Italian Beef Sandwich 🥖🥩🌶️
Recommended Equipment
Italian Beef Sandwich
Ingredients
Italian beef
- 3-4 pounds chuck roast (or top sirloin)
- 1 tsp kosher salt per lb.
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 4 six-inch French rolls
- giardiniera, to taste
Beef jus
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1 quart beef stock (homemade or made with Better Than Bouillon)
- 1 cup water
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, quartered (skin-on)
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 green bell peppers, deseeded and quartered
- 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 4 parsley stems (or leaves if preferred)
Preparation
Italian beef and jus
Dry brine the beef by seasoning it with salt and putting it in the fridge uncovered for at least 4 hours.
Let meat sit at room temp for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
Heat neutral oil in a large saucier or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef on all sides, then set it aside.
Stir tomato paste into the same pot and cook until darkened.
Deglaze with sherry vinegar, scraping up the fond.
Return beef to pot. Add stock, water, aromatics, and spices.
Bring to a simmer. Cover and roast until internal temp hits 125–130ºF, flipping halfway. This takes 1–2 hours.
Let everything cool. Store beef and peppers in a container, cover with jus, and refrigerate overnight or until the beef registers 40º F.
Assembly
Warm the jus and peppers gently to ~140º–160ºF.
Slice beef thinly against the grain.
Cut French rolls into 6 inch lengths. Split two-thirds of the way through to create a hinge. Wrap in foil and put in the oven to warm up if desired.
Dip sliced beef in hot jus for 30 seconds to warm.
Load beef and peppers into rolls.
Dip the entire sandwich into jus for 1–2 seconds if desired.
Top with as much giardiniera as you'd like (or can fit), wrap in parchment/foil, and let sit 1 minute before serving.
