New Orleans Roast Beef Debris Po Boy

“Debris” is the New Orleans description for this messy, 10-napkins-required famous NOLA sandwich. The “debris” is the ultra-tender little bits and pieces of beef that fall off a beef roast while it slowly braises in a thick and savory gravy. And these little brown gems are just too delicious to put into words.

The New Orleans Roast Beef Debris Po Boy is one of the Big Easy’s favorite local foods.

The “Crescent City” is famous for Mardis Gras celebrations, soirees, elaborate architecture, strong cocktails, seafood, Bananas Foster, bread pudding, and Mufulettas. But it’s NOLA’s “Po’ Boy” that’s favored by both locals and visitors to the city. There is even an annual Po’ Boy Festival!

What is a Po’ Boy sandwich?

A Po’ Boy is a traditional Louisiana sandwich that’s over-stuffed with your choice of roast beef, hot sausage, shrimp, oysters, crab, fried chicken, or catfish that’s traditionally packed between 2 long slices of locally baked, flaky, and crunchy French bread. New Orleans French bread is made with less flour and more water. This creates a bread that’s more fluffy and light, less chewy, and softer on the inside with a crispier crust.

The Roast Beef Debris Po’ Boy is packed with fork-tender, fall-apart, tender beef in a rich ‘debris’ brown gravy. The ‘New Orleans specialty French bread’ is toasted and spread with mayonnaise. From there, heaping mounds of shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and dill pickles make up a ‘fully-dressed’ Po’ Boy. Bold flavors of creamy horseradish, remoulade, pickle relish, Creole mustard, hot sauce, and Provolone cheese are additional options.

Of course, every cook has their own version of a Roast Beef Debris Po’ Boy since this sandwich is so versatile. Using a lot of garlic is hands-down universal among all recipes! Don’t let that scare you because garlic adds so much to this dish, otherwise, it would just be like any old plain pot roast meat sandwich.

Roast Beef Debris Po’ Boy sandwiches are perfect for any busy cook too! Not only can the beef and gravy be prepared ahead of time, but it tastes even BETTER after just one day of resting in the fridge while the ingredients marry. When tightly covered and stored in the fridge, it keeps for one full week and stays moist when the beef is kept in the debris gravy!

Here’s what you need to make Roast Beef Debris Po’ Boys

(See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact measurements)

• Chuck roast – A chuck roast has more fat which is necessary to form the debris ‘gravy’.
• Creole seasoning – Tony Shachere’s is the brand I was introduced to, but if you have a favorite, then use the brand that you prefer
• Butter and/or extra virgin olive oil
• Garlic cloves – Use fresh and large cloves
• 1 medium yellow onion – I use Vidalia onions
• Flour – All-purpose flour works just fine
• Better than Bouillion (Beef Flavor) or beef broth
• Bay leaves (Turkish bay leaves are more mild in flavor)
• French thyme (dried) or fresh thyme sprigs
• Worcestershire sauce
• Optional: Dry Onion Soup Mix (½ packet), OR Good Seasons Dry Italian Salad Dressing Mix (½ packet), OR Buttermilk Ranch Seasoning, A1 Sauce, and Kitchen Bouquet
• French bread (if possible, New Orleans French Bread)
• Mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip) – “Blue Plate” New Orleans mayo is the brand of choice, however, we also enjoy Miracle Whip.
• Shredded iceberg lettuce
• Sliced tomatoes
• Dill pickle slices
• Optional: Creamy Horseradish, Remoulade Sauce, Provolone slices, Pepperoncini peppers, Louisiana Hot Sauce, Sweet Pickle Relish, Creole mustard

How To Make Roast Beef Debris Po’ Boys with Helpful Step-by-Step Photos

• Season your roast
• Cut deep slits all over and stuff with ½ garlic clove
• Melt butter and/or extra virgin olive oil in a deep, heavy pot
• Sear the roast on all sides for 4-5 minutes on each side until brown
• Chop up an onion

• Saute’ onion in hot butter/olive oil
• Scrape up the brown bits
• Mix flour and water to make the roux
• Add roux to the sautee’d onions
• Mix roux and onion to form a thick base
• Add beef broth

• Stir to incorporate everything thus far
• ONLY if desired, add a 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce (not in the photos)
• ONLY if desired, add one splash of A1 sauce (and no more than that)
• ONLY if desired, add a ½ teaspoon of Kitchen Bouquet seasoning (and no more than that)
• Add bay leaves and thyme
• Add ½ packet of dried onion soup, Italian dressing mix, or Ranch Buttermilk dressing mix
• Add roast back into the sauce

• Cook in 325 F degree oven for a minimum of 3 hours until fork tender
• Remove meat from the pot and set aside in another skillet or plate
• Using 2 forks, shred the beef
• Return the shredded beef back into the pot of gravy/sauce
• Toast bread and spread both sides with garlic butter
• Place a huge mound of cooked beef on one side of the bread
• Spread mayonnaise on the other side of the bread
• Add a large layer of shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced tomatoes, dill pickle slices
• OR
• Any other ingredient you prefer (see some common options above)

Tips for Making the Best Roast Beef Debris Po’ Boys

• A chuck roast is the best cut to use for Po’ Boys because it has so much fat (that screams great flavor). Plus it gets so tender that you can shred it easily.
• Select a roast that has one side with LOTS of fat. Otherwise, just make sure there is a lot of fat streaks all over the beef.
• Cut LOTS of slits in your roast (and on both sides). Insert 15-20 half cloves of garlic in each slit.
• Season with your favorite beef spices: Recommended “Tony Satcher’s Creole Seasoning”. But use it very lightly!
• Always sear your roast until browned for 4 minutes on all sides. This seals in the meat’s natural juices. The pot will have the most amazing ‘brown bits’ of deliciousness that you scrape up and incorporate into the base of the ‘debris’ gravy (or au jus depending on how thick you want the sauce to be).
• Low and slow cooking in a low-temperature oven. This is to get that incredible fork-tender texture that causes the beef to just melt in your mouth! Yes, you can also prep these in an Instant Pot or crock pot/slow cooker and it will tenderize well.
• When finished cooking, let your roast rest in the pot for 15 minutes.
• If you live in Louisiana, which most of us don’t, you’ll want to get your hands on the state’s famous, authentic New Orleans-style French bread (from Leidenheimer). Otherwise, like I have to do, use any soft French bread. As long as the bread is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, you’re good to go!
• Toast your bread and spread it with garlic butter for an even better-tasting sandwich. This was my parents’ secret to their French Dips that almost flew out the window of their restaurant (I’ll share that recipe with you at another time).
• If you add a layer of Provolone, Havarti, Mozzarella, or Pepper Jack cheese on top of the meat, pop it in the oven to melt

What to Serve With a Roast Beef Debris Po’ Boys

So what would you like to nibble on with your Po’ Boy? That is if you have any room left in your tummy (I can only eat about ⅓ of this sammie in one meal, it is so totally filling). Here are some ideas to try:

Mardis Gras Bananas Foster Muffins

Cinnamon and Apple Cream Cheese King Cake

New Orleans Bread Pudding with Caramel Whiskey Sauce

Zapp’s Spicy Cajun Kettle Potato Chips

Old-Fashioned Southern Potato Salad

New Orleans Scalloped Corn

New Orleans Brabant Crispy Fried Potatoes

Muffuletta Pasta Salad

So what’s YOUR favorite way to prepare a New Orleans Roast Beef Debris Po’ Boy?