italian beef sandwich

Chicago Italian Beef is made by slowly roasting lean beef on a rack above a pan filled with seasoned beef-based stock. Some folks call it gravy, but in most Chicago Italian households gravy is a term reserved for tomato sauces. Others call it au jus or &quot;juice&quot; for short, although it is often made with bouillon, and that is not technically au jus, which normally refers to natural cooking juices. Let&#039;s just call it juice, OK? It&#039;s what keeps the sandwich nice and moist.

Authentic Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich Recipe

beef sirloin

black pepper

garlic powder

onion powder

oregano

basil

red pepper

water

beef bouillon ((yes, bouillon, see the explanation below))

soft, fluffy, high gluten rolls

green bell peppers

olive oil

spicy hot giardiniera

Prep. If you wish, you can stab the surface of the meat every inch or so and stick slivers of fresh garlic into the meat as does my brother-in-law. If you do this, leave the garlic out of the rub. Otherwise, mix the rub in a bowl. Coat the meat lightly with water to help the rub stick, sprinkle it generously on the meat, and massage it in. There will be some left over. Do not discard it, we will use it in the juice.

Fire up. If you are cooking indoors, put a rack just below the center of the oven and preheat to 225°F. If you are cooking outdoors use a 2-zone setup or a smoker and get it the oven or the indirect side up to about 225°F. 

Cook. Pour the water into a 9 x 13" baking pan and heat it to a boil. Dissolve the bouillon in the water. It may look thin, but it will cook down and concentrate during the roasting. Pour the remaining rub into the pan. Place a rack on top of the pan and place them both on the indirect side of the grill or in the oven indoors. Place the roast on top of the rack above the juice. Roast at 225°F until interior temperature is about 130-140°F for medium rare, about 3 hours (exact time will depend on the cut of meat, its thickness, and how well calibrated your cooker is). This may seem long, but you are cooking over water and that slows things down. Don't worry if there are people who won't eat medium-rare meat. The meat will cook further in step 5, and you can just leave theirs in the juice until it turns to leather if that's what they want.

While the meat is roasting (mmmmm, smells sooooo good), cut the bell peppers in half and remove the stems and seeds. Rinse, and cut into 1/4" strips. Cook the peppers in a frying pan over a medium high heat with enough olive oil to coat the bottom, about 2 tablespoons. When they are getting limp and the skins begin to brown, about 15 minutes, they are done. Set aside at room temp.

Prep again. Remove the roast and the juice pan. Take the meat off the rack and remove the rack. Pour off the juice, put the meat back in the pan, and place it in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Let it cool for a few hours, long enough for the meat to firm up. This will make slicing easier. Chill the juice, too, in a separate container. Slice the meat against the grain as thin as humanly possible, preferably with a meat slicer. My wife remembers that her family would cook the roast and take it to the butcher to slice on his machine. That's a good strategy if you don't have a meat slicer but it may be against your local health codes. If you don't have a slicer, use a thin blade and draw it along the meat. If you try to cut down or saw through the crust you will be cutting it too thick.

Next, taste the juice. If you want you can thin it with more water, or make it richer by cooking it down on top of the stove. In Chicago beef stands it is rich, but not too concentrated. Then turn the heat to a gentle simmer. Soak the meat in the juice for about 1 minute at a low simmer. That&#039;s all. That warms the meat and makes it very wet. You can&#039;t leave the meat in the juice for more than 10 minutes or else it starts to curl up, squeezes out its natural moisture, and toughens. If you go to a beef stand and the meat is really curly, they have committed a mortal sin. At Mr. Beef, for example, I watched them take a handful of cooked beef and dump it into the juice every time they took out enough for a sandwich. This also enriches the juice with meat protein and seasoning from the crust.

Serve. Slice the rolls lengthwise but leave them hinged on one side. Or slice a loaf of Italian bread the same way, then cut it widthwise into 10 portions. To assemble the sandwich, start by spooning some juice directly onto the bread. Get it wet. Then lay on the beef generously. Spoon on more juice (don&#039;t burn your hand). Top it with bell pepper and, if you wish, giardiniera. If you want it &quot;wet&quot;, dip the whole shootin&#039; match in juice. Be sure to have plenty of napkins on hand. You can also try one of the following variations of the classic:Da Combo. Most Italian beef joints offer a &quot;combo,&quot; which also has a grilled Italian sausage nestled in with the beef (shown being made at Al&#039;s in a photo at right). These are thick, uncured, coarsely ground pork sausages in natural casings, flavored with fennel, paprika, black pepper, red or green bell peppers, onions, garlic, parsley, and crushed red chili peppers for some heat. Italian sausages are made in your choice of hot, medium, or mild (sometimes called sweet).Da Cheef. Cover it with shredded mozzarella and/or provolone, broil for a few minutes, and you have a &quot;cheesy beef&quot; or &quot;cheef&quot;. Not many stands offer this mutant strain.Wit Gravy. An even rarer and more heretical variant, topped with marinara.Da Soaker. Just dip the bread in the juice and you have the classic laborer&#039;s lunch, a soaker, a.k.a. &quot;sugo pane&quot;, or gravy bread. Sugo pane is also commonly made with marinara sauce.

