Classic Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich
Traditional dish · Italian-American
The quintessential Chicago Italian Beef sandwich, featuring thinly sliced, slow-cooked beef simmered in a rich, savory jus, piled high on a sturdy Italian roll, and often dipped for extra flavor. Served 'wet' or 'dry' with optional giardiniera or sweet peppers.
Rate this recipe
Choose 1 to 5 stars. Each recipe can be rated once.
No ratings yet.
Ingredients
- Beef chuck roast3 lbs
- Beef broth4 cups
- Water2 cups
- Garlic cloves4
- Onion1
- Dried oregano2 tsp
- Salt1 tsp
- Black pepper1 tsp
- Italian rolls4
- Giardiniera (optional)to taste
- Sweet peppers (optional)to taste
Steps
- 1
Trim excess fat from the beef chuck roast. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- 2
Sear the beef roast in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat until browned on all sides.
- 3
Add beef broth, water, sliced garlic, and quartered onion to the pot. Bring to a simmer.
- 4
Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and braise for 3-4 hours, or until the beef is very tender.
- 5
Remove the beef from the pot and let it rest for 15 minutes. Reserve the cooking liquid (jus).
- 6
Thinly slice the beef against the grain. You can use a mandoline or a sharp knife.
- 7
Return the sliced beef to the pot with the jus. Add oregano. Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes to allow the beef to absorb the flavors.
- 8
To assemble, slice the Italian rolls lengthwise, but not all the way through. Dip the cut sides of the roll into the hot jus.
- 9
Generously pile the beef slices onto the bottom half of the roll. Add optional sweet peppers or giardiniera.
- 10
Close the sandwich. For a 'wet' sandwich, dip the entire sandwich briefly in the jus before serving.
