Chicago’s Italian Hot Beef Sandwiches

Name: Chicago’s Italian Hot Beef Sandwiches
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 4 h 25 min
Total time: 4 h 50 min
Cuisine: American, Italian, European, Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1/2 large white onion, quartered; 4 peeled carrots, chopped into large chunks; 4 ribs of celery, chopped into large chunks; 1 head of garlic cut crosswise; 1L of high quality beef broth; black pepper plus more to taste; Sea salt to season beef heavily; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 2 teaspoons onion powder; 2 teaspoons oregano; 2 teaspoons thyme; 2 teaspoons red chili flakes; 3 lb chuck roast, fat trimmed; Olive oil to sear your meat and dress your giardeniera; 4 good quality French rolls, split; Italian pickled vegetables in vinegar or oil; 2 teaspoons parsley; 2 teaspoons oregano; 2 teaspoons black pepper; 2 teaspoons fennel pollen

10 steps

Prep:25minCook:4h 25min

A mix of three different recipes, and a lot of reading and YouTube watching went into this version of Chicago’s Italian beef. It’s both flavourful and filling, but inexpensive and easy to make. I used my Instant Pot, but a Dutch oven works well too!

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 11:32:23 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Good

Glycemic Index

Moderate

Glycemic Load

High

Nutrition per serving

Calories1013.6 kcal (51%)

Total Fat61.9 g (88%)

Carbs44.6 g (17%)

Sugars4.5 g (5%)

Protein66.6 g (133%)

Sodium1786.5 mg (89%)

Fiber5.6 g (20%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Instructions

For the beef:

Step 1

Season with salt well.

Step 2

Sear well, take out, add onion, carrots, celery, garlic. Stir to get the vegetables coated in the oil.

Step 3

Put the beef back, add broth, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, and chili flakes.

Step 4

I’m estimating 2 or 3 hours for a high pressure cook, and perhaps the same amount of time in the oven, set at 350°F. The beef should be falling apart easily.

Step 5

Shred the beef with two forks, and put meat aside, covered with a bit of the cooking liquid. Keep warm.

Step 6

Strain au jus from the vegetables and reduce slightly. Keep hot on low heat until ready to assemble.

For the Giardeniera:

Step 7

If using pickled vegetables in vinegar: Empty the jar from the vinegar and add to a food processor. If you choose, you can hand chop the veggies into bite sized pieces. Put them into a bowl and dress them with a good amount of olive oil, coriander seeds, parsley, oregano, and black pepper. This can sit around while you make your beef. If using vegetables in oil, simply add to food processor and make into a slightly less chunky salad. You’re ready to go!

Assembly:

Step 8

Take a good amount of beef per sandwich, and dip it well into the au jus.

Step 9

Add the meat to your split bun, and top with your pickled vegetable salad.

Step 10

You have 3 options now. Dry, dipped, or wet. Dry: The sandwich does not get dipped into the au jus, and the broth comes on the side in a cup. This option is good if you’re taking it to go. Dipped: Each end of the sandwich gets slightly dipped in the au jus. This is good if you’re eating it right away. Wet: Not sure why this is an option. The entire sandwich is dipped in au jus, and becomes entirely soggy. You basically have to eat this version as soon as it’s handed to you.