Smoked Top Sirloin Roast turned into one amazing Italian Beef Sandwich
 
#italianbeefsandwich #chicagoitalianbeefsandwich #howtobbqright
 
Italian Beef Sandwich Recipe
 
I don’t know if there is a sandwich more fitting for the “Super Bowl” than the Chicago Italian Beef. Hailing from the South Side of Chicago, this sandwich has it all:  Piles of thinly sliced, hot beef nestled in a soft bread smothered in tasty “beef juice” topped with sautéed peppers and spicy giardiniera; it just doesn’t get any better.  This is a sandwich worthy of a Championship Trophy! 

For the authentic version of this recipe I turned to my friend Meathead over at https://amazingribs.com/   

Meathead suggests starting with a Top Sirloin Roast in the 3-4 pound range. You can also substitute top round or bottom round roast as well. I would say any lean beef roast will work. Remove as much fat and sinew from the outside of the roast as possible. To season the roast I used salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, and crushed red pepper. Mix the seasonings together in a bowl, spritz the outer surface of the roast with water and sprinkle on a good dose of the seasoning. The water will help the seasonings stick and release some of the flavor from the herbs.  

To cook the roast I set up my Big Green Egg for indirect cooking running Royal Oak lump for heat and few chunks of hickory for smoke flavor. Use the plate setter in the Egg to create indirect cooking. The temp needs to run at 325 the entire cook. 

The cooking set up is key for Chicago Italian Beef. The roast sits above a pan of simmering beef broth while it cooks. Place a 9x13” baking pan on the cooking grate and add 6 cups of water. Throw in 4 beef bouillon cubes and stir to dissolve. Season the beef juice with a good pinch of the same seasoning used on the outside of the roast. Place a baking rack over the pan and sit the roast on the raised rack.  

For the first stage of cooking the roast needs to hit 125-130 degrees internal for medium rare. Insert a wired probe thermometer - I used my Thermoworks DOT http://bit.ly/ThermoworksDOT into the center of the roast to monitor the temperature. 

Once the roast hits 125-130 degrees, remove it from the pit.  Pour the beef juice into a large container.  Cover both with foil and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours (or overnight) to cool.  

When the roast is completely cool, it’s ready for the next step. Remove any fat that floats to the top of the juice then bring it to a slow simmer. Taste the juice for flavor.  Add more seasoning if necessary. 

Now it’s time to slice the beef. In Chicago they use a meat slicer for thin slices but at home you can use a thin bladed knife. Let the knife do the work and take your time. Like Meathead says you don’t want to press too hard or saw at it because it’ll be too thick.

Also no Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich is complete without peppers.  I sliced 3 sweet bell peppers into 1/4’ slices and sautéed them. 

To assemble the sandwiches first you need a good bread. If you have fresh Italian bread loaves great, but I didn’t, so I went with fresh French Rolls. The bread needs to be firm on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside.  Slice it lengthwise but don’t go all the way through.  

Place a big handful of the sliced beef into the simmering juice and let it hang out for a minute.  Ladle the bread with a big spoon of the juice then pile the hot beef right on top.  Add a few strips of sweet pepper and giardiniera - Meathead has a great recipe for making it yourself http://bit.ly/ARgiardiniera -  Lastly spoon more of the Beef Juice over the top or if you’re like me just dunk the whole sandwich back in the crockpot.  

Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich Ingredients:
- 3-4lb Top Sirloin Roast (you can also use Top Round or Bottom Round)
- 2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Granulated Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Granulated Onion
- 1 teaspoon dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried Sweet Basil
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed Red Pepper
- 4 Beef Bouillon cubes
- 6 cups Water
- 3 Green Bell Peppers
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Killer Hogs AP Seasoning http://bit.ly/TheAPRub
- 8 French Rolls
- 1 jar Giardiniera (can be store bought or homemade)
 
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Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich

Easy crock pot Italian Beef sandwiches from scratch. Juicy, tender beef cooked with simple ingredients, it&#039;s popular and great for a crowd!

