The meat on the sandwich is traditionally served rare, thin cut, with the top bun getting a dip in jus and spread with horseradish.

[4] The origin and history of the beef on weck sandwich is not well established but is thought to predate the 1960s development of Buffalo wings by approximately a century.

[3][5] It is believed that a German baker named William Wahr, who is thought to have immigrated from the Black Forest region of Germany, created the kummelweck roll while living in Buffalo, New York.

[8][9] The kummelweck roll (sometimes spelled "kümmelweck"), topped with kosher salt and caraway seeds, gives the sandwich its name and a distinctive taste.

[2] In Austria, a similar type of small white-bread is known as Kümmelweckerl (diminutive from Wecken, which refers to a whole big bread, i.e., Brotwecken).