Description
Mouthwatering crockpot Italian beef sandwiches bring hearty midwest comfort to dinner tables across America. Juicy, tender meat nestled in crusty rolls delivers a flavor-packed meal that satisfies hunger and warms hearts.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 2.5 pounds top round roast
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 packet au jus gravy mix
- 1 0.7-ounce pack Italian salad dressing mix
Vegetables and Toppings:
- 3 bell peppers, cut into strips
- 16 sliced pepperoncini from jar
Bread and Cheese:
- 8 hoagie rolls
- 8 slices provolone cheese
Instructions
- Position the top round roast at the bottom of the slow cooker, ensuring it sits flat and centered.
- Whisk together beef broth, au jus gravy mix, and Italian salad dressing mix until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Cascade the liquid mixture evenly over the roast, guaranteeing complete coverage.
- Slice bell peppers into thin strips and scatter pepperoncini across the meat.
- Cover and set slow cooker to low temperature, allowing the roast to simmer and tenderize for 8-10 hours.
- Once cooking time concludes, carefully remove roast and transfer to a cutting board.
- Using two forks, methodically shred the meat into succulent, tender strands.
- Return shredded beef to the cooking liquid to maintain moisture and enhance flavor.
- Warm hoagie rolls slightly, then layer with provolone cheese.
- Generously pile shredded beef onto prepared rolls, allowing juices to soak into the bread.
- Optionally, garnish with additional pepperoncini for extra zest and serve immediately.
Notes
- Slice meat against the grain to ensure maximum tenderness and easier shredding when the cooking is complete.
- Consider reducing sodium by using low-sodium beef broth and selecting a reduced-sodium au jus mix for health-conscious individuals.
- Experiment with adding caramelized onions or roasted garlic for deeper flavor complexity without changing the core recipe structure.
- Use gluten-free hoagie rolls or serve over cauliflower rice for those with wheat sensitivities.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours (or 10 hours)
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg