Chicago-Style Beef for sandwiches.
Chicago-style beef for sandwiches is a big winner: rich, beefy, juicy and fall-apart tender. Drench it in jus, add some of our Chicago-style giardiniera and maybe a bit of provolone, and you’ve got just about the perfect sandwich.
Ingredients:
3 lbs or so beef chuck roast*, separated into several chunks
2 t ground coriander
1 T dried oregano
1 T smoked paprika
1 T fennel seed, ground in a spice grinder or crushed with a mortar and pestle
1 T Kosher salt
A few grinds of black pepper
2 T olive oil or neutral oil
3 cups beef broth
1 large carrot
2 celery ribs
1 medium onion
6 or so garlic cloves
Method: mix spices and beef in a large bowl, working the pieces with your hands to thoroughly incorporate seasonings. Cover and refrigerate 48 hours (ideally) or (at least) overnight. Sauté in 2 T oil over medium heat until all sides are browned. Add beef stock and veggies.
Instant pot method: seal the pot and pressure cook on high for 50 minutes with natural release. Conventional method: cook on stovetop over low heat, or in a 300 degree oven, for at least 6 hours. When done, meat should be so tender it separates into strands (like pulled pork) when you pick it up with tongs. Strain the jus and drizzle on sub rolls (or dip the rolls in the jus, depending on your preference for messiness) and add a few slices of provolone if you like. Garnish with Chicago-style giardiniera and maybe a few extra chopped peppers for heat.
A little provolone can’t hurt. Also, note our beef is shredded, not sliced.
*This Eater article has an excellent round-up of Chicago beef sandwiches in the wild and you’ll note some have shredded chuck per the above and others have thinly sliced bottom round. We used the stew meat that was left over from our chuck eye experiment, but you could probably substitute bottom round for a similar result.
