Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches (Printable View)
Tender slow-cooked beef with Italian spices served on crusty rolls with provolone and pepperoncini.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 3 lbs boneless beef chuck roast
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids
04 - 1 cup beef broth
05 - 1/2 cup jarred pepperoncini juice (from the pepper jar)
→ Spices and Seasonings
06 - 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
07 - 1 tsp dried basil
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
10 - 1 tsp kosher salt
11 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
→ Sandwich Assembly
12 - 6 crusty Italian sandwich rolls (hoagie/sub rolls)
13 - 12 slices provolone cheese
14 - 1 cup jarred sliced pepperoncini
15 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (for toasting rolls, optional)
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Scatter the thinly sliced onion and minced garlic evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker insert.
02 - Combine the kosher salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, dried basil, and oregano in a small bowl. Rub the seasoning mixture over all sides of the chuck roast, pressing gently to adhere.
03 - Place the seasoned roast on top of the onion and garlic bed in the slow cooker.
04 - Pour the beef broth and pepperoncini juice over and around the roast. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes if using.
05 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 5–6 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender and shreds easily with a fork.
06 - Transfer the roast to a large cutting board. Using two forks, shred the beef, discarding any large pieces of excess fat. Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker and stir to combine with the cooking juices.
07 - If desired, spread softened butter on the cut sides of the sandwich rolls. Place under the broiler on a baking sheet until golden brown, about 1–2 minutes.
08 - Mound the shredded beef generously onto each toasted roll. Layer with 2 slices of provolone cheese and a handful of sliced pepperoncini.
09 - For a golden, melty finish, place the assembled open-faced sandwiches under the broiler for 1–2 minutes until the cheese is bubbling. Serve warm with a side of au jus for dipping if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The pepperoncini juice does something magical to the beef that you cannot replicate with any other ingredient.
- It practically cooks itself while you go about your day, making you look like you worked far harder than you did.
02 -
- Do not lift the slow cooker lid during cooking because each peek adds roughly 30 minutes to your cook time.
- Shredding the meat while it is still hot is much easier than waiting until it cools.
03 -
- Let the roast rest in the juices for ten minutes before shredding so the meat reabsorbs some of the liquid.
- Using pepperoncini juice straight from the jar gives you a built in brine that tenderizes and flavors simultaneously.