Authentic Italian Beef For Sandwiches Food

AUTHENTIC CHICAGO ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICH RECIPE

Steps:

• Prep. If you wish, you can stab the surface of the meat every inch or so and stick slivers of fresh garlic into the meat as does my brother-in-law. If you do this, leave the garlic out of the rub. Otherwise, mix the rub in a bowl. Coat the meat lightly with water to help the rub stick, sprinkle it generously on the meat, and massage it in. There will be some left over. Do not discard it, we will use it in the juice.
• Fire up. If you are cooking indoors, put a rack just below the center of the oven and preheat to 225°F. If you are cooking outdoors use a 2-zone setup or a smoker and get it the oven or the indirect side up to about 225°F.
• Cook. Pour the water into a 9 x 13" baking pan and heat it to a boil. Dissolve the bouillon in the water. It may look thin, but it will cook down and concentrate during the roasting. Pour the remaining rub into the pan. Place a rack on top of the pan and place them both on the indirect side of the grill or in the oven indoors. Place the roast on top of the rack above the juice. Roast at 225°F until interior temperature is about 130-140°F for medium rare, about 3 hours (exact time will depend on the cut of meat, its thickness, and how well calibrated your cooker is). This may seem long, but you are cooking over water and that slows things down. Don't worry if there are people who won't eat medium-rare meat. The meat will cook further in step 5, and you can just leave theirs in the juice until it turns to leather if that's what they want.
• While the meat is roasting (mmmmm, smells sooooo good), cut the bell peppers in half and remove the stems and seeds. Rinse, and cut into 1/4" strips. Cook the peppers in a frying pan over a medium high heat with enough olive oil to coat the bottom, about 2 tablespoons. When they are getting limp and the skins begin to brown, about 15 minutes, they are done. Set aside at room temp.
• Prep again. Remove the roast and the juice pan. Take the meat off the rack and remove the rack. Pour off the juice, put the meat back in the pan, and place it in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Let it cool for a few hours, long enough for the meat to firm up. This will make slicing easier. Chill the juice, too, in a separate container. Slice the meat against the grain as thin as humanly possible, preferably with a meat slicer. My wife remembers that her family would cook the roast and take it to the butcher to slice on his machine. That's a good strategy if you don't have a meat slicer but it may be against your local health codes. If you don't have a slicer, use a thin blade and draw it along the meat. If you try to cut down or saw through the crust you will be cutting it too thick.
• Next, taste the juice. If you want you can thin it with more water, or make it richer by cooking it down on top of the stove. In Chicago beef stands it is rich, but not too concentrated. Then turn the heat to a gentle simmer. Soak the meat in the juice for about 1 minute at a low simmer. That's all. That warms the meat and makes it very wet. You can't leave the meat in the juice for more than 10 minutes or else it starts to curl up, squeezes out its natural moisture, and toughens. If you go to a beef stand and the meat is really curly, they have committed a mortal sin. At Mr. Beef, for example, I watched them take a handful of cooked beef and dump it into the juice every time they took out enough for a sandwich. This also enriches the juice with meat protein and seasoning from the crust.
• Serve. Slice the rolls lengthwise but leave them hinged on one side. Or slice a loaf of Italian bread the same way, then cut it widthwise into 10 portions. To assemble the sandwich, start by spooning some juice directly onto the bread. Get it wet. Then lay on the beef generously. Spoon on more juice (don't burn your hand). Top it with bell pepper and, if you wish, giardiniera. If you want it "wet", dip the whole shootin' match in juice. Be sure to have plenty of napkins on hand. You can also try one of the following variations of the classic:Da Combo. Most Italian beef joints offer a "combo," which also has a grilled Italian sausage nestled in with the beef (shown being made at Al's in a photo at right). These are thick, uncured, coarsely ground pork sausages in natural casings, flavored with fennel, paprika, black pepper, red or green bell peppers, onions, garlic, parsley, and crushed red chili peppers for some heat. Italian sausages are made in your choice of hot, medium, or mild (sometimes called sweet).Da Cheef. Cover it with shredded mozzarella and/or provolone, broil for a few minutes, and you have a "cheesy beef" or "cheef". Not many stands offer this mutant strain.Wit Gravy. An even rarer and more heretical variant, topped with marinara.Da Soaker. Just dip the bread in the juice and you have the classic laborer's lunch, a soaker, a.k.a. "sugo pane", or gravy bread. Sugo pane is also commonly made with marinara sauce.

