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Also known as the open faced hot roast beef sandwich, Beef Manhattan is a comfort dish that has tender beef, creamy mashed potatoes, and rich gravy with a fresh piece of bread underneath. Serve this with your favorite veggie on the side—mix it up with a piece of garlic bread underneath!
Mashed potatoes and juicy roast beef smothered in gravy is my favorite dish of all time. When my grandmother used to visit us (my brother and I) as children, she would always make her famous gravy in bulk and have my mother freeze it. Same thing with her meatballs and lasagna! I could never get the recipe to her gravy, nor could I get anywhere near to how it tastes. When I made this recipe, it was the same day that I perfected it. It brought me back to my childhood. Grandma would make pepper steak, mashed potatoes and gravy. I would DROWN my potatoes and beef in gravy.
I had used this beef bouillon to recreate my grandmothers gravy. I used the less sodium because I like being able to control the salt content I put in any recipe. It was spot on. The flavor is terrific. Definitely use this when making the gravy!
Ok, enough reminiscing. Fun fact about Beef Manhattan: It wasn’t even created in Manhattan, NY! It was actually created in an Indianapolis deli. It received its name by Indiana workers who were trained on a fabrication of the Norden bombsight in Manhattan during World War II. In New York City, dishes like the Beef Manhattan are called “open-faced” sandwiches. Hence, the name Beef Manhattan was born!
How to make Beef Manhattan
If you have leftover roast beef or pot roast, then this recipe will take less time. I had made the roast from scratch and use the drippings for the gravy. There will be instructions in the recipe card on how to make the gravy without the drippings! (Full ingredient amounts and complete instructions are available in the recipe card down below).
- Beef Chuck Roast or Leftover Roast Beef or Pot Roast: If you are using leftover beef, then you want half the amount that you would use for the recipe. I used beef chuck roast because it’s a tough cut of meat from the shoulder area and is rich in beefy flavor.
- Yellow Onion & Garlic: Used for flavoring. I pureed it after cooking the beef and used it in the gravy.
- Fresh Rosemary and Fresh Thyme: If you are cooking fresh beef, then I suggest using these. If you are using leftover beef, then skip these.
- Salt & Pepper: For your taste.
- Yukon Potatoes: For the mashed potatoes. Yukon potatoes are best for mashed potatoes. They’re buttery and creamy. Russet potatoes are a good option as well, however since it’s a starchy potato, it won’t be as buttery.
- Milk & Butter: Used in the mashed potatoes.
- Beef Broth, Beef Bouillon, & Cornstarch: This is key to make the greatest gravy you’ve ever had. Use the beef drippings from fresh beef to enhance the flavor. Use this beef bouillon for the best tasting gravy! Instructions in the recipe card on how to make the gravy without beef drippings.
If cooking the beef from scratch: Preheat your oven to 325F. Place the beef chuck roast in a Dutch oven. Add in the onions, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and one cup of water. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 hours, depending on how big the roast is. Temp the beef every 30 minutes to ensure it doesn’t overcook or dry out—baste it with the juices if needed. Once done, take the roast out of the Dutch oven, take about 2 cups of the beef drippings and reserve—set the beef and drippings aside.
About an hour before the beef is done cooking, boil the potatoes until fork tender and mashes without resistance. Drain the potatoes, then use a potato masher to mash the potatoes. Add in the butter, milk, and season with salt & pepper. Use a hand mixer to combine it altogether. Add more butter or milk if the consistency is not smooth and creamy. If making the gravy with the beef drippings: Take the beef drippings, some onions and garlic and pour them into a saucepot and use an emulsifier to blend them, or pour into a blender and puree, then add to a saucepot. Combine the beef broth and cornstarch in a measuring cup, then pour into the beef drippings, whisking as your pour, until it becomes a thick gravy. Add the beef bouillon and whisk to incorporate. If it’s not thick enough, whisk together a little more beef broth and cornstarch to create a slurry, then add to the gravy until it reaches the thickness you want. Toast a piece of sourdough or other thick bread. Place some mashed potatoes onto the bread, then top with the beef and gravy. Serve.
Tips & FAQs
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Storage: Store the beef, potatoes, and gravy separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
- You can freeze the gravy! Freeze it in a freezer-safe container or ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat in a saucepot over medium-low heat until heated through.
- Can I make the beef in a slow cooker? Absolutely! Use the same ingredients, but add it to a slow cooker for 6-8 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high, depending on what the weight of the beef is.
