How to make a proper Chicago Style Italian Beef Sandwich
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We're tackling one of Chicago's iconic food items, it's not any deep dish pizza because today is all about the Chicago style Italian beef sandwich.
Based on my research, which included watching a lot of Al's Italian beef videos and polling some Redditors, Chicago style Italian beef is categorized by the following:
- Beef Roast (Top Sirloin Butt or Round Roast) that is braised with spices
- Roast Beef is thinly sliced and then warmed in the au jus before being put on the roll
- The serving vessel is a sturdy hoagie/sub/long roll
- Ordered dry, wet or dipped
- Topped with sweet peppers, or hot peppers (giardiniera)
- Other topping variations can include the Italian combo, red sauce, and cheese
--- FULL ITALIAN BEEF RECIPE ---
Description: Seasoned roast beef, that is thinly sliced, warmed in au jus and then loaded on a sturdy long roll. The whole sandwich is dipped in the au jus and topped with sweet peppers or hot peppers (giardiniera), or both. Wrap it in wax paper, and consume with some napkins close by.
Ingredients:
- Eye of Round Roast (3-4 lbs or 1.3-1.8 kg)
- Coarse Kosher Salt
- Fresh Ground Pepper
- 8 garlic cloves, smashed, skin removed.
Spice Rub:
- 2 TBSP (13g) Paprika
- 1 TBSP (3g) Oregano
- 1 TBSP (2g) Coriander seeds
- 1 TBSP (2g) Fennel seeds
- 1 TBSP (18g) Coarse Kosher Salt
- 1 TBSP (7g) Fresh Ground Pepper
- 2 cups (480 g) Beef stock + Water to cover
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 C)
2. Liberally salt and pepper the roast.
3. Add a thin layer of oil to a large dutch oven over high heat.
4. When the oil is hot, brown the roast on all sides creating those delicious flavor compounds.
5. Once browned, remove the roast and set aside on a plate. Set the heat to medium.
6. Add the garlic cloves and spice rub to the fond created from browning. Saute for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
7. Add the beef stock and water to create our braising liquid. Turn off the heat.
8. Add the browned roast back to the liquid. The liquid should come up to at least 1/2 the way up the beef, if it's not, add more water/beef stock.
9. Prepare a parchment paper lid, or set the lid of the dutch oven slightly ajar.
10. Move the dutch oven to the oven and let braise for 2 - 2.5 hours. Flip the beef roast and let braise for another 1.5 hours.
11. Remove the roast from the oven and wrap in plastic film and move to the fridge to rest at least 1 hour. This will allow the proteins to set for better slicing and the plastic film doesn't allow water vapor to escape, keeping our roast moist. (Note: If you are not slicing thinly, you could let the beef rest and eat the beef right out of the oven)
12. Store the braising liquid in the fridge as well.
13. Once rested, thinly slice the roast by using an electronic slicer for best results, though a slicing knife will work too.
14. Heat the au jus over medium low heat until 140 degrees F (60 c).
15. Add a serving of the sliced beef to the au jus and let warm for 30-60 seconds.
16. Load up the beef on a sturdy long roll and dip the whole sandwich in the au jus for proper Chicago style.
17. Top with sweet peppers or hot pepper giardiniera. I used my lacto fermented giardiniera (recipe below).
Lacto Fermented Hot Giardiniera - WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
Equal parts (all diced)
- Celery
- Carrot
- Onion
- Red pepper
Spices
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 red hot chiles
- 5 grams oregano
- 5 grams peppercorns
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OTHER DETAILS
All sources used:
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Music: Provided by Musicbed
Filmed on: Sony a6400 w/ 18-105mm F4
Voice recorded on Rode Video Micro
Edited in: Premiere Pro #Chicago #ItalianBeef
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Giardiniera, video recipes in English, Monopoli (Puglia) Italy
In the bowl put ml. 150 of vinegar, ml.300 of white wine and put the following vegetables: sliced carrots peppers and celery Mix everything and add the sliced eggplants . Mix, move the vegetables in a glass recipient, add garlic and hot pepper, thick salt. Press the vegetables to expel the fluid, remove the liquid, spill m. 300 of white wine and ml.130 of vinegar. Put a plastic plate on the vegetables and press to eliminate the air inside then let stand for 24 hours. Spent time remove the plate, put the vegetables on the colanders and put a plate on the vegetables with a weight and let stand for 3 hours. Flavor with oil, stuff the jar pressing the vegetables for prevent the formation of air bubbles. Cover with oil.
CHICAGO STYLE ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICH (Made By Man From Chicago)
The Italian Beef Sandwich aka one of Chicago's four main food groups is a sloppy, drippy, monster of a sandwich and a damn good one at that. I grew up on these beloved gut bombs and it was a real thrill to create a video showing you how to make your own at home from scratch. Enjoy responsibly.
