Lean beef is slow cooked in the crockpot until it is melt in your mouth tender and juicy then piled high in crusty baguettes. Add your favorite toppings and you've got an easy Italian beef sandwich that will get rave reviews from your family!
3lbsbeef roastuse a very lean cut like eye of round.
salt and pepperto taste
1teaspoonItalian seasoningoptional
1tablespoongarlicminced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
16ozpepperoncini pepperswith juice
2baguettes cut in 4 sandwich sized lengths each
Caramelized onionsoptional
Sauteed peppersoptional
Provoloneoptional
Giardinieraoptional
Instructions
Season the meat with salt and pepper.
Put it in a slow cooker and add the entire contents of the peperocini jar.
Add minced garlic.
Cover and cook on low for 8 - 10 hours.
After 7 hours shred the beef with 2 forks and then let it cook for at least another hour. This infuses the meat with even more flavor.
Assembly
Warm baguettes in the oven until crust is crispy.
Cut in half and pile meat onto the bottom part.
Add optional ingredients and add top of bread.
This is even better the next day if it lasts that long.
Notes
If you use chuck roast, or a cut of beef with a lot of fat, be sure to trim it before cooking.
The longer this cooks the more tender and flavorful it is. If you can give it 10-12 hours it's even better.
Shred the meat after 7 hours even if you are cooking it longer than the required 8 hours. During that time the flavor of the other ingredient, pepperoncini peppers, soaks into the meat giving it a vinegary bite and just a smidge of spicy heat.
Garlic butter is amazing on these - just spread it on the bread before you put the beef on. In fact, I like to slice into the bread, gently open it, spread it with garlic butter, and then toast it before I add the beef. The crust gets crunchy, the bread is chewy and garlicky, and the beef is juicy and tangy.
The cooked, shredded beef freezes well. I like to vacuum seal in serving size packets for quick meals when I need them.
Serve with...I like to serve these with macaroni salad or cole slaw on the side. And you can't beat classic chocolate chip cookies for an easy dessert!Store...Cooked Italian beef will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator as long as you put it in an airtight container. Make sure it’s completely cooled before you seal it. You can also use a vacuum sealer for longer storage.Or, freeze it for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and you're ready to go!