Italian Beef

chuck roast or round roast (trimmed of large chunks of excess fat)

Kosher salt

beef broth (divided)

pepperoncini pepper peppers

giardiniera (mild

Provolone cheese slices (for serving)

Hoagie buns (for serving)

Italian seasoning

sugar

salt

thyme dried (ground)

Rest

Let the meat rest at room temperature for 15 minutes (this is a good time to measure your other spices and seasonings). Season the beef all over with kosher salt.

Sear

Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high. Once it is hot, sear the meat on all sides until golden brown, moving it as little as possible so that it develops a nice crust (this will take about 10 minutes). Transfer to the slow cooker.

Pour

Turn the heat to medium. Carefully splash in some of the broth and with a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan (this is FLAVOR). Pour the liquid and any bits into the slow cooker on top of the beef.

Stir

In a small bowl, stir together the seasoning ingredients: Italian seasoning, granulated sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and thyme. Sprinkle on top of the beef.

Add the pepperoncini peppers and juice. Add the giardiniera (do not add any giardiniera juice).

Cook

Cover the crockpot and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or until meat shreds easily with a fork. Shred the beef, then stir it together with the juices. Cover and cook on low for 30 additional minutes.

Toast

To serve, split the hoagie buns and toast on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes (if desired). Fill with the shredded Italian beef (get plenty of that yummy, messy juice!) and top with provolone, pepperoncini, and Giardiniera as desired. Enjoy!

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/BZZNJDMF.mp4

Easy slow cooker Italian Beef sandwiches from scratch. Juicy, tender beef cooked with simple ingredients, it's popular and great for a crowd!

Make Flavorful Instant Pot Italian Beef (Pressure Cooker Italian Beef Sandwich): tender juicy savory-umami shredded beef with refreshing crunchy pickled veggies in soft crusty Italian bread. Super easy kid-friendly Instant Pot meal!

Instant Pot Italian Beef

stock stock

(190 grams) onion (, sliced)

(15 milliliters) regular soy sauce

(15 milliliters) fish sauce ((can substitute with 1 tbsp regular soy sauce))

(15 milliliters) Worcestershire sauce

(3.5 grams) onion powder

(9 grams) garlic powder

(1 grams) dried oregano

(1.2 grams) dried basil

red pepper flakes ((Optional))

giardiniera

Brown Chuck Roast Steak: Heat up Instant Pot using Sauté More function. Wait until it says HOT (~8 mins) -you really want the Instant Pot to be as hot as it can be for the maillard reaction.&nbsp;Pat dry the chuck roast steak and lightly season one side with salt + black pepper. Drizzle the inner pot with 1 tbsp olive oil. Then, place the seasoned side of the chuck roast steak in Instant Pot. Lightly season the other side with more salt + black pepper.*Pro Tip: brown each side for 10 minutes to develop some awesome deep flavors.*Note: If you prefer a "Dump-it-all-in" Recipe, you can skip the browning and saute steps.

Saute Onion and Herbs: Set browned chuck roast steak aside. If you want to serve the Italian Beef Sandwich with sauteed green bell pepper, saute then set them aside.&nbsp;Add in sliced onions, saute until softened (~3 - 4 mins). Add in 1 tsp (1g) dried oregano, 1 tsp (1.2g) dried basil. If you prefer slightly spicy Italian Beef, add 1 tsp red pepper flakes. Saute for another minute.

Deglaze Instant Pot: Pour 1 cup unsalted stock in Instant Pot, then deglaze by scrubbing all the flavorful brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.

Pressure Cook Chuck Roast: Add in 1 tsp (3.5g) onion powder, 2 tsp (9g) garlic powder, 1 tbsp (15ml) soy sauce, 1 tbsp (15ml) fish sauce, and 1 tbsp (15ml) Worcestershire sauce. Give it a quick mix.&nbsp;Place browned chuck roast steak back in Instant Pot and partially submerge it into the liquid as best as you can. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 45 minutes + 25 minutes Natural Release.

Simmer Gravy &amp; Shred Beef: Set aside chuck roast steak in a mixing bowl, then shred the meat with 2 forks. While you are shredding the meat, bring gravy back to a boil with the "Saute" function.&nbsp;*Pro Tip: Reducing the gravy will naturally thicken it. If you find the gravy to be too oily, you can use a Fat Separator to filter out the fat.

Adjust Seasoning &amp; Serve Instant Pot Italian Beef: Place the beef back in the yummy beefy gravy. Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly. Serve Italian Beef on Italian rolls.&nbsp;Optional: Garnish with giardiniera and sauteed green bell pepper. Enjoy~ :)

This Italian Beef Sandwich features tender chuck roast cooked in a flavorful blend of garlic, oregano, and pepperoncini, all made effortlessly in the Instant Pot. Piled high on a toasted roll with giardiniera, it&#039;s a mouthwatering sandwich perfect for any meal.