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APRON:
BOOS BLOCK CUTTING BOARD:
BREAD KNIFE:
ESCALI DIGITAL SCALE:
HALF SHEET PAN + RACK:
INSTANT READ THERMOMETER:
INSTANT POT:
KITCHEN AID MIXER:
6.75qt LE CREUSET DUTCH OVEN:
MY FAV STAINLESS BOWL:
RECIPE BELOW Makes 4 very large Italian Beefs (+ extra Giardiniera)
GIARDINIERA (makes 1qt/ltr)
•150g or about 1 1/3c each of Cauli, Celery, Green Bell Peppers, Carrots
•75g or 1/2 c serrano (or another hot pepper of choice)
•400g or 1 3/4c white distilled vinegar
•200g or 3/4c water
•24g or 1 1/2 tbsp salt
•300g or 1 1/3c light olive oil
•150g or 3/4c ex virgin olive oil
Chop all veg into small dice and mix to combine. Combine vin, water, salt in a sauce pan, bring to a boil, add veg, stir, turn off heat and allow to cook as it comes to room temp. Transfer to container and refrigerate 2 days.
After 2 days, strain liquid off veg. To the strained veg mix, add oils & store in fridge until ready to use.
FRENCH SANDWICH ROLL:
•225g or 1c water (86F/30C)
•9g or 3tsp yeast
•20g or 1 1/2tbsp olive oil
•15g 1 1/4 tbsp sugar
•350g or 2.5c bread flour (12.7% protein)
•9g 1 1/2 tsp salt
Combine ingredients into bowl of stand mixer with dough hook. Mix on low until combined (3min). When dough has begun to form into a ball, increase to high speed and continue mixing for another 6 mins. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover, and allow to ferment at room temp for 90 mins.
Flour dough and work surface and divide into two 300g pieces. Preshape into balls as shown @2:40. Cover with town and allow to rest for 15 min. Shape each piece as shown @3:00.
Place onto parchment lined sheet tray dusted with semolina, place shaped dough rolls onto tray and gently press down to slightly flatten. Cover and let proof for 30-45min until they've grown by about 75%. Score lengthwise.
Bake in a 375F/190C preheated oven for about 30 min (rotating halfway through) until light golden grown.
ROAST BEEF:
•Two 2lb (.9kg) top round roasts, cut in half (1lb for each sandwich roll)
•Neutral cooking oil (canola, vegetable, etc)
•1000g or 1L nice beef stock (recipe below)
•Spoonful bouillon paste (optional)
•Salt to taste
•Bman's Super Secret Beef Spice Blend: 5g each dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, toasted coriander seed, chili flake, paprika, toasted fennel seed, black pepper.
Preheat large pot on med-high, add a few plugs of neutral cooking oil, and add in 2 pieces of roast. Sear well on each side. Add beef stock to deglaze. Add spice blend.
Bring to simmer, cover with parchment and load into 250F/120C oven to cook for 60 min. Meat temp should be 140F/61C. Wrap beefs in plastic wrap and allow to cool in fridge.
When ready to use, slice as thinly as possible.
Strain cooking jus into container. When ready to use, add spoonful bouillon paste, heat to 145F/62C, season to taste (should be very salty) and lower heat to low. Add in sliced beef to just warm through.
BEEF STOCK:
•6-8lbs or 3-4kg beef shanks
•2000g/2L water
Roast shanks in very hot oven (450F/230C) for 30min. Add to slow cooker along with all fond from roasting pan and water. Slow cook for 6hrs.
#italianbeef #chicagostylebeef #roastbeefsandwich #chicagostyleitalianbeef #chicago food
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Giardiniera - Italian Pickled Vegetable Relish - Easy Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 head cauliflower, chopped into small florets
1 onion , diced
3 carrots , diced
2 large red bell peppers , seeded and chopped
4 Green Chillis , sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 Cup Cabbage
1/2 Cup long beans
1/2 teaspoon diced Garlic
Water, Salt, Vinegar
Makes about 3 small jars
Music smallguitar by bensound
Giardiniera (Chicago Style) recipe in just a minute
This recipe for pickled vegetables with a touch of spice originally comes from Italian immigrants in Chicago and has now become a symbol of the city's cuisine.
It serves as a perfect garnish for beef sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, and even pizzas!
You can use serranos or jalapeños interchangeably.
Ingredients:
- Cauliflower (500 g)
- Carrots (350 g)
- Red pepper (150 g)
- Fresh jalapeños or serranos (150 g)
- Celery (100 g)
- Olives -pitted (50 g)
- Garlic (4 cloves)
- Extra virgin Olive Oil (150 ml)
- White wine vinegar (500 ml)
- Water (500 ml)
- Sugar (30 g)
- Salt (20 g)
- Dried oregano (1 tsp)
- Coriander seeds (1 tsp)
- Mustard seeds (1 tsp)
- Fennel seeds (1 tsp)
- Black peppercorns (1 tsp)
- Ground chili (to taste)
- Bay leaf (1)
Detailed instructions for this and other recipes can be found on our app.
More info:
#giardiniera #pickles #recipe #recipeshorts
Grilled Chicken Giardiniera Recipe
A light and healthy grilled chicken with salad loaded with flavors.
See full video & many others at