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Pit Beef Recipe

9K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  andypat 
#1 ·
I plan to make Pit Beef sandwiches next weekend for a super bowl party. Any tips? I have read all the articles online. Some say grill a big chunk of top round over direct heat, others say quater the round and wrap in foil for the first half of the cooking process, others say to skip the round and use top sirloin.

Any advice from someone experienced would be helpful. I grew up in B-more and have probably eaten 1,000 pit beef sandwiches but I have never cooked them. Anyone have a special Rub?

Thanks, Jeremy
 
#2 · (Edited)
Here's an easy and I believe best way to make Pit Beef.I used to own a Pit Beef stand and I've used Top Round,Bottom Round,Butts & Eye Round.I prefer Eye Round.It cooks faster,is perfect in size for sandwiches and there's very little to no fat or gristle waste.In the long run,you'll save cooklng time and have a trouble free cooking experience with good quality sandwiches.After it's cooked,you just slice it like you would a loaf of Itallian Bread with no worries about figuring out which way the grain goes like on Top round etc. I sprinkle a heavy coating of" Montreal Steak Seasoning"all over the Eye Round.You can't over do this part because when you slice the Beef,the coating is just the bark on the outside and not through the meat.This seasoning goes so well with it,you just might lick the seasoning off and skip the Beef.If the Eye round is too long for you to handle on your grill,you can cut it in 2 equal pieces.I like my beef on the medium side but that's your choice.Well done Beef tastes dry and gets tough IMO.After it's cooked, you just slice it thin and you should have a Good Pit Beef Sandwich.My favorite BBQ sauce is KC Masterpiece,Original.It's delicious.When determining how much beef you'll need,figure 2-3 sandwiches per # of Beef.If you figure 16oz. per lb..of raw Beef = 4...4oz. sandwiches per. lb.,you'll come up short.The longer you cook it,the more weight you'll lose from dehydration.Keep a pitcher of water handy.If you a get a fire flare up,pour some on to quench it.The fire from the coals should build right back up.Try it this year
 
#3 ·
One last thing in remembrance of my Father. I opened the Pit Beef stand,named" The Alamo" at Pulaski hwy. & Joppa Farm rd.1985.My father was eating a sandwich.He said,these would taste a lot better on a roll.We bought some rolls from the bread man.Sales took off like crazy.During that period,Baltimore Pit Beef stands only sold thier sandwiches on white or rye bread.The bread man told all the rest of the Beef Stands the reason for the long lines at the Beef Stand and pushed Kaiser Rolls on the other Beef Stands.Now you know where serving Pit Beef on Kaiser Rolls started in Baltimore.Thanks Dad
 
#8 ·
I probably eat a few from your Pit Beef Stand. Years ago us guys from Highland Town would hit a few places in the afternoon on Sunday for a few beers, and always hit a Pit Beef Stand. A lot of the bars along and around Pulaski Hwy had pit beef out back of the bar.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I had a book called Real BBQ.These 2 guys went all over the US eating every kind of BBQ available.Texas was the winner with Sonny Bryants their favorite.It got to the point where they wouldn't even stop at gas or charcoal pits.Only meat cooked slow over wood.If they didn't see a woodpile behind the stand..they kept on truckin.BBQ started with farmers cooking real BBQ real slow with wood all night long on Saturday for homebound church goers on Sunday by the side of the road on their farms.When the book was written,80s the only place they stopped in Maryland was "Johnny's BBQ" on 301 in southern Maryland.I don't think it's still there?I'm pretty sure Johnny slow cooked with wood.This is a great book if you want to know all about BBQ.http://www.amazon.com/Real-Barbecue-Joints-sauces-cookers-And/dp/0060962674
 
#7 ·
I know this is an old thread but the super bowl is right around the corner again. The real trick to making the best roast beef is the slow and low method of cooking. I'm not hung up on a specific cut as any cut from the top or bottom works well. Liberally apply a homemade or prepared dry rub to the meat. Sear the entire roast on a hot dry cast iron pan for approximately 1-2 minutes per side. You want to seal the roast with the searing process to prevent any of the moisture from escaping. It only takes about the outer 1/8-1/16 of an inch to do this. Once the searing is complete put the roast in a preheated 170 degree oven. I generally cook roasts of around 4-5 lbs. Cooking time is determined by temperature only. I will check the first time after about 4 hours. I like to cook mine to an internal temperature of 125- 130degrees. Once you remove from the heat the temperature will usually increase by about 5 degrees before cooling down. Let the roast "rest" for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Slice as thin as you can. I have a meat slicer that is perfect for this. Not sure on the exact science involved but the lower temps breaks down the meat and you end up with the most juicy and tender piece of meat. On one occasion I made the mistake of overcooking a roast. It had reached 145 before I pulled it from the over. I thought it would be ruined but the inside was just as tender and almost as pink as one pulled at 125 degrees. I have tried on many occasions to duplicate the process in my wood smoker but its more difficult to regulate the 170 degree temp although the smoke adds a nice taste to the outside of the meat. I plan on getting an electric smoker and should be the ticket. I get requests several times every year from friends and family to bring my roast beef for sandwiches. Cooking this way may not be the authentic pit smoked beef but in my opinion the trade off is a much tenderer juicy sandwich. I'm not big on liquid smoke but you could add to get the smoky flavor that some folks want. Do a search on line for the "low and slow" roasting method for more specifics if you are interested in trying this. You wont be disappointed.
 
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