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Piccante Italian Beef – Chicago Style – All Our Way

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A delicious sandwich made by first roasting the beef, thinly slicing the beef, dipping the slices in the pan juices, then piling the beef on a crusty Italian roll and adding hot giardiniera and mozzarella cheese. This is an unforgettable sandwich you'll want to have again and again. #Italianbeef, #hoagiesandwich, #spicyItalianbeef #ChicagoItalianbeef, #giardiniera, #subsandwich, #beefsandwich

When we decided to share with you our super easy Italian beef recipe my Honey thought it was too simplistic. You see, he loves a challenge. So, we decided to look for an Italian beef recipe that has a little more pizzazz, some history, ergo . . .

. . . Piccante Italian Beef – Chicago Style.

Italian Beef on a Italian hoagie bun with giardiniera on top.

Quick Version Italian Beef 

 I thought you may be tired of our titles always including the word “spicy”.  This time I used the Italian word for spicy — piccante 🙂

Now, I have to admit,  our original recipe for the Italian beef is excellent. How can you possibly go wrong with just 3 ingredients and a slow cooker? Yep! Just 3 ingredients.

If you’re interested,  here is the recipe for Super Easy Italian Beef

  1. 3 pounds trimmed chuck roast
  2. 3 cloves garlic minced
  3. 1 large jar pepperoncini ( 14 oz. juice and all) Add hot pepper flakes if you like it spicier

Putting it all together:

  1. Toss all this in a slow cooker and cook for about 8 hours on low or until the chuck shreds easily.
  2. Keep the chuck in with the juice and pepperoncini.
  3. When ready to serve put the beef plus a pepperoncini or two on hard crusted Italian rolls.
  4. Make sure you put some of the juice on the sandwich so some of the delicious juice soaks into the bread.
  5. Top with mozzarella cheese. That’s it!!!

Our love of Italian Beef Backstory

  We got this easy recipe, quite a few years ago, from a radio talk show — Don and Roma on 89 WLS Chicago.

The show ran early in the morning and as we’d get ready for the day, we’d listen to it. It was as if they were part of our family.  At first they didn’t admit they were husband and wife but the listeners suspected.

As time went on, they finally admitted it. Don, Roma, and their children Hunter and Heather were part of our family. Don loved to eat and he bragged that he could eat just about anything without gaining an ounce.

One morning he shared his easy Italian beef recipe. We immediately tried it and loved it.

Italian Beef Chicago Style roasted with juice @allourway.com

Chicago style changes our mind

We didn’t think it could get any better until now.

The exact origin of the Italian Beef sandwich is unknown although it is surmised that Italian immigrants, on Chicago’s south side, in the early 1900s created it once they were able to afford beef for roasting.

Pasquale Scala, a South Side butcher and sausage maker, popularized it. During the 1920’s, food was scarce and Pasquale, knowing a good thing when he ate it,  would thinly slice roast beef and serve the beef on a bun with a natural gravy and fried peppers.

We don’t use the green peppers because we like the taste of the hot giardiniera by itself.  

There are lots of Italian beef stands in Chicago and beef sandwiches are a staple within the Chicago Italian community.

Italian Beef Chicago Style sliced and ready to dip in juice@allourway.com

How to make the Chicago Italian Beef

In this recipe, we first roast the Italian beef and then thinly slice it. We serve the meat with an au jus or simply “juice” for short.

The juice is typically made with bouillon. The thin slices soak in the juice for just a minute or so, and then layered generously, dripping wet, on Italian bread or for us, our homemade Crusty Italian rolls.

Crusty Italian Rolls All Our Way perfect for Italian Beef Chicago Style @allourway.com

We top the meat with giardiniera or if you like, sautéed green bell pepper slices.

What is giardiniera?

Giardiniera is a condiment of hot pickled serrano peppers and vegetables.

I first tasted giardiniera when I ordered a hot tuna sandwich from Angelo’s — the Italian market that we frequent in Venice, Florida.

