My dad loves his Italian deli’s and has passed that on to me. He does his best to find the best sandwich place (among other things) where ever he travels. When he would come home from a trip he would always have stories about where he ate. A good sandwich goes a long way. It is perfect for game time, dinner time, lunch time, really any time! One of the best sandwich spots in New Jersey is Fiore’s in Hoboken. They have a roast beef and fresh mozzarella sandwich that the dip in gravy that everyone I know dreams about. At first, I did not like the idea of hot meat and mozzarella together. My husband brought one home and my life changed. It has been awhile since we have been able to make to Fiore’s so I thought it was the perfect time recreate this gem.

Instead of going through the long process of making fresh roast beef I decided to use hanger steak. This is an inexpensive cut of meat that is really hard to over cook. That is one of the reasons why I love it! Taking the extra step to marinate it before working with it just gives the sandwich another level of flavor.  Making the aus jus first is probably the best way to go. The key to this sandwich is serving it warm so the mozzarella starts melting.

I also had a chance to show Al Roker and the Today Show how to make this sandwich during the record breaking Sandwich relay!

Hanger Steak and Fresh Mozzarella Sandwich with Aus Jus

Hanger steak and fresh mozzarella with aus jus sandwich with crusty italian bread. Try it for game night, fathers day, or just a weeknight treat!

ingredients

steak marinade

• 2 lbs hanger steak

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme

• 1/2 c dry sherry

aus jus

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 3 cloves garlic, smashed

• 1 Tsbp shallot chopped

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

• 3 Tbsp dry sherry

• 4 c beef broth, low sodium

sandwich build

• 8 oz fresh mozzarella sliced

• 2 Tbsp butter, unsalted

• 4 crusty italian rolls

instructions

1. Place the steak in a shallow bowl or pan. Pour the sherry over the steak. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, and fresh garlic. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for up to 4 hours.

2. Before grilling the steak remove it from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.

3. Prepare a grill pan with the olive oil over medium-high heat.

4. Grill pieces of steak about 3-5 minutes on each side. Until you see darker grill marks on each side but still pink in the middle.

aus jus

1. In a medium size sauce pan heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Saute the garlic for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Add in the shallots and continue to saute for another 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme moving the mixture around the pan to incorporate.

2. Add the sherry and simmer for 2 minutes. Then add in the beef broth. Simmer together for 25 minutes, remove from the heat and strain the mixture. Set aside, and keep warm! ( I returned it to same pot after straining the liquid)

sandwich build

1. Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave or a pan. Cut the italian rolls in half lengthwise. Brush each side with butter.

2. Toast the italian rolls in a toaster oven or broil in the oven for 4-6 minutes until the edges are golden brown.

3. Slice the hanger steak against the grain. Place pieces of steak on the bottom part of the bread. Then layer on slices of mozzarella. The mozzarella should melt a bit from the heat of the bread, steak, and then the warm aus jus.

4. Serve the sandwiches with a side of the warmed aus jus to dip into!