Sandwiches, from peanut butter to BLT to Reuben, may seem as all-American as the 4th of July hot dog, but this wasn’t always the case. In fact, sandwiches were once considered a symbol of a colonial past, and one of the many ways early Americans resisted their British overlords was to boycott their goods and customs. Cooks did their part by avoiding any British culinary trends, which of course, included sandwiches, the namesake of John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich. Once American independence was won and time wiped the grim memory of the British colonizers, sandwiches reappeared on the American menu bigger, better, and more popular. Today, the United States is proudly the origin of at least 60 different kinds of classic sandwiches.

The sandwich, like a blank canvas for creativity, is easy to make, portable, and doesn’t require utensils to eat. We can turn any meal into a sandwich, and any sandwich into a meal which is exactly what today’s Tri-tip French Dip is all about. If you cooked and smoked our Tri-tip recipe use the extra meat in today’s Smoked Tri-tip French Dip, one of our country’s classic sandwiches with two restaurants competing for credit.

Philippe the Original ( LA, Cal.) claims that in the early 1900s, their cook accidentally dropped a roast beef sandwich he was preparing for a cop, in a pan of meat drippings. The officer liked it, and the sandwich took off. In their shop, they dip their roll in hot beef juice and serve it “wet”.

Cole’s Pacific Electric Buffet claims this sandwich was invented around the same time when they needed to make a soft sandwich for a customer with periodontitis (sore gums). They serve their tri-tip sandwich with a bowl of au jus on the side.

Either way doesn’t make a difference to us. A delicious sandwich is a delicious sandwich and I am willing to give credit to whoever makes it for me, which is usually Mountain Man Radd, whose creativity keeps every single recipe original. In our kitchen, you’d rarely find a copycat recipe, and even with the classic ones, where we intend to stay true to tradition, you’d be able to spot a subtle twist, that more often than not, includes a local craft brew.

Tri-tip is a very flavorful steak, boasting a nice hearty beefy taste, that is tender to chew. Although it is a lean cut of meat, it does have some fat imparting an overall buttery flavor. Today’s classic Tri-tip French Dip sandwich has our signature cooking style and features Scotch Ale from the Kettlehouse Brewing from right here in Missoula Montana. Grab a few growlers or a few cans of the Scotch Ale, enjoy it, but don’t forget to leave some for the cooking pan.

Cheers to another fun day in the kitchen.