Grilled Short Rib Chimichurri Party Sandwiches Make You the Hero of Every Cookout

Burgers and hot dogs may reign supreme when it comes to handheld cookout fare, but don’t overlook the humble sandwich. This juicy, flavor-packed short rib sandwich challenges you to think beyond the average bun. Load an entire loaf of soft, squishy French or Italian bread with slices of grilled boneless short ribs, herbaceous chimichurri sauce, quick-pickled red onion, and peppery arugula before slicing the whole thing into individual sandwiches to feed your family and friends. It’s the ultimate summer grilling move for causal weeknight dinners and weekend cookouts alike.

While slow-cooked braises are often what comes to mind first when you think of beef short ribs, this budget-friendly cut is actually endlessly versatile. That means it takes surprisingly well to the grill. As Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. on behalf of the Beef Checkoff advises, look for boneless English-cut beef short ribs, which can be grilled just like your favorite cut of steak before being sliced across the grain. The meat grills quickly and is wonderfully juicy and beefy in flavor.

1. Season the short ribs. Sprinkle boneless short ribs generously with salt and let them rest while you pickle the onion and heat the grill.
2. Pickle the onion. Thinly slice red onion and submerge in a mixture of vinegar, water, salt, and sugar to quick-pickle.
3. Grill the short ribs. Grill the short ribs to desired doneness and let rest on a cutting board.
4. Toast the bread. Place the two halves of a loaf of soft French or Italian bread cut-side down on the grill for a minute or two to toast.
5. Assemble the sandwich. Pile the loaf of bread with mayonnaise, chimichurri sauce, sliced short ribs, pickled red onion, arugula, and more chimichurri before closing the sandwich.
6. Slice the sandwich. Cut the giant sandwich into six individual sandwiches.

• Buy a soft loaf of bread. Choose a loaf of French or Italian bread that’s crusty on the outside yet still plenty squishy on the inside for the best sandwich experience.
• Make the pickled onions ahead of time. If you’d like to shave off prep time before dinner, make the pickled onions up to three days ahead and store them in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator.
• Buy the chimichurri sauce to save time. While nothing beats the vibrant freshness that comes from homemade chimichurri sauce, good quality store-bought chimichurri comes close. It’s a great choice on a busy weeknight.
• Rest and slice the short ribs properly. Allowing the short ribs to rest for at least a few minutes after grilling ensures all their flavorful juices won’t run out onto your cutting board when you slice the beef diagonally across the grain (which results in more tender slices).
• Use a serrated bread knife. A long serrated knife cuts through this packed sandwich easily to result in clean-cut individual sandwiches.

This fun and satisfying recipe hardly takes any time to pull together, and some elements like the pickled onion can be made a day or two ahead to save you even more time. Carry this giant sandwich out on a platter and it’s sure to elicit cheers around the table. It’s just the thing to turn your summer meal into a party.