Totally Awesome Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches Recipes

Steps:

• 1. Chicago Italian Beef Sandwiches As the story goes: Italian Beef Sandwiches were created over 100 years ago, on the South Side of Chicago in the Italian neighborhoods around the now defunct Stockyards. The classic Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich is a unique, drippy, messy variation on the French Dip Sandwich. It can be found in hundreds of places around the city but rarely can you find it outside of Chicago. The recipe was popularized by Pasquale Scala, a South Side butcher and sausage maker. During the Depression food was scarce and Scala's thinly sliced roast beef on a bun with gravy and fried peppers took off. His family still runs a business that supplies the ingredients to the sandwiches to restaurants and curbside vendors around the Southside of the city.
• 2. Gather your ingredients.
• 3. Chef's Tip: I use a chuck roast because it shreds very easily, and tastes good, to boot. Plus it's the traditional cut of beef still used today, by the Scala family.
• 4. Add the beef stock and vinegar to a saucepan, and bring to a boil.
• 5. Add about 2.5 tablespoons of the dry spices, (don't forget the bay leaf) then reduce the heat and lightly simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Take the remainder of the dry spices, place into an airtight container, and reserve for another use.
• 6. Chef's Note: The goal here is not to lose too much liquid, but to infuse the flavors of the spices into the beef stock. A light simmer with hardly any movement in the liquid is all you need. But it's an important step, so don't skip it.
• 7. Place the roast into the slow cooker and pour the hot liquid over the roast.
• 8. Cook on low for 10 hours.
• 9. Chef's Note: Keep some additional beef broth on hand. If the roast begins to lose too much moisture, add more. As long as the roast is covered in liquid, you're fine.
• 10. At the 8-hour mark, remove the beef from the liquid, and discard the bay leaf.
• 11. Using a sharp knife, slice the beef, against the grain as thinly as possible, or shred it using two forks; whatever method you choose. In Chicago, I've had it served both ways, and both are wonderful.
• 12. Return the beef to the liquid in the slow cooker and allow it to continue to cook on low for an additional 2 hours, for a total of 10 hours.
• 13. Chef's Note: If you're using your slow cooker on high, remove the beef and shred at the 3-hour mark, and then continue to cook for an additional hour, for a total of 4 hours; however, the beef will have a richer flavor if you go low and slow.
• 14. Chef's Tip: If you want it a bit hotter, when you take the beef out to shred, throw in a couple of sliced peppers (your choice), and let them cook with the beef for those final hours.
• 15. Serve on some nice toasted hoagie rolls, and add a lot of that wonderful sauce. The bread will soak it up, and it will be divine. In Chicago they say: The wetter, the better" when it comes to Italian Beef Sandwiches.
• 16. Chef's Note: Whatever bread you choose, it's important that it have "wet" strength, so that it doesn't fall apart and turn into beef-gravy panade.
• 17. Chef's Note: Additional toppings include: sautéed mushrooms, sliced onions, additional chili peppers; maybe some cheese... go for it.
• 18. Serve with some chips, a side salad, or just solo. Oh, and don't forget to include lot of napkins. Enjoy.
• 19. Additional Serving Suggestion: Put the beef over rice, and pour on the sauce... lip-smacking good. The photo is a bit blurred, but it still tasted good.
• 20. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

Steps:

• Combine water with salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf, and salad dressing mix in a saucepan. Stir well, and bring to a boil.
• Place roast in slow cooker, and pour salad dressing mixture over the meat.
• Cover, and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours, or on High for 4 to 5 hours. When done, remove bay leaf, and shred meat with a fork.

Steps:

• In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat; brown roast on all sides. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons each salt and pepper. Transfer to a 6-qt. slow cooker., Add onions to stockpot; cook and stir until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes Add garlic; cook 30 seconds longer. Add wine; cook 3-5 minutes, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Stir in stock, thyme, Italian seasoning and pepper flakes; transfer to slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low until beef is tender, 7-9 hours., About 1/2 hour before serving, preheat oven to 350°. Place peppers in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Drizzle with remaining oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder and the remaining salt and pepper; toss to coat. Roast until softened, 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway., Remove roast; cool slightly. Strain cooking juices into a small saucepan, reserving strained mixture and removing thyme stems. Skim fat from juices; heat through and keep warm. Coarsely shred beef with 2 forks; stir in reserved strained mixture. If desired, moisten beef with some of the cooking juices., To serve, preheat broiler. Arrange buns on baking sheets, cut side up. Broil 3-4 inches from heat until lightly toasted. Remove from oven; top each bun with 2/3 cup beef mixture and 1 slice cheese. Broil until cheese is melted, about 30 seconds., Top with peppers and, if desired, giardiniera. Serve with cooking juices for dipping.

Steps:

• In a large skillet, brown each roast in oil on all sides. Drain. Transfer meat to a 7-qt. slow cooker. Combine the water, onion, garlic, salad dressing and gravy mixes, pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and Worcestershire sauce; pour over beef. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat is tender. , Remove beef; cool slightly. Skim fat from cooking juices. Pour juices into a large bowl. Shred beef with 2 forks; add to bowl. Using a slotted spoon, place 1/2 cup on each bun. Top with cheese and giardiniera if desired. Freeze option: Cool meat and juices; transfer to freezer containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. To use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Place in a Dutch oven; heat through. Using a slotted spoon, place 1/2 cup on each bun. Top with cheese and giardiniera if desired.