CHICAGO ITALIAN BEEF

Steps:

• Cook first 5 ingredients in a Crockpot on LOW for 18 (eighteen) hours.
• Turn over at the 6th and 12th hour interval.
• At the 17th hour cut sweet green peppers into 1/8 ths lengthwise and cook in water on low heat until soft.
• Cut bread into 6 inch lengths and slice on the side lengthwise.
• Pull roast apart with a fork, and using tongs, pile bread with meat and juice.
• (Do not let juice drain before putting on bread. The juice is half the taste of the sandwich.) Lay strips of green pepper on top of the meat.
• Salt to taste.
• OPEN WIDE and enjoy the most wonderful taste sensation.
• May be frozen when cooked.

PORTILLO'S ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICHES

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, combine the water, salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf and salad dressing mix.
• Stir well and bring just to a boil.
• Place roast in a slow cooker and pour mixture over the roast.
• Cover and cook on low setting for 10 to 12 hours OR high setting for 4 to 5 hours.
• Remove bay leaf and shred meat with a fork.
• Serve on Italian Rolls.

PORTILLO'S ITALIAN BEEF HACK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Render the beef fat by chopping it into small bits (about the size of peas) with a food processor. Be sure the fat is very cold--it will chop better. If you don't have a food processor, you can chop the fat by hand. Use a sharp knife and cut it as small as you can. Heat up the fat in a sauté pan over medium heat until the bits are browned. Strain the solids from the fat and measure 1/4 cup of fat for the gravy.
• Make the beef gravy by combining all of the ingredients, including the beef fat, in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture begins to boil reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then turn the heat to low.
• Make the sandwiches by heating up the rolls in the hot oven for 3 minutes.
• For each sandwich, drop 1/4 pound of sliced beef (separate the slices) into the gravy for 2 minutes. Make sure the gravy isn't boiling. It should be around 180 degrees F. After the beef has soaked in the gravy, use tongs to arrange the beef on a warmed sandwich roll and top with your choice of hot giardiniera or sweet peppers. Or both. Spoon on some extra gravy just before serving.

CHICAGO-INSPIRED ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICH

Steps:

• Season beef with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy pot over high heat. Cook and stir beef in hot oil until browned, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Stir garlic, vinegar, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, thyme, rosemary, 1 teaspoon black pepper, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes into beef. Pour enough chicken broth into beef mixture to cover the meat by 1 inch and bring to a simmer.
• Cover pot with a lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer until meat is fork-tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Transfer meat with a strainer or slotted spoon to a separate pot; pour about 1/4 cup of meat broth into pot. Use a wooden spoon to gently break meat into smaller chunks. Cover pot with a lid or aluminum foil and keep warm.
• Skim excess grease from top of broth remaining in the first pot; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover pot with a lid or aluminum foil and keep broth warm.
• Lay halves of a roll out on a work surface and spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons meat broth over each half. Top bottom half of roll with a generous portion of meat and a spoonful of pickled vegetables. Place tops on sandwich. Repeat with remaining buns, broth, meat, and pickled vegetables to make 3 more sandwiches.
• Spoon hot meat broth into ramekins and top each ramekin with 1/2 teaspoon parsley. Serve sandwiches with hot broth for dipping.

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.

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN BEEF FOR SANDWICHES

Steps:

