Italian Beef (Recipe)

Italian Beef! My first memory of Italian Beef goes way back!

  Not sure what date it was but I must have been about six years old.  My father took us to the suburbs or was it Little Italy in Chicago, I'm not sure?I do remember a place called Carmie's Beef & Hot Dogs. I remember a red neon sign in the window and walking in wondering where all the chairs were to sit?

Well this was a "stand" it had counters of Formica on the sides and near the window.  The counter was chest high to my dad, it had a lower area with napkins and this stuff that looked like green chopped vegetables in oil.

I learned later on it was one of my favorite foods of all time, Giardinara!  I could see over the edge of the counter a open grill with Italian Sausages on a skewer cooking over a open grill!

The aroma of this place was amazing!

 

The people in the restaurant seemed to be from some Italian Beef eating cult!  They were staring in anticipation at the menu board, I'm not sure why?

They were a savvy bunch that knew what they were there for and projected it in confidence when they ordered! My Dad yelled out in yeoman style, " Yeah, gimme two small beefs and I'll have a large combo with sweet and hot, wet!" A Coke and two Green Rivers (Green River is lime soda found in Chicago)

 

The man behind the counter grabbed a loaf of long Italian Bread then sliced it on a counter where you could see the worn knife marks.  He sliced a hinge into the sliced loaf and opened it wide.  With a quick flip of his wrist he grabbed a perfectly charred link of Italian Sausage, nested it into the bread and topped It with paper thin slices of Italian seasoned roast beef, which was held in it's natural juices!

 

He then dipped the edges of the sandwich in the juice like a dive bomber and topped the sandwich with roasted sweet bell peppers and some of the hot giardinara. We received our sandwiches wrapped in white butcher paper.  My Dad walked over to the counter opened our sandwiches so we can eat. 

 

I watched him as he took the "Italian Stance" he stood over the paper holding the sandwich resting his elbows on the counter, stepped back and spread his legs a bit for balance.

  This ritual was so the juice from the sandwich wouldn't go all over your shirt. (Business men flip their tie over the shoulder)

He then took his first bite, I watched as this abundantly stuffed  Italian beef sandwich yielded to his desire, juices dripping from his chin as he blissfully enjoyed every mouthfull!

Our family restaurant served Italian Beef and when I was young, it was the only beef I knew, not like regular roast beef like other families had.  My father taught my brother and I how to make Italian beef with Inside Rounds, huge pieces of beef that he roasted overnight in the pizza oven, a practice my brother continued to do when he owned his pizzeria, Pizza Sam.

Here is my home version of Italian Beef, don't forget the bread and giardinara!

Italian Beef (print recipe)

Pre heat your oven to 350^o  convection or 375^o conventional

Ingredients
I used a choice 5 lb sirloin roast or you can use a top round roast as well.  The butcher trimmed the fat, but left 1/4 inch of it on for flavor.

Seasonings
4 cloves garlic
4 sprigs fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 medium size yellow onion, large dice
1 large bell pepper, cut in half seeds and ribs removed, large dice or slice in 1 inch wide strips
2 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp dry parsley
1 tbsp dry mexican oregano
1/2 tbsp dry basil
1 tsp crushed red pepper
3 cups of water, for the bottom of the roasting pan or pyrex dish
1 1/2 tbsp beef bouillon paste this will be mixed with 3 more cups of water plus the pan drippings and vegetables for your juice

Italian bread loaves cut in 5 inch pieces with a hinge cut

Roasted Peppers, see pizza toppings ,but cut the peppers in 1 inch strips.
Don't forget, Giardinara!

Method
Cut 4 small slits in the surface of the meat as seen in the picture, push cloves of fresh garlic and the sprigs of Italian parsley into the meat.

Place the cut onion and pepeprs on the bottom of a roasting pan, place your meat onto vegetables in the pan and then sprinkle the seasonings on top of the beef.  Pour 3 cups of water on the bottom of the pan.

  
 

Insert your temperature probe into the meat and set it for 130 degrees then place your roast into the oven.  If you don't have a thermometer then please buy one, its a good investment.

I removed the roast when the probe sounded of at 130^o

 

I let the roast rest for an hour then transfer it juice and all into a suitable sized container and refrigerated it overnight.

The next day I plugged the crock pot in and added 3 cups of water and 1 1/2 tablespoons beef broth paste to it.  For Italian Beef I prefer to use a slicing machine but in this instance I cut it by hand by using a sharp knife and shaving it as thin as possible.  this is extremely important if you are using any other meat other than choice sirloin.

I placed the sliced beef into the crock pot and as you can see it filled it up! Once the beef and juice was up to temperature I started to cry because it tasted so good! :)

Make your sandwich

• Spoon some juice onto the bun, top and bottom. Pile on the beef!
• Hold the sandwich in the middle with some tongs and dip the ends of the sandwich into the juice.
• Now it the time to add your roasted peppers and or giardinara.
• For a Mozza Beef place 2 large slices of mozzarella cheese on the bottom of the bun after you juice it then place the beef on top.
• Some like a Pizza Beef where you make the sandwich then top it with pizza sauce, mozzarella and parm then slide it into a hot 400 degree oven to finish it off nice and melted.

Man v. Food - The Italian Stance from TravelChannelTV on Vimeo.