Al's # 1 Italian Beef Recipe
Make Al's # 1 Italian Beef Recipe in just 4h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Beef and Braising Liquid
Finishing / Serving
Method
Beef and Braising Liquid
- 1
Prepare and season beef
Trim excess fat from the chuck roast leaving some fat for flavor. Pat the roast dry with paper towels and season all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
- 2
Brown the roast
Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add the roast and brown on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust develops. Remove roast and set aside.
- 3
- 4
Build the braising liquid
Return the roast to the pot. Add beef broth, water, and red wine (if using). Stir in the undrained diced tomatoes, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Add the bay leaves, nestling them into the liquid.
- 5
Braise the beef
Bring liquid to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently on the stovetop for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until the beef is very tender and pulls apart easily with forks. Alternatively, cover and braise in a 300°F (150°C) oven for the same time, or cook in a slow cooker on LOW for 8 hours.
- 6
Rest and shred
Carefully transfer the roast to a cutting board. Reserve the braising liquid (au jus). Let the meat rest 10 minutes, then shred using two forks into long thin strips or pull apart with your hands. Skim fat from the surface of the reserved braising liquid; if desired, refrigerate briefly and remove hardened fat.
- 7
Reduce and season au jus
If the braising liquid is thin, skim solids into a sieve and simmer liquid in the pot over medium-high heat until slightly reduced and flavor concentrated, about 8–12 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or crushed red pepper if desired. Return shredded beef to the pot with the hot au jus to keep it moist (dip station style) — keep warm over lowest heat.
Finishing / Serving
- 8
- 9
Assemble sandwiches
Using tongs or a slotted spoon, pile a generous portion (about 1/2 cup shredded beef or more) of the hot shredded beef onto each roll, allowing excess au jus to drip back into the pot. For 'wet' (dipped) sandwiches, dip the filled rolls briefly into the hot au jus before serving or ladle a few tablespoons of au jus over the beef in the roll.
- 10
Add toppings
Top each sandwich with giardiniera to taste (about 2–3 tablespoons per sandwich) and add sweet roasted peppers or sautéed bell peppers if using. If you prefer cheesier sandwiches, place a provolone slice over the hot meat so it softens; for melted cheese, place assembled sandwiches under a broiler for 1–2 minutes until cheese bubbles.
- 11
Serve
Serve sandwiches immediately with reserved au jus on the side for dipping. Leftover beef stores well in its au jus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.