Italian Beef Sandwich
Italian Beef Sandwich Say it: ih-TAL-yun BEEF SAND-wich
Italian beef is Chicago’s signature sandwich: a seasoned beef roast cooked until tender, sliced paper-thin, and piled onto a sturdy Italian roll. The meat is soaked in a savory, garlicky jus, then finished with hot pickled giardiniera or sweet sautéed green peppers. Order it “dry,” “wet,” or “dipped,” and the roll goes from crisp to wonderfully soggy. It is messy, juicy, and deeply savory, the kind of sandwich eaten at stands and family tables across Chicago.
Italian Beef Sandwich
Italian Beef Sandwich
Pronounced ih-TAL-yun BEEF SAND-wich
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 30 min
- Total
- 3 hr
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, celery. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Beef and jus
To serve
Method
Rub the beef all over with the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned, 8 to 10 minutes, then transfer it to a plate.
Add the onion to the pot and cook until softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Pour in the beef broth and water, add the bay leaves, and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Return the roast to the pot.
Cover and roast at 325°F (165°C) until the beef registers 135°F (57°C) for medium-rare or 145°F (63°C) for medium, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Transfer the beef to a container and cool until firm enough to slice easily, about 30 minutes at room temperature or 1 hour in the refrigerator. Strain the jus, discard the bay leaves, and skim off excess fat; keep the jus warm.
Slice the beef very thinly across the grain, removing any twine if used. Return the slices to the warm jus and simmer gently until hot, about 10 minutes.
While the beef heats, warm the rolls and sauté the green peppers in the 1 tablespoon olive oil until tender and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
Pile the beef into the rolls, spoon over some jus, and top with giardiniera and green peppers. Dip the whole sandwich in extra jus if desired.
Regional variant: Combo (Italian Beef with Sausage)
Add 1 lb (450 g) Italian sausage links to the hot jus and simmer until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Slice the sausage and layer it with the beef before topping. This is the Chicago “combo,” a heartier version of the sandwich.
Cook's notes
- For the thinnest slices, cool the roast in the jus, then refrigerate it until firm; a very sharp knife or electric slicer helps.
- Keep the jus hot but below a boil when reheating the beef, so the slices stay tender.
- Use a sturdy roll with a tight crumb; soft burger buns collapse under the jus.
Serve with
Extra jus on the side, hot giardiniera, and an ice-cold soda or beer.
Make ahead and storage
Cook and chill the beef in its jus up to 3 days; slice and reheat gently. Keep giardiniera and peppers separate.
