Slow Cooker
Italian Beef
Description
Slow cooker Italian Beef is the great equalizer, the old reliable, the thing you can confidently bring to any get together and have everyone asking you for the recipe by the end of the night. In short, it’s exactly the kind of recipe we all need more of in our lives.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pound chuck roast or round roast trimmed of large chunks of excess fat
- Kosher salt
- 14.5 ounce can beef broth divided
- 8 ounces pepperoncini pepper slices plus 1/4 cup of juice and additional peppers for serving
- 8 ounces giardiniera (mild or spicy) drained, plus additional for serving (look for the kind that is chopped, versus whole pickled vegetables)
- Provolone cheese slices for serving
- Hoagie buns for serving
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon thyme dried ground
Directions
- Let the meat rest at room temperature for 15 minutes (this is a good time to measure your other spices and seasonings). Season the beef all over with kosher salt.
- Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high. Once it is hot, sear the meat on all sides until golden brown, moving it as little as possible so that it develops a nice crust (this will take about 10 minutes). Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Turn the heat to medium. Carefully splash in some of the broth and with a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan (this is FLAVOR). Pour the liquid and any bits into the slow cooker on top of the beef.
- In a small bowl, stir together the seasoning ingredients: Italian seasoning, granulated sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and thyme. Sprinkle on top of the beef.
- Add the pepperoncini peppers and juice. Add the giardiniera (do not add any giardiniera juice).
- Pour in the remaining broth.
- Cover the crockpot and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or until meat shreds easily with a fork. Shred the beef, then stir it together with the juices. Cover and cook on low for 30 additional minutes.
- To serve, split the hoagie buns and toast on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes (if desired). Fill with the shredded Italian beef (get plenty of that yummy, messy juice!) and top with provolone, pepperoncini, and Giardiniera as desired. Enjoy!
