Slow Cooker Magic: Italian Beef

Whoever invented the slow cooker (aka, crock pot) must have been a scientist… “How can I set up my meal in five minutes so that when I get home tonight, around 12 hours from now, an incredible meal will await?”  Well we should all take a moment to honor that genius, because without their invention, deliciousness like this wouldn’t be possible…

This recipe stems from the sandwich meal made popular by Italians in Chicago.  It is a meal that is easily put together in the morning and requires little cooking skill.  When you arrive home from a long day at lab it is hot and ready for you to eat!  Like any legendary meal, if you talk to ten different people about how to make Italian Beef you will get ten different recipes.  I will give you the one I use and tell you how you can tweak this easy meal to suit your taste buds.

Italian Beef Ingredients

• 3-4 lbs. roast (rump or sirloin tip works best but I have used arm roast as well)
• Jar of Italian Giardiniera (pickled vegetables in vinegar)
• Jar of Pepperoncini peppers
• 1 envelope of dry Italian dressing (zesty)
• Italian Dressing
• Water
• Slow cooker

Add a little water to the slow cooker (just enough to cover the bottom).  Add the roast.  Then add the Jar of Giardiniera and Pepperoncinis with juice.  This is where your taste buds come into play.  This can get really spicy, so only add as much as you can take.  A good rule of thumb is to add 3 oz. of Pepperoncinis per pound of meat for a lightly spiced dish.  For a crowd with a taste for more fire, add a 16 oz. jar and juice for a spicy kick.  The same goes for the Giardiniera as it is often made with red pepper flakes that can add some heat.  I often make the Italian Beef without the Giardiniera, it just depends how long it has been since I hit the grocery store.  Then cover the meat with about half Italian dressing and water.  Cook on low ~12 hours.  If in more of a hurry you can cook on high for 4-6 hours but the meat may not turn out as tender.

After the meat has cooked, it should easily fall apart (you can flip and pull at it anytime throughout the process).  Spoon meat over toasted Italian rolls for an open-faced sandwich and add provolone or mozzarella cheese to the sandwich if desired.

Buon appetito!

Katie in the process of completing her Ph.D. in Developmental Biology at Washington University in St. Louis, studying the effect of diabetes on pre-implantation biology in mice.  Outside of lab you can find Katie playing softball or kickball, often with a frothy beverage in her hand.  Recently married, Katie tries to balance work with home life by spending her free time with her husband and their animals: two English Mastiffs and two spunky alley cats.