Original Homemade Italian Beef Recipes

ITALIAN BEEF

Steps:

• Cut roast in half; place in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Combine the water and seasonings; pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours or until meat is very tender. Discard bay leaf. Remove meat and shred with a fork. Skim fat from cooking juices; return meat to slow cooker. Serve on rolls.

CHICAGO ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICH

Steps:

• Rub meat with dry ingredients, cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
• Add meat to a roasting pan with bacon fat, add onions and garlic, saute for 15 minutes, deglaze with wine, and add Worcestershire sauce, beef stock and bay leaves.
• Place roasting pan in the oven and cook for 3 hours, uncovered, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 135 degrees F in center. Remove, let cool, then slice very thin.
• Cool broth in roasting pan and remove the fat that rises to the top. Strain.
• Reheat the broth, and add the sliced meat. Place some meat on each toasted roll, ladle with some broth and top with giardiniera vegetables and red peppers.

ITALIAN BEEF

Steps:

• For the dry rub: Mix together the basil, oregano, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and salt.
• For the meat: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Add the beef stock and 1 quart water to a roasting pan. Place the beef roast on a perforated pan and set into the roasting pan. Coat the entire roast with the dry rub. Cover tightly with foil and place in the oven. Cook until the center of the roast reaches 140 degrees F, about 30 minutes per pound.
• Refrigerate the roast for at least 2 hours (the beef must be cold to slice properly). Slice as thinly as possible.
• For the gravy: While the beef is cooking, combine the beef base, black pepper, garlic, celery, bay leaves, onions and 1 gallon cold water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for at least 1 hour. (The longer the gravy simmers, the stronger it gets.) Strain and keep hot.
• To serve, drop a portion of sliced beef into the hot gravy; heat until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Place the beef on a hoagie roll, add some giardiniera and enjoy.

ITALIAN BEEF

Steps:

• First, set the oven to preheat to 375°F.
• Make a mixture combining the head of minced garlic, one tablespoon of salt, one tablespoon of pepper, dried oregano, fresh oregano, and red pepper flakes, and rub the mixture all over the meat.
• Place the meat in a large roasting pan or a Dutch oven, then pour in three quarts of water on the bottom of the tray but do not pour over the meat.
• Bake for 60-90 minutes, or until, when inserted in the center of the meat, the thermometer reads 150°F.
• When done, wait until the meat cools to room temperature, then take it out of the pan and wrap it in plastic wrap. Place the meat in the refrigerator overnight
• Strain the broth, throw away the solids, and refrigerate overnight.
• The following day, pour the broth into a wide pot and simmer over low heat, covered, for 30 minutes.
• While the broth is cooking, prepare the peppers. Set the oven to preheat to 350°F. Make a mixture of olive oil, two minced cloves of garlic, one teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of black pepper and use it to coat the peppers. Arrange the peppers in a baking sheet and roast for half an hour.
• Trim the roast beef, removing all the fat. Slice thinly, cutting against the grain.
• Place the slices of beef into the still simmering gravy, and cook for another 20 minutes.
• Cut the bread into 6-inch portions, and slice each open on one side.
• Stuff them with generously with beef, and add the sweet peppers and hot giardiniera.
• With the help of tongs dip each sandwich in the gravy for a second, allow the excess liquid to drip off and serve.