Last week I asked my Facebook and Twitter friends if they’d like to see a crock pot recipe on the blog this week. There were so many exclamation marks in the comments, which I took to mean, ‘heck yes!’ that I immediately started brainstorming.
Everyone knows crock pot recipes are a busy person’s best friend but many of them can be heavy and unappealing at times. While brainstorming a new and interesting crock pot combo I decided the recipe would have to meet the following criteria:
- Beef-based as I have exactly one beef crock pot recipe on the blog – Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce.
- Easy. Nobody likes crock pot recipes with several cooking steps before you even plug the dang thing in.
- Very delicious, unique, and not gloopy whatsoever.
With the aforementioned criteria in mind, I settled on Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches. A mouthwatering, 5-ingredient flavor combo that has just the right amount of zip and zing!
Chuck roast is slow cooked for 10 hours in a mixture of pepperoncini peppers, Giardiniera, Italian dressing mix, and beef broth then shredded and served on a chewy hoagie bun with melted provolone cheese. Crazy (CRAZY) good, and did I mention that it’s made with just 5 ingredients?!
Ben was skeptical about eating the crock pot version of one of his favorite sandwiches, which is typically made with thinly sliced beef. “Oh…I’ve never heard of a shredded Italian beef sandwich before…” he said in a tone that I knew meant, I am definitely going to hate this.
But guess what? He didn’t! While I stood eating the shredded beef straight out of the crock pot like the refined woman that I am, he inhaled an entire sandwich in under 2 minutes. That is to say, this dish was a total hit!
How to Make Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches:
Start by trimming any large pieces of fat off a 3lb chuck roast then cut the roast into seven or eight big hunks and place them in the bottom of a 6 quart crock pot.
Next sprinkle in a packet of Good Seasons Zesty Italian Salad Dressing Mix. I like this pre-packaged mix because I recognize all the ingredients.
Edited to add: this mix is NOT gluten-free! Use a homemade Italian Dressing mix (halve or eliminate the salt called for in the recipe,) or look for a gluten free mix like Simply Organic.
Add 8oz sliced pepperoncini peppers plus a splash of pepperoncini juice plus 8oz Chicago-Style Giardiniera which you can find in the olive/pickle aisle at the grocery store.
I’d never had Chicago-style Giardiniera, a type of relish made with pickled olives and vegetables that’s packed in herbs and oils, but Ben insisted it go into this dish. I’m so glad he did because OH MY GOSH it is so good! It’s supposed to go over Italian beef sandwiches, but I could have eaten forkful after forkful all by itself.
Because it’s packed in oil though, which would add unnecessary fat to the dish, I scooped out the mix with a fork and let it drain away. You can get Giardiniera that’s packed in vinegar, but I found this style to be a real treat.
Finally, add a can of beef broth then place a lid on top of the crock pot and let it cook on low for 9 hours, or until the beef can be easily shredded with a fork.
Once the roast can be easily shredded with a fork, shred then slip the meat back into the slow cooker to cook in the juices for 1 more hour on low. Scoop the meat onto hoagie buns then slap a slice of provolone on top to melt from the heat of the beef. Serve with extra pepperoncini peppers and Giardiniera, and you’re set!
More Crock Pot Recipes You’ll Love
- Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Crock Pot Mojo Pork with Cuban-Style Black Beans
- Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
- View all crock pot recipes
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Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches
Description
Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches are the 5-ingredient crock pot version of the popular hot sandwich recipe. This easy dinner recipe is a crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients
- 3lb chuck roast, trimmed of visible fat and cut into large hunks
- 1 envelope Good Seasons Zesty Italian salad dressing mix (SEE NOTE FOR GF)
- 8oz pepperoncini pepper slices + splash of juice (plus extra for serving)
- 8oz Giardiniera (Chicago-Style Italian Sandwich Mix,) drained (plus extra for serving)
- 14.5oz can beef broth
- provolone cheese slices
- hoagie buns
Directions
- Place chuck roast into the bottom of a 5.5 - 6 quart crock pot then sprinkle with salad dressing mix. Add pepperoncini peppers plus a splash of juice, Giardiniera, and beef broth then lift up chuck roast pieces to get broth underneath. Place a lid on top then cook on low for 9 hours, or until meat shreds easily with a fork. Shred then place meat back into crock pot and cook on low for 1 more hour.
