Don’t you just love a delicious Prime Rib Roast with its juicy, perfectly pink center? I know I do, and I never want to see any prime rib leftovers go to waste. Since it is such a large meal with lots of leftovers, I am always in search of new recipes.
Enter leftover prime rib sandwiches! It’s a fun way to transform an elegant dinner into a casual meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Leftover prime rib sandwiches start with the meat, of course. After that, it’s your typical toppings of condiments, cheese, greens, and more. As always, use these ingredient quantities as a guide, and feel free to use more or less based on your preference and whatever other fixings you prefer.
- Bread: I love classic French bread or baguette, but you can use ciabatta bread, Italian bread, or even a hoagie roll to make it more of a prime rib sub.
- Prime rib: Use leftover Prime Rib that’s thinly sliced or shaved (more on this below) or even smoked prime rib. While prime rib is the meat of choice today, you can use this same recipe for any slow-roasted meat, like Pot Roast, corned beef, pastrami, or leftover roast beef.
- Condiments: Creamy Horseradish Sauce with Sour Cream is classic, or go for a healthier approach with Horseradish Yogurt Sauce. Or, keep it simple by whipping together a horseradish mayo, or simply use plain mayonnaise, stone ground, or Dijon mustard.
- Cheese: I love slices of provolone cheese, but you can also use Havarti, Swiss cheese, mild white cheddar cheese, or Pepper Jack cheese as well.
- Baby arugula: Peppery arugula cuts through the richness of the meat and cheese, but feel free to use thinly sliced romaine, iceberg lettuce, or even mixed greens.
- Sweet caramelized onions: Rich caramelized onions take this prime rib leftover sandwich up a notch, but you can keep it simple with sliced onions, Pickled Red Onions, sautéed onion, or Sauteed Shiitake Mushrooms.
How to Make Prime Rib Sandwiches
This leftover prime rib sandwich recipe comes together in a few easy steps. Here’s how I like to do it:
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the broiler to High. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice prime rib: Remove any excess fat from the roast, then slice the prime rib thinly with a sharp knife.
- Cut bread: Cut the baguette into four equal pieces. Then, slice each piece in half lengthwise, ensuring not to cut all the way through.
- Spread with horseradish cream sauce: Open the bread and spread two tablespoons of horseradish sauce on each side.
- Layer with meat and cheese: On one side of the bread, layer a few slices of leftover meat and one slice of cheese. Repeat the same process with the remaining sandwiches. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.
- Broil: Broil for 2 minutes or just until the cheese melts.
- Finish and serve: Remove from the oven and finish each sandwich with a handful of fresh arugula, caramelized onions, and some freshly cracked black pepper, if desired. Enjoy!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers?
Since leftover rib roast sandwiches have so many components, it’s best to assemble them fresh the day you are going to serve or up to 1 day in advance. And to ensure none of that delicious prime rib meat goes to waste, proper storage is key. For the best storage and reheating, simply:
- Storage: Wrap the leftover prime rib roast (or assembled sandwiches) tightly in plastic wrap or keep it in an airtight container. Store the sandwiches in the fridge for 1 day and the prime rib for up to 3 days.
- Reheat sandwiches: If reheating the entire sandwich the next day, remove the arugula and wrap the sandwich in foil. Then, reheat sandwiches in a low oven (250 – 300 degrees F) for 10-15 minutes or until warmed to your liking.
Variations
Thinly sliced prime rib is just as delicious served open-faced, pressed, wrapped, or mini. Some of my favorite variations for rib roast sandwiches include:
- Open Face Prime Rib Sandwich: Slice the bread all the way through and serve it open-faced with an extra slice of cheese on each side.
- Prime Rib Panini: Use sliced sourdough or ciabatta and press it on a panini press. Or, press the sliced prime rib sandwiches down in a large skillet with a baking sheet weighed down with a skillet or small saucepan. You can also use a panini press if you have one.
- Prime Rib Wrap: Wrap all the workings of a prime rib sandwich in your favorite flatbread, like Lavash Bread, pita bread, or corn tortillas.
- Leftover Prime Rib Sliders Recipe: Purchase a package of slider buns or make Homemade Brioche Rolls and assemble the sandwiches as directed.
What to Serve with Prime Rib Sandwiches?
Whether you want a sauce for prime rib sandwiches or some extra side dishes to make it more filling, here are my favorites ways to serve:
- Au Jus Sauce: Serve a classic French Dip sandwich by simply having some warm Au Jus Sauce in a small bowl on the side. Dip and enjoy!
- Horseradish Sauce: Serve with extra horseradish sauce on the side to really wake up your taste buds.
- Coleslaw: Give it some crunch with some Yogurt Coleslaw or No Mayo Coleslaw on the side.
- Roasted Vegetables: Balance this hearty meal with some roasted vegetables, like Roasted Asparagus or Air Roasted Red Potatoes, served on the side – or right on top of the sandwich!
- Green Salad: Keep it light with a simple green leafy salad such as my Spring Mix Salad or Butter Lettuce Salad.
