Roast Beef Po' Boys

I've seen chef Justin of Parkway Bakery & Tavern in NOLA on a few cooking shows over the years.  After this last one, I decided to try making their roast beef.  The chef says they use chuck roast.  I saw a pile of whole garlic cloves by it and when he was seasoning it, I thought I saw cloves poked in the roast.  He said to season it well with onion & garlic powder then sear it off.  I saw an herb on the beef that looked like parsley when the sear was done.  Next he pours cream of mushroom soup mixed with some "Kitchen Bouquet" over it, thought I saw chicken stock there too.  He covers and bakes it at 225°F for hours and hours until fall apart, shredding tender.  This was my take on it:

• 5 lb boneless Top Sirloin center cut beef roast
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled, quartered lengthwise
• Onion powder, to taste
• Garlic powder, to taste
• Fresh cracked pepper and kosher salt, to taste
• 1 onion, diced
• Handful of fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 can of "Campbells" mushroom soup
• 1 tablespoon mushroom umami seasoning
• 1/2 cup organic, low-sodium "Better than Bouillon" chicken stock
• Splash of "Kitchen Bouquet"
• Splash of red wine

I started by poking slits into the roast and inserting garlic slivers into them.  I rubbed my roast down with S&P, onion and garlic powder and let it sit in the fridge overnight.  I took it out and let it sit on the counter for an hour coming to room temperature.  I seared it off in an enamel coated cast iron Dutch oven that I splashed with grapeseed oil when smoking hot.  

I took it out of the pan and added the onion.  I cooked them till translucent and then deglazed the pan with about a 1/3 cup of red wine. I stirred in the parsley.  I put the roast back in.  

I poured the soup over and put the lid on.  This went into a preheated oven for 4 hours before I had a peek.  The house smelled soooo heavenly.  My stomach growled all day in anticipation with continuous whiffs of the beef braising.

I cut the strings off, flipped it over and put back in the oven for another 90 minutes.  

I took the roast out at that time and went about making a gravy.  I used a slurry to thicken it.  I sliced some beef.  Time to assemble.  I used French bread.  The grocery store I used to buy it from used to have it fresh every day guaranteed at 4pm.  Not any more and now it's sized that it looks more like a baguette.  Anyway, it was good for making the Po' Boys on.  I toasted it under the broiler.

I slathered mayo on both sides.  I piled the beef on one side, lettuce, tomatoes, S&P and pickles on the other.  

Then I ladled some gravy over the roast. I closed it up and it was ready to chow down on!  

I served a ramekin of gravy for dipping.  

Well, I tried my best to destroy it!  Above is when I gave up.  On the bright side, my brunch is already made for tomorrow.  My son knocked off the whole thing saying it was one of the best sandwiches he's had.  I wanted it even more tender actually, so put the beef back in the gravy and the oven at 200°F for another 2 hours.  Then I shredded it in there and it looked more like Parkway Bakery & Tavern's too.  Italian beef sandwiches with Giardiniera coming up!