Lunch
Louis's Lunch Box
By: Louis Gantus
My dream lunch box filled with slow cooked beef sliders, fried cheddar cheese sticks, and an ice cream bar for dessert. Perfect for any summer road trip.
3HR 30MINserves 5-8
Ingredients
Beef Sliders:
2.5 lbs chuck roast
3 tbsp high heat oil (such as safflower oil, refined avocado oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil)
Salt to taste
1 half onion (diced)
1 tbsp tomato paste
4-6 cups beef stock
¾ cup red wine (Optional)
2 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic
9 pretzel slider buns
Cheddar Cheese Sticks:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
2 tbsp whole milk
1 1⁄2 cups plain breadcrumbs
1 tsp salt
Vegetable oil (for frying)
For your sweet treat:
Start by cutting your chuck roast into around 3 inch cubes and removing any excess fat. Heat a large dutch oven over high heat and add your oil.
Once hot place in your chuck roast, pressing down slightly and generously seasoning with salt. Allow to cook for 5 minutes undisturbed or until a nice crust forms. Flip over and allow a crust to form on both sides.
Remove and add you diced onion, stir around for 3 minutes before adding in your tomato paste and stirring for an additional 2 minutes.
Place back in your chuck roast and add beef stock until just covered followed by your wine, bay leaf, and garlic cloves. Cover and cook for 2:30-3:00 hours or until the beef easily shreds apart.
Around an hour before it's done cooking, begin preparing your fried cheddar cheese snacks.
Remove all cheddar snacks from packaging, cut in half length wise and set aside. Grab 3 bowls, in the first one add your flour, in your second one whisk the eggs and milk, and in your third mix the breadcrumbs and salt.
Dip the cheddar snacks into the flour coating well. Then transfer into your eggs and coat until no dry spots remain. Then into your breadcrumbs making sure to fully coat. Once more back in the eggs then finish again in the breadcrumbs. It goes (flour, eggs, breadcrumbs, eggs, breadcrumbs), repeat for all mozzarella snacks.
Tip: When coating your cheddar snacks it is crucial you double coat as we don’t want the cheese leaking out.
Place on a plate or baking sheet lined with foil and set in the freezer for 45 minutes to an hour.
In the meantime place your cooked chuck roast in a heat proof bowl and while still hot use two forks to shred thoroughly. At this point taste and add salt/extra broth if need be.
Just before they finish setting, heat your oil in a pan or pot to 350 degrees. We will be shallow frying these so don't use too much.
While heats up turn your oven on to high broil and prepare the sliders by lining a sheet tray with foil. Place down the bottom buns followed by the shredded beef and cheese slices.
I recommend frying the cheese before broiling the sliders because they will be very quick.
Place in your cheddar snacks a few at a time making sure not to overcrowd and fry for 1-2 minutes per side or until golden brown and place on a sheet tray with a wire rack.
Tip: For shallow frying we want the oil to go a little more than half way up the cheddar bites but if you add a little more it's okay!
Broil the sliders until the cheese has fully melted (around 3-5 minutes). Place on the top bun and serve everything together alongside some ice cream bars for dessert!
Tip: Eat the cheddar bites while still hot so you can get that incredible cheese pull or reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Shop this recipe
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Meet the chef
Louis Gantus
Louis discovered his love for food at an early age, spending time in the kitchen helping his mother whenever he could. He believes food is one of the most powerful ways to share love, culture, and connection. His mission is to inspire others to step into the kitchen with confidence and an unapologetic mindset. His work invites audiences to see cooking not just as a skill, but as a meaningful and creative experience.