Italian Beef Sandwich (Instant Pot)

roast

onion (thinly sliced)

garlic (minced)

red pepper flakes

beef broth (low sodium)

Italian salad dressing

pepperoncini (sliced, plus 2 tablespoons of the brine)

French rolls

giardiniera (drained and chopped)

provolone cheese (sliced, optional)

Season the Beef:

Sprinkle the chuck roast evenly with salt and pepper.

Sauté in Instant Pot:

Set the Instant Pot to the sauté setting and add olive oil. Once hot, brown the beef pieces on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

Cook the Aromatics:

In the same pot, add the sliced onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add Liquids and Beef:

Pour in the beef broth, Italian salad dressing, and pepperoncini brine. Stir to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the browned beef to the pot and add the pepperoncini.

Pressure Cook:

Secure the lid of the Instant Pot, making sure the valve is in the sealing position. Set on high pressure for 60 minutes. After the cooking time is up, allow for a natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.

Shred the Beef:

Remove the beef from the pot and shred it using two forks. Skim off any excess fat from the juices in the pot.

Assemble the Sandwiches:

Preheat the broiler. Open the rolls and lay them cut side up on a baking sheet. Broil for 1-2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Optional: add a slice of provolone cheese to each roll and melt under the broiler.

Serve:

Pile the shredded beef onto the toasted rolls, spoon some of the cooking juices over the meat, and top with giardiniera. Serve immediately.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/C8Ctq6Yg.mp4

This Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwich is a game-changer! Juicy beef, infused with herbs and spices, pairs perfectly with the tangy kick of pepperoncini. When you layer it on a toasted roll with giardiniera, you get a sandwich that’s bursting with bold, comforting flavors.

Chicago-style Italian beef is the ultimate crowd-pleasing sandwich — deeply savory, juicy sliced beef piled high on a crusty roll and dunked in rich, herb-scented gravy. This homemade version uses a slow-roasted top round, smoky bacon-rendered fat, and a bold seasoning blend to nail that iconic Chicago flavor right in your own kitchen. The trick is chilling the roast overnight so you can slice it paper-thin, then warming everything low and slow in the gravy for beef that's impossibly tender. Top it off with sweet peppers and spicy giardiniera, dip the whole sandwich in the jus, and you've got a true Chicago experience at home.

Chicago-Style Italian Beef Recipe by Tasty

garlic

sea salt

celery salt

fennel seeds,

paprika

beef bacon

unsalted butter

green bell pepper, sliced

red bell pepper, sliced

yellow bell pepper, sliced

lb boneless top round roast

avocado oil

beef broth, divided

worcestershire sauce

beef bouillon

brine

bay leaves

Chicago-style French rolls

giardiniera,

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Tasty

Make the seasoning blend: In a small bowl, stir together the granulated garlic, oregano, salt, celery salt, fennel seeds, MSG, paprika, and black pepper. Set aside.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon and reserve for another use, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.

Add the butter to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly charred, about 10 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, allow them to cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Sprinkle all over with salt and black pepper.

Add the avocado oil to the same pot. Sear the roast over medium-high heat until deeply browned on every side, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the roast to a plate.

Pour 1 cup of the broth into the pot. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release all the browned bits.

Add the remaining 3 cups of broth, the Worcestershire sauce, bouillon, pepperoncini peppers, pepperoncini brine, bay leaves, and seasoning blend to the pot. Stir until the bouillon dissolves, about 3 minutes.

Return the seared roast and any accumulated juices to the pot. Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook until the center of the roast reaches 145˚F (63˚C), 20–25 minutes, depending on thickness. Begin checking the temperature after 20 minutes to avoid overcooking.

Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves and pepperoncini peppers. Transfer the roast to the refrigerator and chill until completely cold, at least 3 hours or preferably overnight. Refrigerate the gravy separately.

Once chilled, slice the roast as thinly as possible against the grain. For the thinnest, most even slices, use a meat slicer — otherwise, use a long, sharp knife.

Transfer the chilled gravy to a large pot over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Season with salt to taste.

Add the sliced beef and reserved bell peppers to the gravy. Reduce the heat to low and warm gently for 5 to 8 minutes. Do not bring the beef to a boil or let it simmer for an extended period, as this can make it tough.

Split the French rolls without cutting completely through to the opposite side. Using tongs, generously pile the warm roast beef onto each roll, allowing some of the gravy to soak into the bread. Top with the sweet peppers and hot giardiniera. Serve with a small bowl of gravy for dipping. For a true Chicago experience, quickly dip the entire sandwich in the gravy, wrap it in wax paper, and let it rest for a minute before serving.

https://vid.tasty.co/mediaconvert/output/408039/Standalone/1793134900_landscape_480.mp4

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