Description
The BEST Italian Beef! This recipe gives you tender, juicy, and flavorful beef and the best part is that the slow cooker does almost all of the work. Pile the beef on toasted buns, add a bit of my lightened up garlic aioli, some melty cheese, and you’ve got the easiest weeknight dinner recipe that everyone will love!
Ingredients
Scale
- 3–4 pounds chuck roast
- 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups beef broth, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 8 oz sliced pepperoncini peppers, plus 1/4 cup juice
- 8 oz mild Giardiniera, drained (plus more for serving)
For Serving
- 4–6 crusty Hoagie Rolls or French sub rolls
- melted butter
- garlic aioli
- sliced provolone cheese
- sliced pepperoncini peppers
- giardiniera
Instructions
- Heat a large cast iron skillet oven over medium-high heat.
- While the skillet is heating, pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels. Next, sprinkle half the salt and fresh cracked black pepper onto one side of the chuck roast.
- Once the skillet is hot, add the olive oil. Next, place the chuck roast in the skillet salt side down. Sprinkle the remaining salt and more black pepper on the other side of the beef.
- Sear the beef for 6-8 minutes on each side until it has developed a golden brown crust. Remove the beef from the skillet and transfer it to the slow cooker.
- Lower the skillet heat and add 1/4 cup of beef broth to deglaze the pan. Bring the heat back to medium-high and add the sliced onions and smashed garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the onion and garlic mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.
- Next, add the bay leaf, Italian seasoning, pepperoncini peppers and their juice, giardiniera, and the remaining beef broth.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high until 6-8 hours until the beef is fork tender and easy to shred. Use two forks to shred the beef and then stir so the juice and beef are well combined.
- Assemble the Sandwiches: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Split the rolls lengthwise and place on a parchment lined sheet pan. Brush the rolls with melted butter and toast for 5-10 minutes until lightly toasted. Remove the tops of the rolls from the sheet pan, spread on a bit of the garlic aioli, and set aside. On the bottom roll, spread some of the garlic aioli and then pile on your desired amount of Italian beef, extra giardiniera, and pepperonicini peppers, and then top with cheese. Return the sheet pan to the oven and bake until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven, top with the other half of the rolls, and serve!