Italian Beef Chicago Style All Our Way with Mozzarella and hot giardiniera @allourway.com

I loved the spicy taste so much we ended up buying a jar of these delicious pickled vegetables at the store before we left.

Now we not only put it on our homemade tuna salad but also in our Italian Beef – Chicago Style!

Make it ahead for informal gatherings

This recipe can be made ahead of time and we think it would be great for a sports game weekend.

Think Super Bowl weekend or game days. 

Frankly, the meat is better if you let it rest and get cool.

Dip the meat in the warm au jus then throw it together and Ecco! you are all set to go.

 We wanted you to see the ingredients so we put the mozzarella on the top roll side, normally we’d put it on top of the meat.

 Tutti a tavola è pronto!

Un caro saluto e alla prossima.

Italian Beef Chicago Style All Our Way Collage @allourway.com

Piccante Italian Beef Chicago Style Recipe 

Italian Beef Chicago Style All Our Way with Mozzarella and hot giardiniera @ allourway.com

Italian Beef – Chicago Style – All Our Way

A delicious sandwich made by first roasting the beef, thinly slicing the beef, dipping the slices in the pan juices, then piling the beef on a crusty Italian roll and adding hot giardiniera and mozzarella cheese. This is an unforgettable sandwich you’ll want to have again and again.
5 from 17 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Lunch Dish, Sandwich
Cuisine: American-Italian
Keyword: Au Jus beef, Chicago Italian Beef, sub sandwich
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Marinate: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 441kcal
Author: Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
As An Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients

  • 3 pound boneless beef roast sirloin or round, with most of the fat trimmed off
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil for rubbing the outside of the meat

The Rub

  • 1 Tablespoon coarse ground pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh garlic + 2-3 cloves slivered for inserting inside of roast
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

The Juice

  • 6 cups hot water
  • 4 cubes beef bouillon
  • 1/2 onion thinly sliced
  • 4 Tablespoons butter

The Sandwich

  • 10 hard crusted Italian rolls
  • The roast cut into thin slices
  • Hot giardiniera as much as you’d like
  • Shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese for topping

Instructions

  • Cut slits in the meat and stick slivers of fresh garlic into the meat.Mix the rub in a bowl. Rub the roast with the olive oil to help the rub stick. Sprinkle it generously with the rub and massage it in. There will be some left over and you’ll use it in the juice. Let the meat sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Put the oven rack just below the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400F.
  • Pour the water into 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 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 you oven is). This may seem long, but you are cooking over water and that slows things down. The temperature will rise about 5 degrees 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 4, and you can just leave theirs in the juice until it turns to leather, if that’s what they want. { 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.}
  • 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, let it cool and place it in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Let it cool for a few more hours, or overnight, long enough for the meat to firm up. This will make the slicing easier. Chill the juice, too, in a separate container. When you are ready to slice the meat, slice it against the grain and as thinly as possible. If you have a meat slicer that would be ideal. 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 your will be cutting it too thick.
  • In a pan sauté the onion in the butter until translucent. Pour in the juice from the roast and heat it up. Taste it. If you want you can thin it with more water, or make it richer by cooking it down on top of the stove. It should be rich but not too concentrated.Turn the heat to a gentle simmer. Soak the meat in the juice for about 1 minute at a slow simmer. That’s all!! That warms up the meat and makes it very wet. You can’t leave the meat in the juice for more than a few minutes or it will curl up and toughen. This method enriches the juice with meat protein and seasoning from the crust.
  • To assemble the sandwich, start by spooning some juice directly on the roll. Get it wet. Then lay on the beef generously. Spoon on more juice being careful not to burn your hand. Top with the hot giardiniera and shredded mozzarella cheese or provolone. Broil for a minute until the cheese melts, then serve. Be ready for all of the oohs, ahhs, and yums the sandwich produces.

