PREP TIME: 20 mins | COOK TIME: 10 hrs | SERVINGS: 6 LARGE SANDWICHES (6-12 SERVINGS)
Today I made these amazing Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches to showcase how outrageously delicious this is. Everybody loves it and I am not even surprised! Seasoned to perfection with homemade Italian seasonings, this Italian beef is slow-cooked in a crockpot until fork tender. Then, layered in toasted buns with my favourite toppings and finally, cheese.
INGREDIENTS
SANDWICHES:
6 hoagie rolls
12 thin slices of provolone cheese or 6 regular
1 16-ounces jar mild pepperoncini peppers/sliced pepper rings
jarred roasted red peppers patted dry optional
Giardiniera optional
SLOW COOKER ITALIAN BEEF:
3-5 pounds beef chuck roast trimmed of excess fat
1 tbsp Vegetable oil
1 14.5-ounces can low sodium beef broth
1 c. Coke (Not diet)
1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 tbsp dried minced onions
1 tbsp beef bouillon
2 teaspoons EACH dried oregano, dried basil, dried parsley, garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon EACH salt, pepper, dried thyme
1/3 c. pepperoncini juice (from pepperoncini jar listed above)
HOW TO MAKE CROCKPOT ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICHES
Step 1: In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the meat on both sides until brown. In a 6-quart or larger slow cooker, transfer the seared meat, then add in the rest of the roast ingredients. Stir. Cover the slow cooker, set on low, and cook for 8 to 10 hours. Or 4 to 6 hours on high or until the roast is fork-tender.
Step 2: Shred the roast once tender and discard the excess fat. Cook the roast for another 30 minutes on low until it absorbs some of the juices.
Step 3: In the meantime, prepare the oven. Preheat it to 400 degrees F.
Step 4: On a large baking tray. Lay the halves rolls cut-side up. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 5 minutes until the buns are toasted.
Step 5: Pile the bottom sides of buns using tongs with meat and top with your favourite toppings like pepperoncini, roasted bell peppers, giardiniera, etc., and cheese. Fold the slices of cheese in half if using thinly slice cheese and add 2 slices per hoagie. Or a slice of the traditional cheese per hoagie, slicing each piece in half to fit the shape of the bun.
Step 6: Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, leaving the top and bottoms cut-side up until the cheese has completely melted.
Step 7: Serve with the remaining liquid for dipping if preferred and enjoy immediately.
NOTES:
You can dip the sandwiches in the juice it cooked in if desired. Separate the fat from the jus using a fat separator with a spout or a freezer bag. If using a freezer bag, let the juice completely cool, add the juice to the freezer bag, let the fat float, then seal the bag. Hold the bag over a bowl, the bottom corner tip facing down like a spout. Grab a scissor and make a small snip in the corner so the liquid flows through the cut and into the cup.
To store, place the cooked Italian Beef in an airtight container along with some of the juices and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
TO MAKE ITALIAN BEEF AHEAD OF TIME:
Cook as directed until tender. Allow the Italian beef to cool completely once cooked and do not shred before storing in the fridge with the juices for up to 24 hours.
Skim off the hardened fat when ready to serve, then cook for 1 to 2 hours in the slow cooker on a low setting until warmed through.
Shred the beef and allow it to soak in the juice for about 30 minutes.
Then, continue as directed above.
TO REHEAT ITALIAN BEEF:
You can reheat this beautifully in either a crockpot, stove, or microwave.
In the crockpot, add the Italian beef and some of the jus, set on low, and cook for an hour and two.
To a Dutch oven, transfer the Italian beef with some jus. Heat over medium heat while stirring often until heated through.
To reheat in the microwave, place the Italian Beef with some jus to a microwave-safe dish in smaller servings. Cover and heat in the microwave for 60 seconds. Stir and heat in 30-second intervals if needed.
TO FREEZE THE ITALIAN BEEF:
Make sure to completely cool the beef before you transfer it to an air-tight container or a heavy-duty bag with some of the juices.
To prevent freezer burn, make sure to squeeze out any excess air.
Label the bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating as directed.
Ingredients
- SANDWICHES:
- 6 hoagie rolls
- 12 thin slices of provolone cheese or 6 regular
- 1 16-ounces jar mild pepperoncini peppers/sliced pepper rings
- jarred roasted red peppers patted dry optional
- Giardiniera optional
- SLOW COOKER ITALIAN BEEF:
- 3-5 pounds beef chuck roast trimmed of excess fat
- 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 1 14.5-ounces can low sodium beef broth
- 1 c. Coke (Not diet)
- 1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 c. reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tbsp dried minced onions
- 1 tbsp beef bouillon
- 2 teaspoons EACH dried oregano, dried basil, dried parsley, garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon EACH salt, pepper, dried thyme
- 1/3 c. pepperoncini juice (from pepperoncini jar listed above)
Instructions
Step 1: In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the meat on both sides until brown. In a 6-quart or larger slow cooker, transfer the seared meat, then add in the rest of the roast ingredients. Stir. Cover the slow cooker, set on low, and cook for 8 to 10 hours. Or 4 to 6 hours on high or until the roast is fork-tender.
Step 2: Shred the roast once tender and discard the excess fat. Cook the roast for another 30 minutes on low until it absorbs some of the juices.
Step 3: In the meantime, prepare the oven. Preheat it to 400 degrees F.
Step 4: On a large baking tray. Lay the halves rolls cut-side up. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 5 minutes until the buns are toasted.
Step 5: Pile the bottom sides of buns using tongs with meat and top with your favourite toppings like pepperoncini, roasted bell peppers, giardiniera, etc., and cheese. Fold the slices of cheese in half if using thinly slice cheese and add 2 slices per hoagie. Or a slice of the traditional cheese per hoagie, slicing each piece in half to fit the shape of the bun.
Step 6: Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, leaving the top and bottoms cut-side up until the cheese has completely melted.
Step 7: Serve with the remaining liquid for dipping if preferred and enjoy immediately.
NOTES:
You can dip the sandwiches in the juice it cooked in if desired. Separate the fat from the jus using a fat separator with a spout or a freezer bag. If using a freezer bag, let the juice completely cool, add the juice to the freezer bag, let the fat float, then seal the bag. Hold the bag over a bowl, the bottom corner tip facing down like a spout. Grab a scissor and make a small snip in the corner so the liquid flows through the cut and into the cup.
To store, place the cooked Italian Beef in an airtight container along with some of the juices and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
TO MAKE ITALIAN BEEF AHEAD OF TIME:
Cook as directed until tender. Allow the Italian beef to cool completely once cooked and do not shred before storing in the fridge with the juices for up to 24 hours.
Skim off the hardened fat when ready to serve, then cook for 1 to 2 hours in the slow cooker on a low setting until warmed through.
Shred the beef and allow it to soak in the juice for about 30 minutes.
Then, continue as directed above.
TO REHEAT ITALIAN BEEF:
You can reheat this beautifully in either a crockpot, stove, or microwave.
In the crockpot, add the Italian beef and some of the jus, set on low, and cook for an hour and two.
To a Dutch oven, transfer the Italian beef with some jus. Heat over medium heat while stirring often until heated through.
To reheat in the microwave, place the Italian Beef with some jus to a microwave-safe dish in smaller servings. Cover and heat in the microwave for 60 seconds. Stir and heat in 30-second intervals if needed.
TO FREEZE THE ITALIAN BEEF:
Make sure to completely cool the beef before you transfer it to an air-tight container or a heavy-duty bag with some of the juices.
To prevent freezer burn, make sure to squeeze out any excess air.
Label the bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating as directed.
