Chicago Style Italian Beef Recipe (slow cooker) is so stinkin' good. It tastes just like the ones you buy in Chicago (except you need to add the peppers and onions to your sandwich). Easy peasy. Great option for any party.
Chicago Style Italian Beef Slow Cooker Sandwich with Grilled Peppers and Onions
Chicago Style Italian Beef is an easy slow cooker recipe.
Today (November 3) is National Sandwich Day so I'm reposting one of my all-time favorite sandwiches, a slow-cooker Chicago Style Italian Beef Sandwich. I have been hungry for an Italian Beef Sandwich so I decided to make one. It's excellent, and we really enjoyed it. Don said it was about as good as you can get, not being in Chicago.
I have made these sandwiches a few times for our kids and grandkids and there are never any complaints. Despite the fact that the beef is a little spicy from the pepperoncinis and pepper, they love it (at least the teenagers do!). People are far too busy eating and asking for more!
The recipe is easy. It's the waiting that's hard. When the holidays come around, remember that this sandwich is the perfect party food. Offer small crispy rolls, Crusty French Bread rolls or hamburger buns for a party. So delicious!
Types of Beef to Use
Note: You can use any boneless beef roast, such as top sirloin, top round, bottom round or chuck roast (listed most preferable to least preferable) for this recipe. If you use chuck, which is more flavorful, you will need to chill the drippings and skim the fat before eating.
What You Need
I don't know about you, but I love my Crock-Pot slow cooker. I have one like this, and it works great. I especially love that the pot can be lifted out to store or to clean. It has three settings, keep warm, low and high. In the past I've commented about using the all-in-one programmable slow cooker or an Instant Pot, but I haven't tried it so I'll leave that to your judgement. All you really need is measuring cups and spoons, some kind of slow cooker, a knife and a cutting board.
Chicago Style Italian Beef Recipe (Slow Cooker)
Chicago Style Italian Beef Slow Cooker Sandwich
Ingredients
THE BEEF
- 1 boneless beef roast about 3 pounds with most of the fat trimmed off
THE RUB
- 1 teaspoon or more according to taste ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper red pepper flakes
THE JUICE
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 onions sliced
- 6 cups of hot water
- 4 cubes of beef bouillon or no water and 6 cups of beef broth
THE SANDWICH
- Hard Rolls Hoagie Rolls or French Bread, sliced lengthwise and still hinged
TOPPINGS
- 1 medium-sized green bell pepper
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Pepperoncini peppers optional
Instructions
- Place the minced garlic and sliced onion in the crock pot.
- Add the water and bouillon.
- Mix all of the rub ingredients in a small bowl and then rub it all over the beef, massaging it into the meat.
- There will be some of the rub left over.
- Dump it into the broth, and stir to mix.
- Place the meat in the broth and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- About one-half hour before serving, make the onions and peppers topping in a frying pan, frying over medium heat in the olive oil until they are tender. Set aside.
- Remove the meat from the broth and let cool before slicing.
- Slice the meat thin and return it to the hot broth just long enough to heat through.
- Serve sliced beef on rolls.
- Top with cooked peppers and onions and a little bit of broth.
- Also top with pepperoncini peppers, if desired.
Notes
Recipe Nutrition Information
This recipe is GF (use a GF roll), DF, NF, SF, EF*
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
Chicago Style Italian Beef Slow Cooker Sandwich Nutrition Label. About 3 ounces shredded beef. Nutrition calculations includes one hoagie roll.
Nourish Your Body & Soul
I encourage you to care of yourself by eating satisfying, nourishing food that is good for your body and makes you feel healthy. Protect your spirit by living authentically, moving your body, and taking time to replenish and rest. I think you might also like these recipes & posts from Recipe Idea Shop:
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Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwich recipe. SO good! SO easy! #RecipeIdeaShop
*Allergen Key
GF = Gluten free | DF = Dairy free | NF = Nut free | SF = Soy free | EF = Egg free | CF = Corn free | V = Vegetarian | VG = Vegan
Note: If you have serious allergies or sensitivities, to be considered free of these allergens, you need to use products specifically marked "gluten free," etc. There can be cross-contamination in facilities.
Elizabeth Cottrell
I'm printing this one out to give it a try. Sounds delicious and just the kind of thing they guys would like.
Jane Megginson
Hi Lois, This looks like a good recipe! I wanted to comment on the slow cookers, actually. I have them both and the one you covet is nice for the ability to saute and then turn down to slow cook, however, it is higher temperature than a classic ceramic slow cooker. I find that it boils on almost all settings and I need to monitor and adjust the thing a lot. I work from home so I can do that, but I do not think I would set that one and go off to work for 8 hours given that it tends to boil. It is a thin metal with non stick coating. I tried to bake bread in it, which I do with ceramic slow cookers in the summer, and the Cuisinart was too high a temperature and created hot spots that were worse than a ceramic crock. So it is NOT a replacement for a classic slow cooker, in my opinion. You can definitely make a soup in it and saute stuff first, or a one pot casserole type dish, though.
Lois
Wow. That is great to know, Jane. So maybe I don't want one of the sauté crockpots! These Italian Beef sandwiches are REALLY good. I hope you try the recipe.
Jane Megginson
I don't buy roasts usually, but I may. I do love the idea of the Chicago Italian Beef! I think getting that saute crockpot depends on how you mostly use it. But I agree, it may not be the most useful appliance. If you have a dutch oven, you can saute on the stove top and then put in the oven AND use it to bake incredible bread. Plus all the other great soups, etc.
Lois
You are going to love this Italian Beef, Jane.
Ed Kraszewski
There is one topping you might want to include that is a staple on true Chicago style Italian beef. That is giardiniera. It is a vegetable “salad” which can be mild to extra hot. Being from Chicago, I always got my beef drowned in an jus and with hot giardiniera. Much better than pepperoncinis, which are not available in the Chicago beef stands.
Lois
Good idea!