These Are Hands Down The Best Cuts Of Steak To Use In Leftover Sandwiches

Leftover steak is a good problem to have. You can reheat it and eat it as-is, add it to a stir-fry, or make a leftover steak pasta salad for tomorrow's lunch. One of the best ways to enjoy it, however, is in the form of a steak sandwich. If you're the plan-ahead type, Douglas Keane, chef and co-owner of the Michelin-starred restaurant Cyrus in Geyserville, California, shared some ideas for the best steaks to cook with future sandwiches in mind.

Keane told us that his favorite steak to use in a sandwich is the tri-tip. "I feel it is the most flavorful cut of beef that exists," he said. Guy Fieri, too, is a fan — he believes it's the best budget-friendly steak for grilling. If you can't get hold of tri-tip but your supermarket stocks the trendy, well-marbled cut known as Denver steak, Keane said this will work, too. He also mentioned beef short rib as another option, explaining, "If cooked properly and tender, it is a great choice for a steak sandwich. It just needs to be sliced thin."

To make a steak sandwich, you first need to slice that steak as thin as can be (and always remember to cut your tri-tip against the grain). It's important to choose the right bread, too — something substantial that will hold up to all that meat. Texas toast is a great choice, as is a baguette or a sturdy sub roll. Douglas Keane also suggested waterproofing the bread with a well-chosen condiment. "A little bit of fat ... will act as a barrier for all the juices to not over-saturate the bread," he explained. You can use softened butter, mayonnaise, or aioli to do the job, while a slice of cheese or a layer of lettuce will also serve the same purpose.

Once you've layered on the meat, you may want to top the steak with melted cheddar or provolone, sauteed onions or mushrooms, or a pile of pickled peppers or giardiniera. While all these additions are delicious, Keane did issue a caveat. As he cautioned, "Don't pile the ingredients too high. It needs to fit in someone's mouth. A Dagwood might look fun in an Instagram post, but if you can't eat it, you've wasted all your time." And worse, you've wasted your steak, which would be a crime against food. As a general rule, a sandwich no more than three fingers high should fit in your mouth quite nicely, so keep this in mind as you build.