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Chicago Italian Beef

Print Recipe
Course Appetizer, dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian

Ingredients
  

  • 1 3 lb boneless beef chuck roast
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp dried Italian Seasoning
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 3 cups beef stock
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme

For the Sweet Peppers

  • 4 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp granulated garlic
  • salt and pepper

Sandwich Build

  • 6 soft, hinged sub or hoagie rolls
  • Hot Giardiniera, recipe follows if you want to make

Homemade Hot

  • 1/4 cup table salt
  • 1 cup small diced carrots
  • 1 cup tiny cauliflower florets
  • 4-8 Serrano peppers, sliced 1/4 inch
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced small
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced small
  • 2 cups canola oil
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Instructions
 

  • For the pot roast: Position a rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

  • Liberally sprinkle the entire roast with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the roast on all sides until golden and caramelized; reduce the heat if the fat begins to smoke. Transfer the roast to a plate and reduce the heat to medium. Add in the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper and saute until fragrant, another minute. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Deglaze with the red wine and cook until reduced by half. Add in the stock and thyme and bring to a simmer. Adjust the seasoning of the jus. Place the roast back into the pot with any accumulated juices and place in the oven. Cook the roast, turning every 30 minutes, until very tender, 3 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Increase the oven heat to 350 degrees F.

  • Transfer the roast to a cutting board and tent with foil. Strain the jus through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and return back to the pot. Bring to a simmer and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Once cooled a bit, pull the meat into smaller chunks, return to the reduced jus and reserve until ready to build the sandwiches.

  • For the sweet peppers: Toss the pepper strips with the olive oil, granulated garlic and some salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring halfway through, until lighter in color and soft, about 20 minutes.

  • For the sandwich build: If you like, open the bun and toast it in a little butter in a skillet. Remove from the skillet and add provolone cheese and place under the broiler. Remove and place some beef on the roll, then some sweet peppers and then some Hot Giardiniera. Pour a small dish of reduced jus. Take the whole sandwich and quickly dunk in hot jus or serve with a bowl to each person.
    If you are serving these for a crowd, you can omit the toasting and just lay out the ingredients for everyone to build their own sandwich.
  • Day One: Combine 2 cups water and the salt in a glass or non- reactive bowl. Mix until the salt is dissolved. Add the carrots, cauliflower, serranos, garlic, celery and bell peppers to the salt water and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

  • Day Two: Drain and rinse the vegetables. In a clean bowl, mix together the canola oil with the oregano and pepper. Add the vegetables and mix to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Giardiniera will only get better with time. After 2 days at the most in the bowl, you can place in air-tight Mason jars and keep in the fridge for at least 2 to 3 weeks. Makes 3 to 4 cups.

Keyword Chicago, Game Day, game day food, giardiniera, Italian Beef, Italian Beef Sandwiches, pot roast