This Chicago Style Beef Sandwich is an Italian creation originating in Chicago sometime in the 1930’s. I made mine with a slowly braised chuck roast, shredded like pulled pork, and then topped with the ubiquitous roasted peppers and of course, giardiniera. All of this deliciousness is served on a soft bun with a good amount of the pan juices for dunking.
Tip : Keep the beef left over to make delicious Birria Beef Tacos.
Ingredients
Braise Beef
- 3 lb boneless beef chuck or blade roast
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 1 whole pablano or banana pepper
- 6 cloves of chopped garlic
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- beef stock
Roasted Peppers
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sandwich and Garnish
- 1 bun panini or sub-style per person, cut in half lengthwise
- 2-3 tbsp shredded beef per bun
- 2-3 strips roasted pepper per bun
- 1-2 tbsp giardiniera
- 1/2 cup pan juices for dipping
Instructions
Gather all ingredients before starting recipe.
Braising Beef
- Season beef with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and set aside for up to an hour before brasing.
- Pre heat oven to
300 °F - Heat a Dutch oven or a roasting pan with a tight fitting lid over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and heat for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the seasoned beef and sear evenly on all sides. About 4-5 minutes per side.
- Remove beef to a plate and add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 medium yellow onion, chopped and stir until the onions begin to brown. About 5-6 minutes.
- Add 1 tbsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp dried thyme, 1 whole pablano or banana pepper and 6 cloves of chopped garlic and stir to combine. Cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add 1/2 cup dry red wine, stir scraping up all the brown bits and cook until the wine has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
- Return the seared beef to the pan and place it on top of the vegetables. Add enough beef stock to come up about 2/3 of the way, but do not cover the beef.
- Cover the beef and transfer the pan to a pre heated oven and braise for 2 hours. After 2 hours, check to see if the beef is tender and can easily be pulled apart with a fork. Remove the cover from the pan and cook for another 30 minutes.
Roasting Peppers
- When you are on the final 30 minutes of cooking the beef, place 1 red bell pepper and 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced on an aluminum lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Place in the oven with the beef and roast for about 15-20 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown and the peppers are soft. Remove from the oven and set aside until ready to be used with the sandwiches.
Preparing the Dipping Sauce
- Once the beef is done, remove to a baking sheet and allow to cool slightly. Using two forks, shred the beef as you would pulled pork.
- Strain the remaining pan juices through a fine sieve to bowl. Press the remaining vegetables through the fine sieve into to the sauce below. Discard any vegetables left in the sieve. Degrease the surface using a spoon and set aside until ready to serve.
Assembling the Sandwich
- Cut buns in half, one per person.
- Using a pair of kitchen tongs, layer a good amount of the shredded beef as the bottom layer in the bun. Top the beef with a few sliced of the roasted peppers and top the peppers with the giardiniera.
- Pour about a 1/2 cup of the warm pan juices into a small bowl and serve with the sandwich.
