Italian Beef Sandwiches are the answer you need for an easy, yet beyond delicious family dinner. These sandwiches are simple to make and even easier to enjoy!
Delicious tender beef, a wonderfully flavorful au jus, and vinegary toppings come together to make one of the world's most beloved handheld delights. These mouthwatering flavors on a toasted bun will be the star of your next meal!
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And, if you're in the mood for more good sandwiches, you've landed in the right spot! Rufus is a sandwich aficionado from way back!
Try my Steak Sandwiches With A Creamy Horseradish Sauce, Pork Banh Mi Sandwiches, or my BLT Sandwiches with TWO sandwich spreads!
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Italian Beef Sandwiches are so incredibly easy to make - the prep only takes about 10 minutes and the Instant Pot does the rest. The beef is cooked in a flavorful mix of beef broth, seasonings, and vinegary peppers. The result? Beyond tender and flavorful beef that falls magically onto toasted buns. Topped with provolone cheese and a healthy dollop of the pickled veggies, your family will be singing your praises.
Make these wonderful Italian beef sandwiches for your next party or get together with friends. They're the perfect addition to any game day spread. And, if you just need something easy for a weeknight meal for your hungry family, look no further!
A Category Breakdown of Juicy, Juicy Beef Sandwiches
Now, there are a lot of juicy beef sandwiches out there. And, they are all delicious! But here is a quick rundown of what's what.
Italian Beef - Beef is slow-cooked until fall-apart tender in a blend of broth, Italian-inspired seasonings, and pickled vegetables before being served on a bun with some of its braising juices. The pickled veg paired with just enough beef juice is what makes Italian Beef Sandwiches so good!
Roast Beef - This sando is typically simple with sliced roasted beef, cheese and additional toppings. Kind of a basic version. But, she's still mighty and absolutely delicious. I'd eat it any day of the week.
French Dip - While it also includes thinly sliced roast beef, this sandwich has an extra juicy spin. The sandwich is served with a cup of the wonderful beef au jus for a super flavorful dipping sauce. You want a French dip to swim in the juices.
What You'll Need (Don't Forget A Napkin!)
Beef Chuck Roast - My preferred cut of beef for Italian beef sandwiches. The meat becomes fall apart tender and absolutely divine.
Beef Broth - For the deglazing and braising liquid. Use a good quality one. This is also going to be the base of the au jus dipping liquid.
Italian Seasoning, Smoked Paprika, Celery Seed, Ground Coriander, Bay Leaves - The players in our seasoning game.
Carrot, Celery, Onion, Garlic - Basics for braising. They'll also add a ton of flavor.
Pepperoncini Peppers - For flavor, a touch a spice, and the acid. Acid enhances the flavor of foods for this one is important. And, the spice is minimal at best, especially after cooking.
Provolone Cheese - For the ooey, gooey cheese pull at the end. Stand requirement for Italian beef sandwiches.
Giardiniera - An Italian mixed pickled relish for topping. It's reallllll good and goes perfectly on top of these Italian beef sandwiches. You can also use your favorite pickled veg situation.
A Good Quality Napkin - This is one of those recipes that will have flavorful juices running down your arm. It's a dip-in-the-au-jus-and-shove-in-your-mouth situation. You'll need a napkin or a bib. Your choice.
How To Make It: Mangia! Mangia!
The instructions for Italian Beef Sandwiches is so very simple. I'm gonna give you a quick rundown of the steps here, but the brass tax will live in the recipe card down below. All you need to do is:
- Season and sear the beef.
- Deglaze the cooking bowl.
- Enhance the braising liquid with seasonings.
- Pressure cook.
- Remove beef and veg.
- Reduce the liquid for dipping.
- Assemble and dip until you are in pure bliss and juice is running down to your elbows.
The Importance of a Good Sear
I get asked all the time is searing meat actually worth it. It is. And, I'll tell you why.
When meat is exposed to high heat, a couple of things happen. First off, something call the Maillard Reaction takes place. In layman's terms, it means a nice the natural sugars and proteins on the surface react, creating a deeply flavorful, brown crust. Italian beef sandwiches are full of flavor. Get that crust!
Next, all those little brown bits that form on the bottom of the pot after searing, also known as the fond, create another layer of flavor. Deglazing the pot with some broth and gently scraping them up, enhances the flavor of the cooking liquid.
You want to do this step. It's simple, it doesn't take long, and it makes a big difference on the flavors of the beef. Especially for a recipe like these Italian Beef Sandwiches where the flavorful beef is the star, do it.
