Slow Cooker Italian Beef (Chicago-Style Sandwiches)
Thinly sliced peppery beef swimming in au jus — dunk the bread.
Method · 9 steps
- 1
Pat chuck roast dry and season heavily with salt and pepper on all sides.
- 2
Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Sear roast 3-4 minutes per side on all sides until deeply browned. Transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- 3
Reduce heat under the skillet to medium. Add sliced onion and cook 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds.
- 4
Pour in 1 cup of the beef broth to deglaze, scraping up all brown bits. Pour everything into the slow cooker over the roast.
- 5
Add remaining beef broth, pepperoncini brine, pepperoncini peppers, Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, fennel seed, onion powder, garlic powder, and bay leaves.
- 6
Cover and cook on LOW for 10 hours or HIGH for 6 hours. Roast is done when it slices easily or pulls apart with a fork.
- 7
Remove roast and let rest 10 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
- 8
For sandwiches: slice roast as thinly as possible against the grain (a serrated knife works if you don't have a slicer), or shred. Return the sliced beef to the cooking liquid (au jus) and let sit 5 minutes to soak.
- 9
Pile beef on hoagie rolls. Top with giardiniera and provolone if using. Serve with a small cup of the au jus for dipping.
Chef's notes
- →Searing is mandatory — it's what makes the au jus taste like anything.
- →Slice across the grain, as thin as you can. Thick slices are chewy; paper-thin is Chicago-authentic.
- →Dip the whole sandwich in the au jus before eating (pro move: half-dip one side). This is how it's eaten in Chicago.
Storage
Fridge 4 days — store beef submerged in the au jus to stay moist. Freezer 3 months.
