Italian Beef Sandwich (Print Version)

Slow-cooked beef on crusty rolls topped with giardiniera and served with au jus for dipping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 3 lbs beef chuck roast
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp kosher salt
04 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

→ Cooking Liquid

05 - 2 cups beef broth
06 - 1 cup water
07 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
08 - 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
09 - 1 tsp garlic powder
10 - 1 tsp onion powder
11 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
12 - 1 bay leaf

→ For Serving

13 - 6 sturdy Italian sandwich rolls or hoagie rolls
14 - 1 1/2 cups hot giardiniera, drained
15 - 1 cup roasted sweet bell peppers
16 - Extra au jus from the pot for dipping

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat beef chuck roast dry with paper towels and season thoroughly with kosher salt and black pepper on all sides.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or slow cooker insert over medium-high heat. Sear beef on all sides until deeply browned, approximately 3-4 minutes per side.
03 - Add beef broth, water, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, and bay leaf to the pot with the seared beef.
04 - Bring mixture to a simmer, then cover and transfer to a 325°F oven. Braise for 4 hours, flipping the roast once halfway through, until meat is fork-tender and easily shreds. Alternatively, cook in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
05 - Remove beef to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Skim excess fat from the cooking liquid. Shred the beef using two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat, then return the shredded meat to the pot to absorb the juices.
06 - Split the Italian sandwich rolls in half. Optionally, toast them lightly for added texture and to prevent sogginess.
07 - Pile hot shredded beef generously onto each roll, spooning a portion of au jus over the meat. Top with a generous amount of giardiniera and roasted sweet peppers if desired. Serve immediately with extra au jus on the side for dipping.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The meat becomes fork tender after hours of slow cooking, practically shredding itself while soaking up all that flavorful broth
  • That moment when you dunk your sandwich into extra au jus and take a bite is pure comfort food heaven
  • Homemade giardiniera lets you control the heat level, and the recipe comes together with mostly hands-off cooking time
02 -
  • Chuck roast is non negotiable here because it has the right fat content to stay tender through hours of cooking, unlike leaner cuts that will turn into shoe leather
  • That initial sear creates flavor compounds that simmer into the broth, so do not skip this step even when you are tired and tempted to just throw everything in the pot
  • Letting the beef rest before shredding keeps the juices redistributing instead of running all over your cutting board, which means more flavor in every bite
03 -
  • Dunk each cut side of the roll in the au jus for about 3 seconds before filling it, which creates that authentic Chicago experience without making the sandwich fall apart
  • Make the beef a day ahead and refrigerate it in the cooking liquid, then skim off the solidified fat before reheating for an even cleaner, more concentrated flavor
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