How To Transform Leftover Pot Roast Into A Next-Day Sandwich

Pot roast can be a drippy beast, particularly if you simmer it all day it in the crockpot. Once you take it out of the sauce though, it's just as sandwich-worthy as any other leftover meat. Pot roast may be made with chuck or brisket, but it's generally pretty beefy tasting, so will stand up to some heartier sandwich toppings.

One way to go about serving leftover pot roast is by pairing it with a horseradish sauce. If Arby's has taught us anything, it's that horseradish goes great with roast beef. (In fact, you may even be able to buy Horsey Sauce at the grocery store.) Another is to go Philly cheese steak-style by piling sliced meat high on a bun with melted cheese (or "cheez," if you opt to go "wit wiz") and perhaps some sautéed peppers and onions. 

You could also move in the direction of a different city's iconic sandwich by topping your sliced pot roast with giardiniera a la Chicago's Italian beef. Whichever toppings you choose, we'd suggest a hearty sub roll or at least a few thick slabs of one of the sturdier breads to stand up to the heft of the meat and toppings.

If you'd like to totally transform your pot roast into a sandwich that will hardly be recognizable as last night's leftovers, don't put away that crock pot just yet. Instead, chop the leftover meat into large chunks and plop it back into the slow cooker. Cover it with about one cup of a 50-50 mixture of barbecue sauce and liquid — this could be water, beer, or, for a super-sweet sauce, a soda such as a cola or root beer. Simmer the meat until it falls apart completely, which may only take a few hours on the low setting since it's already cooked.

Once the meat is done, shred it with two forks the same way you would if you were making pulled pork. You can serve it the same way, too, on a bun (with or without a scoop of coleslaw) accompanied by a drizzle of the "pot likker." While the sandwich would be fine with potato chips or french fries, this faux-cue would be even better with typical barbecue sides such as cornbread and baked beans.