- Pickle Spears: I love any type of sandwich with pickle spears, and it gives it that special deli appeal. Go for traditional pickles or Gherkins.
Expert Tips
- Slicing the meat: When cutting the prime rib into thin slices, patience and a steady grip are key, but there are a few extra techniques to pay attention to:
- Chill: Keep the prime rib roast chilled and in the fridge until the moment you are ready to slice. Cold meat is sturdy, with all the muscle fibers held in place, and as a result, it is easier to slice.
- Use a sharp knife: While I’m sure many of us do not have a meat slicer lying around, the key to achieving super thin slices is to use a sharp knife and sturdy work surface. A long, sharp chef’s knife or a serrated knife will produce even cuts without turning the meat into shreds.
- Trim the fat: If there is an extra thick layer of fat on the outside, trim it down a bit, but make sure to keep some for extra flavor.
- Control thickness: Slice the meat about ⅛ to ¼ inch in thickness, and always against the grain (slice perpendicular to the direction of the muscle fibers).
- Storage: If you are not enjoying the slices of prime rib right away, store them in an airtight container in the fridge with pieces of parchment paper between every few slices.
- Reheating the prime rib slices: It is optional, but if you want, you can reheat the shaved prime rib before assembling the sandwiches. To do so, place ½ cup of leftover au jus or beef broth in a small skillet over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the leftover prime rib slices and heat for 2-3 minutes or until warm. Remove the meat slices with tongs and allow the excess liquid to drip off before assembling the sandwiches.
- Keep an eye on it when broiling: Keep the oven rack in the middle, and watch closely as the cheese can burn easily!
- Fresh bread: Some say that a sandwich is as good as its bread, and this one is no exception. Regardless of the type of bread you use, the freshest bread is the best bread for prime rib, so make sure to stop at your local bakery for a freshly baked baguette just before assembling.
FAQs
How to shave prime rib for making prime rib sandwiches?
Thinly sliced prime rib is easy with a long, sharp chef’s knife, a steady work surface, and cold meat. This ensures whole, even slices without turning the meat into shreds.
How to reheat prime rib sandwich?
Reheat a prime rib sandwich in a low heat oven (250 – 300 degrees F) wrapped in foil for 10-15 minutes. The low heat prevents overcooking the meat, while the foil wrap keeps the bread crispy.
What cheese for prime rib sandwich?
The best cheese for prime rib sandwich is your preference, but a classic pairing can be either provolone, Havarti, Swiss, mild Cheddar, or even Pepper Jack.
Other Sandwich Recipes You Might Also Like:
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Leftover Prime Rib Sandwich Recipe
Make this Prime Rib Sandwich, and never let leftover prime rib go to waste. Thinly sliced prime rib layered with horseradish sauce (or mayo), provolone cheese, caramelized onions, and fresh arugula, this easy sandwich is the best way to use leftover rib roast.
Ingredients
- 1 crusty bread, such as baguette*, French bread, or Ciabatta
- ½ cup horseradish sauce, or mayonnaise
- 1 pound cooked prime rib
- 4 slices Provolone cheese
- 2 cups arugula, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup caramelized onions, or sliced red onions (optional)
- Salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Arrange your oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice the prime rib thinly, making sure to remove any excess fat.
- Divide the baguette into four equal sections. Slice each section lengthwise, ensuring not to cut completely through, keeping the halves attached.
- Open the bread and evenly distribute two tablespoons of horseradish sauce (4 tablespoons in total per sandwich) on both interior sides.
- Layer a few slices of prime rib and one slice of cheese on top. Repeat the same process to assemble the rest of the sandwiches. Transfer them onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Broil for 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven and top each sandwich with fresh arugula or caramelized onion (if using).
- Taste for seasoning and add more if necessary.
- Serve while they are still warm.
Notes
- Yields: This recipe makes 4 sandwiches. The calorie information below is per sandwich.
- Slicing the prime rib: We find that it is easier to slice meat when it is cold using a sharp knife. This way, you can get equally cut slices based on your desired level of thickness.
- Horseradish Sauce: We used our horseradish sauce here but you can substitute it with mayo. Alternatively, you can also make horseradish sauce with yogurt for a lighter option.
- Warming up the meat: It is optional, but if you prefer, you can warm up the meat. To do so, place half a cup of leftover au jus or beef broth in a small skillet and bring to a simmer. Add the rib roast slices and heat for 2-3 minutes or until warm. Remove the meat slices with tongs and allow the excess liquid to drip off before assembling the sandwiches.
- Storage: This sandwich is best on the day it is made, but you can store leftovers in the fridge for up to one day. Simply wrap the leftover sandwiches tightly in plastic wrap or keep them in an airtight container before placing them in the fridge.
- Reheating: To reheat, remove the arugula and wrap the sandwich in foil. Then, reheat sandwiches in a low oven (250 – 300 degrees F) for 10-15 minutes or until warmed to your liking.
Nutrition
Calories: 446kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 321mg | Potassium: 474mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 406IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 199mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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