging edges of the foil.
-Place in a 350-degree oven and bake for about 20 - 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and dripping down the sides of the rolls. Remove and serve warm. Makes 16 slider-sized sandwiches.
To assemble sandwiches set out the rolls, sliced meats and cheese, bacon, caramelized veggies and poppyseed dressing.
Layer the fillings as described in recipes. Pile them high!
Place filled rolls in baking dish and cover loosely with foil to heat.
Want a bite? Get in line!
PERSNICKETY NOTES:
**Shortcut: Yes, you can cook your own meat, but let’s be real, there are those days, or perhaps they are all those days, when you want to make these glorious sandwiches quickly. That’s what delis are for! Ask for the tenderest beef and pork thinly sliced and consider the meat ready to go!
**Same goes for the rolls. I usually make my own - I know what you’re thinking, but I enjoy the process of making my own bread and I make my mixer do all of the hard work. That way I get to smell them baking! But bakeries know how to make them too and there are many different types of buns or rolls that are perfect for this sandwich. In fact, ciabatta rolls or foccacia bread are great for the Barnyard sandwich.
