Description
Hearty Crockpot Italian Beef Sandwiches bring Chicago’s legendary street food straight to home kitchens with mouthwatering, tender meat slow-cooked in rich, zesty seasonings. Savory juices drench crusty rolls, promising pure comfort that satisfies hungry crowds with minimal preparation effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Meats:
- 3 pounds chuck roast
Liquids:
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 jar pepperoncini peppers (with juice)
Seasonings and Aromatics:
- 2 tablespoons dry Italian seasoning
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 large onion
- Salt (to taste)
- Black pepper (to taste)
Optional Toppings:
- Giardiniera
- Provolone cheese
Bread:
- 6–8 hoagie rolls or French rolls
Instructions
- Position the chuck roast centered in the slow cooker, ensuring it sits flat and evenly.
- Pour beef broth around the roast, creating a flavorful liquid base for braising.
- Scatter pepperoncini peppers, sprinkle Italian seasoning, minced garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper across the meat surface for comprehensive seasoning.
- Secure the lid and slow cook on low temperature for 8-10 hours, allowing the meat to become exceptionally tender and infused with robust flavors.
- Once cooking completes, carefully transfer the roast to a cutting board and use two forks to methodically shred the meat into succulent, bite-sized pieces.
- Return the shredded beef back into the cooking liquid, gently stirring to help the meat absorb the rich, savory juices.
- Toast hoagie rolls slightly to enhance their texture and prevent sogginess.
- Layer generous portions of the herb-infused shredded beef onto the prepared rolls.
- Crown each sandwich with melted provolone cheese, allowing it to slightly drape over the warm meat.
- Serve immediately while the beef remains hot and the cheese is perfectly melted.
Notes
- Opt for a well-marbled chuck roast to ensure maximum tenderness and rich flavor during slow cooking.
- Drain excess liquid from pepperoncini peppers to control the overall moisture and prevent the sandwich from becoming too soggy.
- For a lighter version, swap hoagie rolls with lettuce wraps or use whole wheat rolls to boost nutritional value.
- Refrigerate leftover beef in its cooking liquid to maintain moisture and enhance flavor when reheating for future meals.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 440 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg