The Easiest Italian Beef Sandwich Ever

Making Italian Beef the "right" way involves a lot of process and special gear. So for those of us who don't own meat slicers & want an easier option I have you covered with this easier, better way to make Chicago Italian Beef.

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Italian Beef Sandwich Recipe
Italian Beef:
▪4 lbs (2kg) beef chuck
▪Kosher salt
▪Olive oil
▪1 32oz box (900g) beef stock
▪10g onion powder
▪10g garlic powder
▪5g dried oregano
▪5g dried basil
▪3g chili flakes
▪5g coriander
▪5g paprika
▪50g Worcestershire sauce
▪25g tomato paste
▪50g beef bouillon (I use Better Than Bouillon)

For Giardiniera:
▪150g (¼ head) cauliflower florets
▪150g (4 stalks) celery, diced
▪150g (2 medium) carrots, diced
▪150g (1 whole) green bell pepper, diced
▪150g (1 small) white onion, diced
▪75g (4-5) serrano chilies, thinly sliced
▪5-6 cloves garlic, pressed
▪600g white distilled vinegar
▪400g water
▪30g salt
▪300g canola oil
▪200g olive oil

For Italian Rolls:
▪225g warm water
▪9g instant yeast
▪20g olive oil
▪15g sugar
▪350g bread flour
▪9g salt

ITALIAN BEEF:
1. Cut beef chuck into 5-6 large chunks, about 2-3 inches across.
2. Season beef generously with kosher salt (approximately 2-3 tbsp or 30g) and let it sit for 15 minutes.
3. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat.Sear the beef chunks for 5-10 minutes until browned on two sides.
4. Add beef to a slow cooker
5. Deglaze the pan with a splash of water or stock, then pour it over the beef in the slow cooker.
6. Add stock, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, basil, chili flakes, coriander, paprika, worcestershire, tomato paste, and beef bouillon to the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Slow cook on low for 8-10 hours or until tender.
7. Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred it into smaller pieces, but not fully shredded.
8. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and refry the shredded beef for 4-5 minutes until it’s a littlel crispy around the edges
9. Add 2-3 cups of beef jus to the pan and reduce by half.
10. To assemble the sandwiches, slightly crisp up the Italian rolls in the oven for 5 minutes.
11. Layer giardiniera, shredded refried Italian beef, and concentrated jus on the rolls.
12. Wrap the sandwiches tightly with parchment paper.

GIARDINIERA
1. Break down cauliflower into small florets and small dice celery, carrots, bell pepper, onion. Thinly slice chiles and press/mince garlic. Combine in a bowl.
2. In a pot, bring vinegar, water, and salt to a boil. Add in the vegetables, remove from heat, cover, and let them cool in the brine. Once cool, marinate for at least 8 hours in the refrigerator.
3. The next day, drain the pickling liquid and top the vegetables with canola oil and olive oil.

ITALIAN HOAGIE ROLLS:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Combine Ingredients in a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook.
3. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes or until dough is well combined and clearing the bowl, then increase to high speed and mix for 4 more minutes until the dough is fully developed and you can tug on it without it ripping.
4. Transfer dough to a bowl and round it into a ball. Cover and ferment at room temperature for 90 minutes. It should have doubled in size.
5. Divide the dough into two pieces, shape them into balls, cover, and let them rest for 15 minutes.
6. Shape each piece of dough into a 12-inch tube (see video @7:00) and place them onto the back of a sheet tray lined with parchment paper
7. Cover and proof for 60 minutes. They should double in size
8. Spray the rolls with water, score them tip to tip with a razor blade or serrated knife, and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.

CHAPTERS:
0:00 Cooking the beef
2:54 Making the giardiniera
4:28 Mixing the italian hoagie roll
5:11 Trying to speak Italian
6:21 Shaping and baking the bread
8:30 Finishing the beef

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[calebthand]

We're basically at the point where my family says, "What are we going to eat this weekend?" And I say, "I'll know when Brian's video comes out"

[jdizzle]

Full circle moment, first of Brian's videos I watched was the Italian beef but I've never made it because I don't have a slicer 😂

[kaybrown]

My uncle was a butcher who lived within a a couple of hours from Chicago. His Italian beef was fabulous! I distinctly remember he used fennel seeds in his spice mix, which I’ll also add when I make this. Great vid!

[ArthurEbing]

Thank you for adding your spices like a normal person and not slowly tap-tapping it in like it inhances the flavor!

[bobpetti]

Hey, what's up? Just love this style of video - all signal - no noise. And I will say my bread outcomes have vastly improved by watching your videos - night and day. Thanks again for all these super helpful videos.

[RisenThe]

I've seen a lot of videos and this is the only one that reduced the juice down. I used to pour mine in a squeeze bottle and use it to deglaze the beef on the flat top. It would reduce down and stick to the meat. Delicious.
A+

[LVDani]

I’ve never made my own giardiniera but it turned out amazing! I also think frying the meat after the crockpot is genius and it made a huge difference in the texture. I’m definitely going to try this technique on other crockpot meats.

I followed this recipe mostly to a tee but halved it. I am so impressed with the results. Sometimes meat from the crockpot is flavorless.

[johannesgutenburg]

thank god you made it actually achievable. can't stand it when people post "recipe" videos that are little more than glorified vacuous content because they require ridiculously expensive components

[caygabie]

Chicago girl in WA state...Portellos is still the first stop on the way from the airport...time to make this sandwich!

[cmodjeski]

Can't wait to try this new method. No cauliflower in my favorite beef place's giardiniera and there has to be olives! It's the best part.

[Mapcavalier]

I’ve always been a fan of your videos for focusing more on instruction than goofy editing and jokes, but this new format you’ve been trying out is even better ❤

[drzlecuti]

Looks great! I liked the shout out to Johnnie's at the end. I discovered them 30+ years ago while driving around Melrose Park for an appraisal.

[ChipRiggs]

Oh God how I miss Johnny's now that I don't live in Chicago anymore, so YES I'm on this recipe ASAP. Hats off to you Brian!

[CogitoNM]

That Mixer transition was awesome. I had to rewind a bit just to confirm what I saw. Kudos!

[peglamphier]

I find that dicing my green paper finely and then throwing them into the garbage makes everything taste better. It's a little trick I'm happy to share.

[Rubinho]

What a great idea ! Remembers me good memories of my trip in Chicago

[kevinsmolar]

Loved your original recipe so I'm excited to try this one! Have you ever thought about making a video for a Chicago Style Breaded Steak Sandwich? That's a Chicago food I never see anywhere else and I'd love to see your take on it. Keep up the awesome work!

[IHatSarks]

Dude, I just used the other recipe 2 days ago, but am slapped with this update??? Looks like I just gotta make more now~

[Autodidacct]

I made this today in totality (started the giard yesterday). It was amazing. Thank you!

[korlu]

Really love your channel. Love the way you break down the steps. Perfectly offering of both vocal step by step instructions as well as clear video examples. Looking forward to making your meals!