Description
Hearty Italian beef sandwiches deliver classic Chicago street flavors with tender slow-cooked meat and spicy giardiniera peppers. Meat lovers will savor bold regional tastes between crusty bread slices that transport you directly to the Windy City’s culinary scene.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 3 – 4 pounds beef chuck roast
Liquid Ingredients:
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Herbs, Spices, and Aromatics:
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the oven by setting the temperature to 325F (163C) for slow-roasting the beef.
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and thoroughly brown the beef chuck roast on all sides, creating a rich caramelized exterior. Transfer the meat to a separate plate.
- In the same pot, sauté chopped onions and garlic until they become translucent and fragrant, releasing their aromatic flavors.
- Create a flavorful braising liquid by combining beef broth, water, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and a blend of herbs including oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Reintroduce the browned beef to the herbed liquid, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer before covering and transferring to the preheated oven for 3-4 hours until the meat becomes incredibly tender.
- Remove the beef from the cooking liquid and carefully shred it using two forks, then return the meat to the pot to absorb the rich, savory juices.
- While the meat rests, lightly toast the Italian or French bread rolls to create a crisp, golden exterior.
- Construct the sandwiches by generously layering the succulent shredded beef onto the toasted rolls, then top with zesty giardiniera, roasted sweet peppers, and optional provolone cheese.
- Serve the sandwiches immediately while warm, allowing the robust flavors to be fully enjoyed.
Notes
- Slow-Cooking Magic: Let the beef braise low and slow to ensure maximum tenderness and flavor infusion throughout the meat.
- Sauce Absorption Trick: After shredding, allow the beef to sit in its cooking liquid for 15-20 minutes to absorb more intense flavors and maintain moisture.
- Bread Selection Strategy: Choose sturdy rolls that can hold the juicy beef without becoming soggy, like crusty Italian or French bread.
- Customization Flexibility: Adjust spice levels by modifying red pepper flakes or swap out giardiniera for pickled jalapeños for a different heat profile.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours (or 4 hours)
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 335 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg