“A really good medium-rare steak sandwich is hard to find,” says Chris Delgado, owner of The Wood Shack. He’s describing the Soulard Primer, the sandwich shop’s biggest seller. Delgado starts with a certified Angus boneless rib roast, rubbed with salt, pepper, and a little turbinado sugar. The chef’s signature move is combining hardwoods—in this case, hickory and mulberry—to create layers of smoky flavor. The prime is sliced to order, placed on Companion’s Peacemaker roll, and topped with caramelized onion, arugula tossed in sherry vin, and blue cheese crumbles.
What really sets it apart, though, are the bone marrow aioli and “debris” dipping sauce, a lusty jus intensified by bits of beef and ham left behind at the meat slicer. And though many folks are content with a side of smoke-kissed potato salad, real pros mix a little debris gravy into their mac and cheese. We say go pro.
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