CHICAGO ITALIAN BEEF (POT ROAST STYLE)

Chicago Italian Beef (Pot Roast Style) image

Giardiniera is a traditional Italian dish of mixed pickled vegetables- their tangy kick cuts the richness of the beef in Jeff Mauro's sandwich while adding satisfying crunch and spiciness.

Provided by Jeff Mauro, host of Sandwich King

Time 21h25m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 27

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Ingredients

1 boneless beef chuck eye roast (about 3 1/2 pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
3 cups beef stock
2 sprigs fresh thyme
4 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 soft, hinged sub or hoagie rolls
Homemade Hot Giardiniera, recipe follows
1/4 cup table salt
1 cup small-diced carrots
1 cup tiny cauliflower florets
4 to 8 serrano peppers, sliced 1/4 inch (depending on heat level desired)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, diced small
1 red bell pepper, diced small
2 cups canola oil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

For the pot roast: Position a rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Liberally sprinkle the entire roast with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the roast on all sides until golden and caramelized; reduce the heat if the fat begins to smoke. Transfer the roast to a plate and reduce the heat to medium. Add in the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper and saute until fragrant, another minute. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Deglaze with the red wine and cook until reduced by half. Add in the stock and thyme and bring to a simmer. Adjust the seasoning of the jus. Place the roast back into the pot with any accumulated juices and place in the oven. Cook the roast, turning every 30 minutes, until very tender, 3 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Increase the oven heat to 350 degrees F.
Transfer the roast to a cutting board and tent with foil. Strain the jus through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and return back to the pot. Bring to a simmer and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Once cooled a bit, pull the meat into smaller chunks, return to the reduced jus and reserve until ready to build the sandwiches.
For the sweet peppers: Toss the pepper strips with the olive oil, granulated garlic and some salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring halfway through, until lighter in color and soft, about 20 minutes.
For the sandwich build: Place some beef on a roll, then some sweet peppers and then some Homemade Hot Giardiniera. Pour a small dish of reduced jus. Take the whole sandwich and quickly dunk in hot jus. Using two hands, go the hell to town.
Day One: Combine 2 cups water and the salt in a glass or non- reactive bowl. Mix until the salt is dissolved. Add the carrots, cauliflower, serranos, garlic, celery and bell peppers to the salt water and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Day Two: Drain and rinse the vegetables. In a clean bowl, mix together the canola oil with the oregano and pepper. Add the vegetables and mix to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Giardiniera will only get better with time. After 2 days at the most in the bowl, you can place in air-tight Mason jars and keep in the fridge for at least 2 to 3 weeks. Makes 3 to 4 cups.
From Food Network Kitchens; after further testing and to ensure the best results this recipe has been altered from what was in the actual episode.