Italian Beef Sandwiches

The first time I had an Italian Beef sandwich was in Chicago. Easy to make, put it in the slow cooker and go and do whatever it is you need to do for the day. A yummy dinner will be waiting for you when you come home. Great for a football party day.

ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICH

(serves 6)

Ingredients:

*3-4 pound sirloin tip roast

*1 teaspoon salt

*1 teaspoon ground black pepper

*2 teaspoons olive oil

*8-10 garlic gloved, skin removed and smashed

*2 tablespoon paprika

*1 tablespoon oregano 

*1 tablespoon  basil

*1 tablespoon coriander 

*1 tablespoon fennel seeds

*1 tablespoon kosher salt

*1 tablespoon ground black pepper

*2 bay leafs

*2-4 cups beef broth/stock

*1 cup pepperoncinis (optional)

*1 small onion, sliced, sautéed (optional)

*1 green bell pepper, sliced, sautéed (optional)

*1 red bell pepper, sliced and sautéed (optional)

*6-12 slices provolone (optional)

*6 hearty sub rolls

Directions:

~Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

~Rub 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper all over the roast.

~Drizzle olive oil into a large dutch oven.

~Turn burner up too high.

~When olive oil is hot, brown all sides of the roast.

~Remove roast from pan and set aside.

~Turn burner down to medium heat.

~In a small bowl, mix all of the spices minus the bay leaf.

~Add garlic and spiced to dutch oven.

~Sauté 1 minute, stirring continuously being careful not to burn garlic.

~Add 2 cups beef stock to the pot.

~Deglaze the bottom on the pan and then shut off the burner.

~Add roast back to pot and add the bay leafs.

~Add more beef stock if needed (the liquid should go about half way up the roast).

~Place the lid 3/4 of the way over the pot (you want steam to escape while cooking).

~Bake for 2 1/2 hours.

~Turn roast over and bake another 2 hours.

~Remove roast from oven and wrap in plastic wrap while still hot.

~Refrigerate at least 2 hours (I do it overnight)

~Refrigerate au jus.

~Remove from refrigerator and slice roast as thin as possible.

~Remove au jus from refrigerator and heat up until hot, but not boiling.

~Sauté bell peppers and onions.

~Get buns ready.

~Place a slice of cheese on bun (optional).

~Add a serving of sliced beef to hot au jus for 1-2 minutes.

~Place beef on bun.

~Add grilled veggies (optional).

~Add pepperoncinis  (optional).

~Take some tongs and dip the entire sandwich into the hot au jus (if you don't want to so juicy, just spoon a little au jus on the beef).

~Wrap sandwich in wax paper, and allow to sit for 30 seconds (this helps make the sandwich extra good, by allowing the au jus to soak into the bun.