Poor Boys Italian Beef Food

ITALIAN BEEF PO' BOYS

Steps:

• Cut beef into large chunks, trimming away any large pieces of fat. Place in a slow cooker.
• In a bowl, whisk together seasoning packets, seasoned salt, black pepper and water.
• Pour liquid mixture over beef and toss gently to combine. Cook on low setting overnight (for 8-10 hours).
• Remove meat to cutting board and using two forks, shred meat. Skim fat from juices in slow cooker, return meat to juices and combine. Keep on low , or transfer to a dutch oven to reheat and serve. Serve on buns or rolls with plenty of optional toppings.

DAD'S ITALIAN BEEF "POOR BOYS"

Steps:

• fill pan half full with water and let roast and onions cook for 5-6 hours.
• Shred meat and let sit in fridge over night.
• Next day add all other ingredients and cook again.
• We let it cook in a crock pot on low all day and it's ready when we get home from work!
• Sometimes I cheat and sneak home for lunch and make a sandwich.

CROCK POT PO' BOYS (OR ITALIAN BEEF) SANDWICHES

Steps:

• 1. At the beginning of the day, place roast in large Crock Pot with chunked onions, garlic, pepper and Italian seasoning and about 2 cups of water, and the juice from the pepperocini peppers. I've sliced the meat in thin slices prior to cooking, but I like the texture of the meat when pulled apart, and less work.
• 2. Cook on med-low most of the day until the roast starts falling apart and will easily pull apart with a fork. 8-9 hours until meat pulls apart with a fork.
• 3. Remove meat from Crock Pot, saving all the drippings.
• 4. In seperate bowl, mix the gravy packets with the water as directed; put meat back in crock pot with the drippings, the gravy mix, stir well and let simmer about 1/2 hour.
• 5. Tear apart meat with forks (shredding) and put it into the pot as you are tearing apart the meat. Discard all fatty parts.
• 6. Once meat is in the juices (should thicken up with the gravy packets) let cook about another hour.
• 7. Serve on harder long rolls...I prefer a French type, crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. The bread soaks up the gravy. It's especially good with some shredded mozzarella or provolone on the sandwich... serve the pepperocinis on the side or in the sandwich.
• 8. *A little more flavorful version is to put in the peppers (stems removed) during the cooking process.

ROAST BEEF PO-BOY SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Cut a pattern of incisions across the top of the roast every couple of inches, each long and deep enough to hold a slice of salt pork. Combine half the garlic, 1 cup of the onion (mince this finely), and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper, and push this mixture into the slits you've made for the salt pork. Press salt pork into the beef and tie it securely, trying to make the shape of the roast as even as possible for even cooking.
• In a pot broad and deep enough to hold the roast with room to spare for all the braising liquid, melt the lard over medium heat. Brown the roast well all around, keeping the salt pork inside. Add all remaining seasonings, carrots, celery, parsley and thyme to the pot, cooking until the onions are limp. Add wine and enough hot beef stock or water to nearly cover beef. Add bones. Cover pot and simmer 4 hours, until beef is very tender.
• Remove beef from pot to another dish that will hold dripping juices. Raise heat under liquid and boil hard, uncovered, 45 minutes. While boiling down the gravy, baste the roast so it doesn't dry out.
• Remove salt pork strips from beef and slice it as best you can (it will fall into chunks and shreds; the smaller you shred it, the more it'll be like the legendary "debris"), putting the pieces into a separate serving or storage dish. Strain the gravy, season it to taste with salt, freshly ground pepper and optionally a small pinch or two of cayenne and pour it over the beef. There should be about a quart of gravy. The resulting mixture should be sloppy, luscious and profoundly beefy.
• Serve on fresh, crisp crusted New Orleans-style French bread -- average po-boy size is at least nine inches. Make sure the French bread (a good baguette will do) is not chewy. The bread must be crispy on the outside and light on the inside. Serve your roast beef po-boys dressed (with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, etc.) or with nuttin' on it, but "mynez" (mayonnaise, that is) really is a must. I like mixing plenty of horseradish into my mayonnaise, by the way. Optionally, you could serve this as a plate lunch or dinner with vegetables and potatoes as well.