Tucson Beefsteak Recipe
provolone, horseradish mayo, & ancho au'jus dip
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Horseradish Mayo
Ancho Au Jus Dip
Steak
Sandwich Assembly
Method
Horseradish Mayo
- 1
Make the horseradish mayo
In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Whisk until smooth. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and season with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Taste and adjust horseradish or lemon for brightness. Cover and chill while you prepare the steak and au jus so flavors meld.
Ancho Au Jus Dip
- 2
Sweat aromatics
Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. When butter foams, add 2 tablespoons minced shallot and 1 clove minced garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, about 2–3 minutes—do not let brown.
- 3
Build the sauce
Add 1.5 tablespoons ancho chile powder and 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin to the pan and stir for 30 seconds to toast the spices. Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook 30–45 seconds to deepen flavor.
- 4
Deglaze and simmer
Pour in 1/4 cup water to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits. Add 2 cups low-sodium beef stock and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer 6–8 minutes to marry flavors.
- 5
Finish and strain
Taste and season with salt and black pepper to taste. For a smoother au jus, strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl or serving pitcher, pressing on solids to extract liquid. Keep warm over very low heat (do not boil) until serving.
Steak
- 6
Season the steak
Pat the 1.5 lb flank steak dry with paper towels. Rub both sides with 1 tablespoon olive oil. In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; rub the mixture evenly over both sides of the steak. Let rest at room temperature 10–15 minutes while you preheat the pan.
- 7
Cook the steak
Heat a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over high heat until smoking hot. Add a thin sheen of oil if needed. Sear the steak 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare (internal temp ~130–135°F / 54–57°C), adjusting time for thickness and desired doneness. For greater char, sear the edges 30–45 seconds.
- 8
Rest and slice
Transfer steak to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Rest 8–10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Using a sharp knife, slice thinly against the grain into 1/8–1/4" slices. Keep slices warm; reserve any resting juices for the au jus if desired (stir into the warm au jus).
Sandwich Assembly
- 9
Toast the rolls
Split 4 rolls and spread the cut faces lightly with the 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Toast cut-side down in a skillet or under a broiler until golden and crisp, about 1–2 minutes in a hot skillet or 1–2 minutes under a broiler—watch closely to avoid burning.
- 10
Build the sandwiches
Spread a generous layer of the chilled horseradish mayo on the bottom half of each toasted roll. Pile warm thin-sliced steak onto the mayo, dividing evenly among 4 rolls (about 3.5–4 oz cooked steak per sandwich). Top each with one slice provolone while the steak is still warm so the cheese softens slightly. Close sandwiches with the top roll.
- 11
Serve with ancho au jus
Place sandwiches on plates and serve each with a small ramekin or cup of warm ancho au jus for dipping. To eat, dip the sandwich into the au jus or spoon au jus over slices as desired. Leftover au jus keeps refrigerated up to 3 days and reheats gently.