• 1. If you wish, you can cut small slits in the surface of the meat every inch or so and stick slivers of fresh garlic into the meat. If you do this, leave the garlic out of the rub. Otherwise, mix the rub in a bowl. Sprinkle it generously on the meat and massage it in. There will be some left over. Do not discard it, we will use it in the juice. Let the meat sit at room temp for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the grill or oven to 400°F. If you are cooking indoors, put a rack just below the center of the oven.
• 2. Pour the water into a 9 x 13" baking pan and heat it to a boil on the stove top. Dissolve the bouillon in the water. It may look thin, but it will cook down and concentrate during the roasting. Pour the remaining rub into the pan. Place a rack on top of the pan. Place the roast on top of the rack above the juice. Roast at 400°F until interior temperature is about 130°F for medium rare, about 30 minutes per pound (exact time will depend on the cut of meat, its thickness, and how well calibrated your oven is). This may seem long, but you are cooking over water and that slows things down. The temp will rise about 5°F more as it rests. Don't worry if there are people who won't eat medium-rare meat. The meat will cook further in step 5, and you can just leave theirs in the juice until it turns to leather if that's what they want. If you use a rotisserie on your grill, you can cut the cooking time in half because the spear and the forks holding it in place will conduct heat into the interior.
• 3. Beware. This recipe is designed for a 9 x 13" baking pan. If you use a larger pan, the water may evaporate and the juice will burn. If you have to use a larger pan, add more water. Regardless of pan size, keep an eye on the pan to make sure it doesn't dry out during cooking. Add more water if necessary
• 4. While the meat is roasting (mmmmm, smells sooooo good), cut the bell peppers in half and remove the stems and seeds. Rinse, and cut into 1/4" strips. Cook the peppers in a frying pan over a medium high heat with enough olive oil to coat the bottom, about 1 tablespoon. When they are getting limp and the skins begin to brown, about 15 minutes, they are done. Set aside at room temp.
• 5. Remove the roast and the juice pan. Take the meat off the rack and remove the rack. Pour off the juice, put the meat back in the pan, and place it in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Let it cool for a few hours, long enough for the meat to firm up. This will make slicing easier. Chill the juice, too, in a separate container. Slice the meat against the grain as thin as humanly possible, preferably with a meat slicer. My wife remembers that her family would cook the roast and take it to the butcher to slice on his machine. That's a good strategy if you don't have a meat slicer but it may be against your local health codes. If you don't have a slicer, use a thin blade and draw it along the meat. If you try to cut downor saw through the crust you will be cutting it too thick.
• 6. Taste the juice. If you want you can thin it with more water, or make it richer by cooking it down on top of the stove. In Chicago beef stands it is rich, but not too concentrated. Then turn the heat to a gentle simmer. Soak the meat in the juice for about 1 minute at a low simmer. That's all. That warms the meat and makes it very wet. You can't leave the meat in the juice for more than 10 minutes or else it starts to curl up, squeezes out its natural moisture, and toughens. If you go to a beef stand and the meat is really curly, they have committed a mortal sin. At Mr. Beef, for example, I watched them take a handful of cooked beef and dump it into the juice every time they took out enough for a sandwich. This also enriches the juice with meat protein and seasoning from the crust.
• 7. To assemble the sandwich, start by spooning some juice directly onto the bun. Get it wet. Then lay on the beef generously. Spoon on more juice (don't burn your hand). Top it with bell pepper and, if you wish, giardiniera. If you want it "wet", dip the whole shootin' match in juice. Be sure to have plenty of napkins on hand.
• 8. NOTE: Italian giardiniera is also called "sottaceti", meaning "under vinegar", a common term for pickled foods. It is typically eaten as an antipasto or with salads.[2] In the United States, giardiniera is commonly available in traditional or spicy varieties, and the latter is sometimes referred to as "Hot Mix". In the cuisine of Chicago, giardiniera is used as a condiment, typically as a topping on Italian beef sandwiches.

ORIGINAL HOMEMADE ITALIAN BEEF

Steps:

• Place the roast into a slow cooker, and season with Italian dressing mix. Pour in the water. Cover, and cook on High for 6 to 7 hours. During the last hour, shred the meat with two forks - if it does not shred easily, cook longer. Add the peppers, and as much of the juice as you like for additional flavor. Serve on buns.

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.

ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICHES

Steps:

• For the giardiniera: Combine the carrots, pepperoncini, jalapeños, roasted red peppers, olive oil, pepperoncini liquid, garlic powder and pepper in a bowl. Toss well, then set aside.
• For the beef: Remove the sirloin from the freezer and, using a mandoline or a sharp knife, cut into very thin strips against the grain. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper.
• Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan. Add the beef and sauté until starting to brown, but still pink, about 2 minutes. Add the Italian seasoning and garlic, then cook for 30 seconds. Add the broth and vinegar, then bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat.
• Place 3 slices of provolone on each roll. Top with the hot beef. Sprinkle with some of the giardiniera. Serve with extra broth on the side for dipping.