Crockpot Italian Beef Sandwiches
Tender, thin-shredded beef simmered in a garlicky, herby broth, piled on rolls with giardiniera and dunked in the juice.
- Crockpot
- Slow cooker
- Beef
- Dinner
- 500 min total
- Serves 8
Ingredients
Ingredients for servings
Enter a number of at least ½, in steps of ½.
Original recipe serves 8. Ingredient amounts adjust automatically. Cooking times and pan size may need adjusting separately.
- 3 lb beef chuck roast, trimmed
- 2 cups beef broth, low sodium
- 1 packet Italian dressing mix, 0.7 oz
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 8 hoagie rolls, sturdy ones
- 1 cup giardiniera, hot or mild, drained
- 8 slices provolone cheese, optional
Steps
Step 1: Put the roast in the slow cooker. Stir the broth, dressing mix, garlic, oregano, basil, pepper flakes and black pepper together and pour it over the beef.
Step 2: Cover and cook on Low 8 hours, until the beef falls apart.
Step 3: Lift the beef onto a cutting board and shred it as fine as you can with two forks. Skim any heavy fat off the top of the juice.
Step 4: Return the beef to the pot and stir it into the juice. Keep it on Warm until you're ready to eat.
Step 5: Split the rolls without cutting all the way through. Pile on the beef with tongs, letting a little juice soak in. Top with giardiniera and provolone if you like.
Step 6: For a wet sandwich, dip the whole filled roll in the juice for a second before serving. Napkins required.
Swaps
- Giardiniera: Sautéed green bell peppers for a sweet version, or sliced pepperoncini for tang.
- Cheese: Mozzarella melts softer; provolone has more bite.
- Beef: Bottom round works if you slice it thin instead of shredding.
Tips
- Toast the cut side of the rolls under the broiler for 1 minute. It slows down the sogginess.
- Freeze leftovers in their juice. They reheat like they were just made.
- Strain a cup of juice into a mug for dipping at the table.
The story
HAM Cooking. Let’s fire it up.
Italian beef is a sandwich that’s proud of being messy. If you finish one and your shirt is clean, you did it wrong. You want juice running down to your elbows.
The slow cooker is perfect for it. Chuck roast cooks low for hours in a broth loaded with garlic, oregano, basil and a little red pepper. As the meat breaks down it soaks that broth back up, so every shred tastes like the pot, not just the outside of the roast. Shredding it fine matters too. More surface means more juice clings to every bite.
Giardiniera is the secret weapon. It’s a mix of pickled vegetables and peppers, and the vinegar cuts through all that rich beef the way a squeeze of lemon wakes up fried fish. Without it you’ve got a good roast beef sandwich. With it you’ve got a sandwich people talk about on the drive home.
Get a sturdy roll, grab the tongs, and don’t be shy with the dunk.
HAM out.
Related recipes
Slow cookerDinnerCrockpotCrockpot Texas-Style Beef Chili
No beans, no apologies. Chunks of chuck slow-simmered in a deep red chile sauce until spoon-tender. Thick, beefy and built for a cold night.
510 min · serves 8 · Beef
- Slow cookerDinnerCrockpot
Crockpot Beef and Barley Soup
Tender beef, chewy pearl barley, carrots and mushrooms in a rich, savory broth. A thick, stick-to-your-ribs soup that cooks while you work.
495 min · serves 8 · Beef
- Slow cookerDinnerCrockpot
Crockpot Mississippi Pot Roast
Chuck roast slow-cooked with ranch, au jus mix, butter and pepperoncini until it shreds with a fork. Tangy, rich and about five minutes of work.
495 min · serves 6 · Beef
Cooked this? Tell us how it went.
Loading reviews…