Chicago-Style Italian Beef Sandwiches with Optional Giardiniera

Chicago has a unique beef sandwich that is sold at several local restaurants, including the famous Al's on the near west side of town. There are variations, but I found this recipe that I think is fairly close. There are a lot of ingredients and several steps involved, but the results are worth it. We have made this several times and really love it. The meat needs to be sliced very thin; if you have a meat slicer or electric carving knife that will do the job!



1 4-lb sirloin tip round

salt and pepper to taste

1-1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

3 tbsp olive oil

6 cloves garlic

2 large red bell peppers, cored and sliced into 1-inch strips

2 large green bell peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch strips

2 medium yellow onions, sliced

2 cups low sodium beef stock

1-1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

4-6 individual Italian poor boy rolls, sliced length wise but not cut all the way through



Season the meat with salt, pepper, oregano and thyme. Place on a rack in a roasting pan in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 2 hours, or until the meat is 130 degrees in the center. Remove and allow to cool. Deglaze the roasting pan with a little water and pour the juices in a 6-qt pot.



Slice the cooled meat very thinly across the grain and set aside. Heat a large nonstick frying pan and add the oil, garlic, red and green peppers and onions. Saute for 5 minutes and add to the pot. You might have to do this in batches.



Place the sliced meat and any meat juices that may have accumulated during cooling into the pot with the sauteed vegetables. Add the beef stock, chicken stock, wine and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Cover tightly and simmer gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring the pot a couple of times while cooking.



Turn off the heat and allow the pot to rest 15 minutes, covered. Dip each roll in the broth until it is saturated and heavy. Fill the roll with plenty of simmered beef and vegetables. For optional heat, add a spoonful of the Giardiniera mix shown below, which can be purchased prepared in the Italian section of many grocery stores, or you can do it yourself ahead of time! Serve with a salad and cold beer!



Giardiniera



Giardiniera is commonly made with sliced serrano peppers, bell peppers, olives, celery, pimentos, carrots, and cauliflower, and sometimes crushed red pepper flakes, all marinated in olive oil and vinegar.