Notes

  • Italian giardiniera is also called “sottaceti” meaning under vinegar. It is eaten as an antipasto or with salads.
  • Adapted from: http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/italian_beef.html

Nutrition

Serving: 10g | Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 927mg | Potassium: 460mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 325IU | Vitamin C: 0.6mg | Calcium: 174mg | Iron: 4.2mg

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Comments

  1. Aline says

    5 stars
    This!! ALL OF THIS!!!! Looks so amazing!! I never had a piccante before, but you had me a cheese, beef and yummy beef!!! ahaha Can’t wait to try!!

    Reply

  3. Jo says

    5 stars
    That’s one amazing piccante i’ve ever seen. If a sandwich can be so delicious and packed with so much deliciousness, I could eat it all days.

    Reply

  4. Sara says

    5 stars
    We lived downtown in Chicago for a couple of years, and were within walking distance to Al’s. I seriously cannot get enough Italian Beef in my life, and this recipe has me DROOLING. Thank you!

    Reply

  7. Candice says

    5 stars
    I could eat this every day… that steak comes out perfectly, and the combination of cheese and peppers is wonderful. Such a great, tasty recipe… thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  8. Cindy says

    I grew up south of chicago and we grew up on shredded beef sandwiches similar to this. I can’t wait to make your recipe and relive those childhood memories!

    Reply

  10. Ben says

    5 stars
    Aww yeah. Now that’s how you do it! I love in the Chicago area, and that looks like something I’d get from Peppo’s down the street. Nice.

    Reply

  15. April says

    5 stars
    Easier – better. A very simple recipe yet so nice and delicious! I love making something similar when I don’t have much time to cook for myself!

    Reply

  18. Mahy Elamin says

    5 stars
    Oh my husband will love me for this sandwich!! This looks absolutely amazing! My mouth is watering! There is nothing more tasty than a good sandwich when you are hungry for something different. Thank you for sharing the deliciousness:)

    Reply

    • Marisa Franca says

      Thank you for commenting! Yes, they are good and our boys love them. They are so handy to have ready when you have lots going on. But to tell you the truth they are good anytime.

      Reply

    • Marisa Franca says

      Thank you and the roll recipe will be coming out in the next two weeks. The rolls are great — you can basically make them any size you like. For the humongous eaters you can do a 12 inch!!

      Reply

  31. Darcelle says

    I am from Chicago and I moved to Houston. I really miss my Italian Beef Combo (Italian Beef and Italian Sausage Combo). I am so glad that I saw your recipe. I will be making the Italian Beef this weekend with the Italian Sausage. Actually I just got back from Chicago and brought Italian giardiniera while I was there because it is not as chunky as the ones I have found in Houston. I like Ditka’s Italian Beef but with your recipe I will be making my own. Thanks again.

    Reply

    • Marisa Franca says

      Hi Darcelle! I’m so glad you found us!! Let us know how the whole Italian Beef experience goes. I know the “juice” and the hot giardiniera make it. Now, that combo sounds great! We’re from Southern Indiana so we don’t get the great Chicago/Italian experience but we’ll have to try to find a great recipe with the sausage. My gosh, how can you go wrong?! 🙂 Let us know how the whole recipe goes!

      Reply

  33. [email protected] says

    OMG. This looks seriously incredible!!! I have to try it, have to! Don’t be surprised if you see this on my blog in the very near future!!

    I wonder…have you ever made this with brisket and shredded it? I bet that would be lovely too!!

    Reply

    • Marisa Franca says

      Nope! We’ve never made it with brisket. Brisket here is expensive so we would use some kind of roast. But the taste of brisket is really great!! Our sons are masters at making brisket on the grill. 🙂

      Reply

    • Marisa Franca says

      Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you surprised him next time your cuddled up to watch “Da Bears” play? Seriously you get quite a bit left over. Just freeze for the next game 🙂

      Reply

  39. Ciao Chow Linda says

    I am definitely making this when I get home. I know it will raves from my family and it’s a plus that it’s so easy to prepare. I can see lots of Sunday afternoon meals featuring this dish. A winner!

    Reply

  40. Diane P. says

    We love Italian beef sandwiches! The temperature is cool enough in northern Indiana to turn my oven on, now. Will be making this soon……….

    Reply

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