Dutch Oven and Slow Cooker Instructions
For the slow cooker:
Sear the chuck roast in a cast iron skillet or using the sear function on your slow cooker. Once seared add the roast to the slow cooker. Deglaze the cast iron skillet with the beef broth and add this liquid to the crockpot. Add the seasonings, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and peppers (with juice) to the crockpot. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours - until beef is tender. Assemble the Italian beef sandwiches and serve as instructed.
For a dutch oven:
Sear the chuck roast in a heavy bottom dutch oven. Once seared, remove the roast and set aside. Deglaze the dutch oven with the beef broth and return the roast to the pot. Add the seasonings, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and peppers (with juice) to the crockpot. Cook in a preheated 250° oven for 6-8 hours - until beef is tender. Assemble and serve as instructed.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is giardiniera?
It's amazing is what it is. Giadiniera is a tangy, slightly spicy pickled vegetable condiment. Its vinegary bite pairs perfectly with the rich beef in these Italian Beef sandwiches. If you don't have some, get it. You'll find that you will add it to everything!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Refrigerate the Italian beef in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days. The beef does need to be stored separately from the bread. Simply heat up and serve on toasted rolls when you're ready for an Italian Beef Sandwiches that everyone will love!
To Reheat. Rewarm leftover beef in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
Freeze the beef in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating and serving.
Serving Options
Italian Beef Sandwiches - The classic! Serve the Italian beef on a bun with Provolone cheese and with plenty of giardiniera and beef juices.
Over Rice or Polenta - Perfect for a cozy, comforting bowl of goodness. Also, great for gluten-free peeps!
Cauliflower Rice or Mashed Cauliflower - This will give you a low-carb Italian beef situation. I adore doing this.
Over Potatoes. A delicious all-in-one meal! For easy potato cooking methods, try my Crock Pot Baked Potatoes, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, or Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes.
Recipe
Italian Beef Sandwiches Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 2½-3 lb chuck roast
- kosher salt enough to liberally season the outside of the roast
- fresh ground pepper enough to season the outside of the roast
- 4 cups beef broth or stock
- 8 oz pepperoncini peppers, plus ¼ cup juice plus extra for serving
- 2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon celery seed
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 cup each carrot, celery, and onion, rough chopped
- 6-7 cloves garlic
Assembly and Serving
- 8 hoagie rolls, split and toasted
- 16 slices provolone cheese
- giardiniera and extra pepperoncinis, for topping
Instructions
- Liberally season the outside of the chuck roast with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
- Using the high sauté function on the Instant Pot, sear the roast on all sides. Once seared, remove roast and set aside.
- Add the beef broth to deglaze the bottom of the pot.
- Return the roast to the Instant Pot. Next, add the Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, celery seed, coriander, garlic, onion, carrot, celery, and pepperoncini peppers (plus juice).
- Cook the roast on high pressure for 1 hour. Allow the instant pot to depressurize naturally - about 30 minutes.
- Remove the roast and shred the meat. Set aside.
- Strain the cooking liquid and return to the Instant Pot. Reduce the liquid using the high sauté function for 10 minutes. Taste and add salt if needed.
- Pile the shredded roast meat high onto toasted hoagie rolls. Top with slices of provolone cheese, extra pepperoncinis, and giardiniera. Serve au just on the side for dipping.
- Grab a bib and enjoy!
Notes
Sear the chuck roast in a cast iron skillet. Once seared, add the roast to the crockpot. Deglaze the cast iron skillet with the beef broth and add this liquid to the crockpot. Add the seasonings, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and peppers (with juice) to the crockpot. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours - until beef is tender. Assemble and serve as instructed.
For a dutch oven:
Sear the chuck roast in a heavy bottom dutch oven. Once seared, remove the roast and set aside. Deglaze the dutch oven with the beef broth and return the roast to the pot. Add the seasonings, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and peppers (with juice) to the crockpot. Cook in a preheated 250° oven for 6-8 hours - until beef is tender. Assemble and serve as instructed.
Nutrition
If you guys make these Italian Beef Sandwiches, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I absolutely love to hear from you all and always do my best to respond to each and every one of your comments!
Thank you!
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try my Italian Beef Sandwiches recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok! And, please leave a comment or review. I absolutely love seeing each and every one of your kitchen masterpieces. And, as always, if you ever have any questions about any of my recipes, please don't hesitate to contact me!
Happy Cooking!
-Rufus
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