Italian Beef Sandwich

5 from 1 vote

A delicious and tender classic Italian beef sandwich topped with giardiniera served in a soft roll, toasted with provolone. This authentic Italian-American sandwich is dipped in its au jus and perfect for serving a hungry crowd!

Prep Time15

Cook Time3

Marinate1

Total Time1 3 15

Course: lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: sandwiches

Calories: 679kcal

Author: Vincent DelGiudice

Cost: $60

Equipment

1 Large Dutch Oven
1 mesh strainer
1 large saucepan
1 instant-read thermometer

Ingredients

4-5 lbs top round beef
1.5 cups beef stock
2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoon salt
16 oz jar giardiniera
2 tablespoon olive oil
10 soft rolls
½ lbs sliced picante provolone
3 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Instructions

Season the top round of beef with salt on all sides. You can place it on a plate or rack in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight. Remove from the fridge 1 hour before cooking.
Preheat the oven to 300℉. Add olive oil to a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the roast beef on all sides until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium. Add butter, crushed garlic, and Italian seasoning. Sauté the garlic for 4-5 minutes. Then add the beef stock and bring to a simmer.
Place the roast beef in the Dutch oven and coat it with the butter and stock on all sides. Place the roast beef in the oven and cook for 2-3 hours or until the temperature reaches 185℉. Remove the roast beef from the Dutch oven and rest for 1 hour.
Strain the au jus through a mesh strainer and set it aside. Slice the roast beef with a sharp knife. The thinner you can slice it, the better.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the au jus and bring it to a low simmer. Add the sliced beef to the au jus to warm it up.
Slice open the bread and top with provolone. Toast in the oven until the cheese is melted. Top with roast beef and giardiniera. Serve hot and dip in the extra au jus.

Video

Notes

You have 3 options for giardiniera. Make your own homemade giardiniera. Buy a jar of sandwich-ready giardiniera in oil. Buy a jar of giardiniera, chop up the vegetables, and place them in a mason jar with olive oil while the beef cooks.
Choosing your rolls is important. You don't want a hard bread like a baguette or Italian semolina bread. Choose a soft roll, like a hoagie, which will make for the best bread to dip the sandwich in au jus.
The roast beef will appear overcooked. But cooking it to 185 degrees F will make it tender and perfectly slicable. Once it is reheated in the au jus, it will be really juicy and tender because it will be cut thin.
Cut the roast beef as thin as possible to make it tender. If you cut it thick, it will be really chewy. It's best to use a slicer or a really sharp knife to cut.
It's best to marinate the meat overnight because the salt will have more time to penetrate the meat and tenderize it.

Nutrition