Italian Barbecue Sliced Steak Sammies

I can't stand the term "sammies" but this is Rachael Ray's recipe so I typed her title verbatim. These turned out super delicious, thanks mostly to the barbecue sauce. This sauce would also be tasty on grilled chicken. 


We tried this recipe after I handed the cookbook to Randy last week and asked him to pick out a few recipes. Me, I'd choose chicken, but he likes red meat.  It is a treat to enjoy in moderation.


I made a few changes: The recipe calls for Italian bread, but we just used plain old wheat bread, toasted with no butter or garlic. Also, I did not salt the steaks or the sauce. And, I used our toaster oven not the big oven. Enjoy!

Italian Barbecue Sliced Steak Sammies

1 Tbl. olive oil

1 large red onion, chopped

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup aged balsamic vinegar

2 Tbl. Worcestershire sauce

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

Salt and black pepper

6 Tbl. butter, melted

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

1 large loaf of crusty Italian bread, split and cut into 4 sections

4 (12-ounce) strip steaks

8 slices Provolone

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high.

Heat a small saucepot over medium-high heat with the olive oil. Add the onions and cook until tender, 7 to 8 minutes, then add the brown sugar, vinegar, and Worcestershire. Stir to combine, then stir in the tomato sauce. Reduce the heat, season with salt and lots of pepper, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Combine the butter and garlic and brush the cut surfaces of the bread. Toast in the oven until golden, 15 minutes.

Drizzle the steaks with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill for 8 to 10 minutes for medium. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Switch the broiler on. Slice the steaks and layer a steak onto each quarter loaf of bread. Top with 1/2 cup of sauce and 2 slices of provolone. Broil until the cheese browns, about 1 minute.