Description
Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches packed with tender beef, Italian seasoning, peppers, and onions. Comforting, flavorful, and perfect for feeding a crowd.
Ingredients
- Chuck roast or bottom round roast
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare and Sear the Beef Pat the beef roast dry with paper towels to ensure proper browning. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes. Rub this seasoning mixture all over the roast, pressing it into the meat. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully place the seasoned roast in the hot skillet and sear each side for 3-4 minutes until deeply browned. This step is worth every minute for the flavor it develops.
- Step 2: Prepare the Slow Cooker Place sliced onions and minced garlic in the bottom of your slow cooker, creating a flavorful bed for the meat. Transfer the seared beef to the slow cooker, placing it on top of the onions and garlic. Pour in beef broth and pepperoncini juice, then scatter the pepperoncini peppers around the roast. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the roast – not completely submerging it.
- Step 3: Slow Cook to Perfection Cover the slow cooker and set it to low for 8-10 hours. Resist the temptation to peek frequently, as this releases precious heat and extends cooking time. You’ll know it’s ready when the beef effortlessly shreds with just the touch of a fork. The patience required here rewards you with meat so tender it practically melts.
- Step 4: Shred and Prepare the Beef Once the beef is fall-apart tender, carefully transfer it to a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, removing any large pieces of fat as you go. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir gently to combine with the juices. Let it absorb those flavors for another 15-30 minutes on the warm setting.
- Step 5: Prepare the Bread While the beef is finishing, prepare your rolls. For authentic Chicago-style Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches, slice crusty Italian rolls or hoagie buns horizontally, keeping them connected on one side. If desired, place provolone cheese on the bottom half of each roll and toast them lightly under the broiler for 1-2 minutes until cheese starts to melt and bread is lightly crisp.
- Step 6: Assemble and Serve Using a slotted spoon, pile the shredded beef generously onto the prepared rolls. Add additional pepperoncini peppers if desired. For the full experience, use tongs to briefly dip the entire sandwich into the hot jus (or serve jus on the side in small ramekins for dipping). Serve immediately while hot, with napkins handy – these delicious sandwiches can get wonderfully messy!
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 130mg