Italian Beef Sandwich (Printable)

Tender beef slow-cooked for hours, piled on rolls with giardiniera and served with rich au jus for dipping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef and Seasoning

01 - 3 lbs beef chuck roast
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp kosher salt
04 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

→ Cooking Liquid

05 - 2 cups beef broth
06 - 1 cup water
07 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
08 - 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
09 - 1 tsp garlic powder
10 - 1 tsp onion powder
11 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
12 - 1 bay leaf

→ For Serving

13 - 6 sturdy Italian sandwich rolls or hoagie rolls
14 - 1 1/2 cups hot giardiniera, drained
15 - 1 cup roasted sweet bell peppers
16 - Extra au jus from the pot for dipping

# Directions:

01 - Pat beef chuck roast dry with paper towels and season generously with kosher salt and black pepper on all sides.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or slow cooker insert over medium-high heat. Sear beef on all sides until deeply browned, about 3–4 minutes per side.
03 - Add beef broth, water, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf to the pot with the seared beef.
04 - Bring to a simmer, cover tightly, and transfer to a 325°F oven. Braise for 4 hours, flipping once halfway through, until beef shreds easily with a fork. Alternatively, cook in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours or high for 4–5 hours.
05 - Remove beef to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Skim excess fat from the cooking liquid. Shred beef with two forks, discarding any large fat pieces, then return to the pot to absorb the juices.
06 - Split the Italian rolls in half. For extra moisture, quickly dunk the cut sides in the au jus before toasting lightly if desired.
07 - Pile hot shredded beef onto each roll, spooning additional au jus over the meat. Top generously with drained giardiniera and roasted sweet peppers.
08 - Serve immediately with extra au jus on the side for dipping.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Four hours of mostly hands-off cooking gives you fork-tender beef that falls apart at the slightest touch
  • The homemade au jus captures all the beefy, spiced flavors that make this sandwich legendary
  • Each sandwich becomes an interactive experience with that perfect dunk-into-juice moment
02 -
  • Patting the beef completely dry before seasoning is the secret to getting a proper sear, which creates the flavor foundation
  • Letting the meat rest before shredding keeps all those precious juices inside instead of running onto your cutting board
  • The au jus will seem thin when you first make it, but the continued braising concentrates it into something extraordinary
03 -
  • Make the beef a day ahead and refrigerate it in the cooking liquid, which makes removing the hardened fat incredibly easy and actually improves the flavor
  • If your giardiniera is too chunky, give it a quick rough chop so it distributes evenly across each sandwich
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