- What is the best bread for Beef Manhattan? Any thick-sliced bread, such as Texas Toast, will work great for this recipe. I’ve used thick-sliced Sourdough and stacked two pieces of regular-sized sandwich bread and they both turned out great! You can also use thick-sliced Brioche, or even Texas toast garlic bread.
Want the recipe? Click print below! Let me know how it came out for you by tagging me on Instagram (@missravenskitchen) and using #missravenskitchen! Follow my Facebook page for updates as well! Let me know if I need to tweak anything.
Beef Manhattan (Open-Faced Hot Roast Beef Sandwich)
Ingredients
- 2-3 lb raw beef chuck, boneless
- 1 medium yellow onion, cut into 8 pieces
- 2-3 garlic cloves, smashed
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1- 1 1/2 cups water
- 6 Yukon potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup milk
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 2 cups beef drippings
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tsp low-sodium beef bouillon
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 3 tsp low-sodium beef bouillon
- 2 tsp cornstarch, or more for thickness preference
- 1/2 cup sliced onions
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 4 pieces of thick-sliced bread, such as sourdough or Texas toast
Instructions
- If using leftover roast beef, use about 2 cups and heat in a preheated oven at 350F for about 15-20 minutes wrapping in aluminum foil until heated through.
- Make the Roast Beef: Preheat the oven to 325F. Place the beef chuck in a dutch oven along with the onions, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and season with salt & pepper.
- Place the dutch oven in the oven for about 2 to 3 hours, depending on the weight of the roast. Check the temperature every 30 minutes so it doesn’t overcook—baste it if needed.
- Once the roast is done, reserve 2 cups of the beef drippings. Drain the rest of the beef drippings and remove the roast from the dutch oven. Allow it to cool.
- This can be skipped by using leftover mashed potatoes or using store-bought. Make sure to heat it.
- Prepare the potatoes when there is one hour left of cooking the roast beef.
- In a large stockpot, add the quartered potatoes and cover with water about an inch above the potatoes. Bring to a boil for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are knife-tender and easily smashable.
- Drain the potatoes then return to the pot. Using a hand mixer, mix together the butter, milk, salt & pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste. If the mashed potatoes are too thick, add 1 tbsp of milk more at a time until it’s creamy and smooth. Avoid overmixing.
- Puree together 1/2 of the onions, garlic, and 2 cups of beef drippings until smooth and little pieces remain.
- In a saucepot over medium heat, whisk together the beef broth and cornstarch. You will get a slightly thick mixture.
- Add in the beef drippings and continue whisking until the gravy thickens to a smooth consistency. If it doesn’t get thick enough, make a slurry with 1 tsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp beef broth or water, then pour it into the gravy and whisk. Keep doing this until it’s the consistency you want.
- Whisk in the beef bouillon. Take off the heat and set it aside to assemble.
- Roast the onions and garlic on a baking sheet with aluminum foil for 25 minutes. Set to the side.
- In a blender, blend together the roasted onions, garlic, and beef broth until completely emulsified. Transfer to a saucepot.
- Whisk in the cornstarch until no lumps remain. If it doesn’t get thick enough, make a slurry with 1 tsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp beef broth or water, then pour it into the gravy and whisk. Keep doing this until it’s the consistency you want.
- Heat on medium heat and allow the gravy to thicken, about 5-10 minutes. Add in the beef bouillon and whisk.
- Set the gravy aside.
- Toast a thick slice of bread, then place it on a plate.
- Top the bread with mashed potatoes.
- Place a few pieces of beef on top, then pour some gravy.
- Serve.
Notes
Storage: Store the beef, potatoes, and gravy separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
- You can freeze the gravy! Freeze it in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag for up to 3 months.
- Thaw overnight and reheat in a saucepot over medium-low heat until heated through.
Can I make the beef in a slow cooker? Absolutely! Use the same ingredients, but add it to a slow cooker for 6-8 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high, depending on what the weight of the beef is.
What is the best bread for Beef Manhattan? Any thick-sliced bread, such as Texas Toast, will work great for this recipe. I’ve used thick-sliced Sourdough and stacked two pieces of regular-sized sandwich bread and they both turned out great! You can also use thick-sliced Brioche or even Texas toast garlic bread.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
721Fat (grams)
49.46Sat. Fat (grams)
22.54Carbs (grams)
52.3Fiber (grams)
6.28Net carbs
45.69Sugar (grams)
5.39Protein (grams)
87.6Sodium (milligrams)
550.72Cholesterol (grams)
295.89The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and the brands of ingredients used. This does not include the bread or gravy made without drippings. Nutrition will change if you choose to make gravy without drippings.