The Beef Dip

The Beef Dip
Now that's what I'm talking about!!

In Search of the Perfect Beef Dip

It sounds simple, but it's not. And surprisingly, not everyone likes them. For the lovers of the mighty beef dip, this is unbelieveable. A group of beef dip fans are out to find the best dip in Edmonton. Over the next months, we will endeavour to feast on dips throughout Edmonton and beyond in search of beef dip perfection! And we will be sharing our impressions.

A good dip consists of a good bun or roll that doesn't break down in the dipping process. It must be hard on the outside (not stale) and soft on the inside. There is nothing worse than having your beef dip experience ruined when the bun becomes a soggy mess after being dipped. The roast beef should be tender and sliced thin enough so it's easy to bite into.

And the au jus, well that's the deal breaker. It needs to have the right balance of beef renderings with the right spices to enhance the flavour.

Au jus comes the French phrase that translates to "broth or with gravy". The flavour of au jus can make or break the entire beef dip celebration. And of course, au jus must be in a container that is large enough so the beef sandwich can be dipped easily.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Brewster's Beef Dip - May 28, 2010


The Bavarian Beef Dip came with horseradish aoili, mustard, caramelized balsamic onions, beer mustard and aged white cheddar cheese. The bread is advertised as a toasted "Bavarian Pretzel". It actually looked like a fancy toasted sub bun. And of course au jus and a choice of sides.

The presentation was excellent. The beef dip was served on a rectangular white plate with the two pieces of the sandwich criss-crossed on the plate. Visually it was very attractive. The vessel carrying the nectar of the gods -the au jus - was a good size to accommodate the circumference of the "pretzel" for dipping.

The crust of the pretzel was hard and was stuffed with a generous amount of finely sliced roast beef. Initial first dips and bites were very positive, however after a few mouthfuls all the condiments started to skew the taste and became a little overwhelming and took away from the whole dipping process. The pretzel keep it's integrity integrity when being dipped. As far as the beef goes, it tasted good, but it most likely pre-processed beef rather than sliced from an actual roast in the kitchen. I actually had a bite that ended up on my chin when I was unable to knaw through it.

At $13.99 ... an okay value, but almost too much food.

Three dips out of five on the Dip-O-Meter.