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On a Saturday afternoon just a couple of weeks before Christmas I somehow managed to get all four boys over to the house at the same time so I could take the annual Christmas photos. This is not an easy task to accomplish these days. They all have busy lives, college, work, etc., but I wisely promised them lunch if they came and – jackpot! They all arrived, on time, nicely dressed, with smiles on their faces. This, my friends, is the power of food.
These Italian Beef Sandwiches were just the ticket on a day like this. They’re warm, substantial, and absolutely delicious. And, wait till you see how easy they are to put together.
This recipe is one of those that has been making the rounds for decades. I did my best to track down the original source to no avail. I assume that at one time it was printed on the back of the box of Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix and since that time it has made it’s way through countless kitchens of home cooks and bloggers alike, who have tweaked it and made it their own. It’s one of those recipes a co-worker scribbles on a piece of paper for you or a neighbor brings to the neighborhood pot-luck and then you just have to get the recipe. This is my take on this classic.
Early that morning I got everything going in the Crock-Pot and by the time everyone arrived, the beef was falling apart tender and ready to shred into the delicious sauce that it creates as it cooks.
Then it’s just a matter of putting out some sandwich rolls and a side dish or two and getting out of their way. I love an assembly line style meal.
Eat up boys. We’ve got some pictures to take.
In addition to a boneless chuck roast and some nice, crusty sandwich rolls, here’s what you’ll need to have on hand. Your beef broth of choice – I almost always make my own with Better Than Boullion Beef Base – a packet of Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing & Recipe Mix, Italian seasoning, and a jar of peperoncini.
The star of the show – a boneless beef chuck roast. There is so much you can do with this cut of meat. Costco carries beautiful chuck shoulder pot roasts and I keep at least one or two in my freezer at all times. Since we’ll be shredding the meat directly into the sauce it cooks in, I highly recommend trimming some of the fat from the edges of the roast. Here is my roast after it’s been trimmed.
Since we have the knife out, cut the roast into chunks before placing it in the Crock-Pot to ensure a really tender result.
Whisk together 2 cups of beef broth, one packet of the Italian salad dressing mix, and 2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning.
Place an entire jar full of peperoncini on a cutting board, pull off and discard the stems, and cut them in half. Measure out about 1/3 cup of the liquid from the jar.
Everything goes in to the Crock-Pot. Place the chunks of chuck roast in first and then pour in the seasoned beef broth mixture, scatter the peperoncini over the top, and pour in the reserved 1/3 cup of liquid from the peperoncini jar.
Cover the Crock-Pot, set it to LOW for 8 to 10 hours or HIGH for 5 to 6 hours.
You’ll know it’s ready when the meat easily shreds with a fork. Mix the shredded meat into the luscious juices and get ready to make some pretty unforgettable sandwiches.
If you’d like to do this in your oven instead of a slow cooker, take a look at the printable recipe below for the oven method.
Here you go.
After lunch it was time for photos. We had a gorgeous, sunny, December in California day.
From left to right. Connor (Boy #3), Adam (Boy #4)-holding baby girl Bridget, Ryan (Boy #1)-holding big, bad Bruno, and Jake (Boy #2).
But, we can’t just stop there. Ready, set, go!
And, they’re off…
A woman with a Crock-Pot and a camera holds all the power.
I hope you had a fabulous, joyous, love filled holiday. Best wishes from all of us for a stellar New Year.
Crock-Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- .7 ounce package Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing and Recipe Mix
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 16 ounce jar pepperoncini stems removed and cut in half
- ⅓ cup liquid from pepperoncini jar
- 8 sandwich rolls
- 8 ounces sliced provolone cheese
- 8 tablespoons softened butter or butter spread
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Cut the roast into 4 large chunks. Trim the fat from the edges of each chunk with a sharp knife and transfer them to the slow cooker.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the beef broth, salad dressing mix, and Italian seasoning. Pour the mixture over the roast in the slow cooker. Toss in the pepperoncini and ⅓ cup of the liquid from the jar.
- Cover, and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. When the meat is very tender and easy to shred, grab two forks and shred the meat into the cooking liquid.
- Set your oven to BROIL. Split open and spread the sandwich rolls with the softened butter and place them on a baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and toast the rolls for about 2 minute or until toasted and lightly browned (watch closely to avoid burning). Remove the baking sheet from the oven.
- Use tongs to transfer the shredded beef and peppers to the toasted buns. Top sandwich each with a slice of provolone. Return the baking sheet to the oven to melt the cheese.
Conventional Oven Directions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Follow as directing, but place the ingredients in large Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 4 ½ to 5 hours or until the meat is very tender and easy to shred.
- Follow as directed above to toast the buns and assemble the sandwiches.
Chris says
Always a crowd pleaser! The only thing I do different is add a can of beer to the mix for flavor. Really don’t notice any extra liquid as some of it steams away.
Valerie says
A can of beer can never hurt! Love what you did with it, Chris. 🙂