Italian Beef Sandwiches

By Sarah Copeland

Updated October 10, 2023

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
About 8 hours
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
8 hours
Rating
3(403)
Comments
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These classic Midwestern sandwiches, which are thought to have originated in Chicago in the early 1900s, are made from slow-roasting tougher cuts of beef in a flavorful broth until tender. The cooked beef, which can be thinly sliced or shredded, is piled on soft rolls and layered with pickled hot peppers, provolone and tangy giardiniera. You’ll often find this sandwich doused in the cooking jus (or gravy, as Chicagoans call it) or with the jus alongside, for dipping. (This is a streamlined riff, but for a classic version, rub the meat with a mixture of 2 teaspoons coriander, and 1 tablespoon each dried oregano, dried garlic powder, smoked paprika, and fennel seed along with the salt and pepper in Step 1. Rub into the meat and keep covered for up to two days before cooking.) Pickled green hot peppers are traditional, but any kind of pickled pepper will bring a welcome bit of heat and crunch.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

  • 2 ½- to 3-pound boneless chuck roast, trimmed

  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • Black pepper 

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 yellow onion, halved

  • 1 head garlic, halved crosswise 

  • 2 carrots, peeled

  • 2 celery stalks 

  • ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes

  • 6 cups beef broth

  • 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

  • 6 to 8 soft hoagie rolls, soft French rolls or ciabatta rolls  

  • ¼ pound provolone, thinly sliced 

  • About 2 cups giardiniera, preferably Chicago-style

  • 1 cup pickled green hot peppers

  • Fresh parsley (optional), leaves torn

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Season the meat generously all over with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the meat and sear on one side, undisturbed, until deeply browned, about 5 minutes. Flip and brown lightly on all remaining sides, about 2 minutes per side, lowering the heat as necessary to avoid scorching the oil. Using tongs, remove and place it in a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, red-pepper flakes and beef broth.

  2. Step 2

    Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until the beef is very tender. (You can also cook, covered, in an ovenproof Dutch oven or pot in a 300-degree oven until very tender, 3 ½ to 4 hours.) When the beef is ready, it should be juicy and flavorful, and will pull apart easily with a fork. (The amount of time can depend upon the leanness or fattiness of your cut, or how hot your slow cooker runs.) Using tongs and a slotted spoon, remove the beef to a cutting board (and set the vegetables aside as a chef’s treat). Slice the beef thinly across the grain then return it to the broth. Stir in the soy sauce and cover to keep warm.

  3. Step 3

    Heat a broiler to low. Split the rolls in half. Top each sandwich with some beef and jus, and a layer of provolone over the top. Broil just to melt the cheese (don’t overdo it, or it can make your meat tough and the roll too dry; the roll should stay soft but be slightly warm). Stuff the sandwich with giardiniera, pickled peppers and fresh parsley leaves, if using.

  4. Step 4

    Serve warm, with broth for dipping, if desired, or drizzle some jus over the sandwich while warm.

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Ratings

3 out of 5
403 user ratings
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Comments

nick

serious lack of spices in the jus. oregano, garlic, coriander, paprika, fennel seed at the very least, and a healthy dose of cracked black pepper. add a dollop of Better than Bouillon beef flavor to the jus, the beef shops here do it and it works. don’t skimp on the flavor!!!!!!

Margaux Laskey, Senior Staff Editor, NYT Cooking

This recipe was meant to be a very streamlined version of the classic for busy home cooks, but we hear you! If you'd like a more traditional Chicago-style version, rub the meat with a mixture of 2 teaspoons coriander, and 1 tablespoon each dried oregano, dried garlic powder, smoked paprika, and fennel seed along with the salt and pepper in Step 1. Rub into the meat and keep covered for up to two days before cooking. (And go Cubs!)

Karolyn Schalk

Rump or round are the preferred cuts. The spice mix should include oregano, cracked fennel seed, and some thyme, as well as plenty of freshly ground black pepper, and garlic, or garlic powder. Also, the finished beef, and jus can be frozen - another reason to make a big roast.

MARLA

I used to work at the Univ. of Illinois campus near Al's Italian beef on Taylor. A great lunch was to go to Al's. In summertime, desert was an Italian Ice at Mario's Italian Lemonade stand. When my son was a toddler, he was fond of ltalian beef which he referred to as "mushy bread." We knew what he meant.

Sally in Bellingham, WA

I discovered a truly ethereal brand of giardinera made by Forward Provisions (Qunce and Apple Co) in Madison WI. I can’t recommend it enough.

Bert

I’ve done this recipe twice now, with suggested dry rub, and I really like this recipe. It has turned out great both times; the meat just falls apart after 8 hours. Definitely do the dry rub at least one day before cooking. Get a big roast too, I got a 3.14 lb roast and still had plenty of aus jus.

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