- Split buns in half then scoop the shredded meat mixture on top and add provolone cheese slices. Top with additional pepperoncini peppers and Giardiniera, if desired, then serve.
Notes
- Good Seasons Zesty Italian salad dressing mix is NOT gluten-free. Look for a homemade Italian Dressing Mix recipe (halve or eliminate salt called for in recipe,) or use a gluten free Italian Dressing Mix like Simply Organic.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
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This is one of my favorite crock pot recipes to date. Could not have been easier to make and the flavors from the pickled vegetables and pepper rings really made the beef sing. Let’s not forget that chewy hoagie bun either, which soaks up all the yummy juices. SO GOOD. Hope you’ll give it a try sometime!
Made this for our office luncheon and it was a hit! No leftovers…everyone liked it. Thank you for the recipe. Definitely going to make this again real soon.
LOVE THAT!! So glad it was enjoyed by all!
My Daughter and I LOoooOooVE This recipe!!!! We make it all the time, and I keep coming back time after time to find it again.
Thank you so much… it’s the closest thing to “real” Italian beefs that I’ve found… and it’s simply amazing. Getting ready to put it all together in the crock pot again tonight… so we can put it on early for lunch tomorrow!!!! Yum yummers!
YAY! So glad to hear this recipe is a such a hit at your house, Belle! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I’ve made this recipe many times. It’s really, really delicious. The pickled vegetables really make this dish so tangy and mouth watering! I usually don’t use the oil packed giardinera because i can never find it but it still comes out great.
I’m so glad you love it, Karen! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Maybe I missed it but is there an Instapot user out there that adapted the recipe. This is one of my favs but my crockpot is dead.
This is my go to italian beef recipe, I’ve made it twice before with excellent results but I am wondering if I were to double this recipe if the cooking time would change. Thanks in advance!
So much to unpack with this recipe (although, I am sure you won’t respond). Two things;
1. The “pepperoncini” that you list in the recipe is not that. Those are banana pepper rings. It says so on the label.
2 Where do you get giardenera that is packed in oil? I have bought a lot of Mezzetta before and it has always been packed in the brining solution.
p.s. Why not make your own giardenera, it’s an easy lacto-fermentation. I guess, like they say, if you can’t make your own, store bought will do.
Here is the product if you’d like to verify yourself, and you can certainly make your own if you want, Frank! https://www.mezzetta.com/our-products/detail/chicago-style-giardiniera
This has become one of my go to recipes! I typically make it and then immediately put it into the fridge. When I want to have it, I cook the meat on the griddle, letting the liquid “cook out” and concentrating the flavor onto the beef. It’s so good when the beef gets a little crispy with the concentrated liquid! I will never eat it any other way!
That sounds amazing, Stephanie!! So thrilled you love the recipe – I’m going to try this little tip next time we make it. :)
This isn’t close to an Italian beef. It is… at best… a good beef and cheese sandwich. What a true waste of a day.
could not get the dry italian seasoning. How much italian dressing should I use and do I cut down on the beef beoth?
This was a sure fire hit at my house!!!! Thanks for the recipe!
Excellent recipe! I slow cooked the beef in the oven for about 12 hours. Came out perfect. Really hard not to have at least two sandwiches, its that good.
it’s so yummy.
I’ll wanna go buy the ingredients dan cook right away.
Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe :)
Can this be frozen??? Looks amazing!
Definitely!
This was a hit with husband I used a no salt beef broth
This sandwich looks yummy and easy to make. I think I will try it in the weekend.
If it takes 9 hours in the crock pot, how long should I cook the beef in an Instant Pot?
Can you do the Italian beef in the insta pot?
This has become a favorite in my house! Everyone loves this recipe and I love how easy it is! It is in the crockpot right now, albeit, on high for 5 hours because it slipped my mind that I needed to start it earlier. Cant wait for dinner tonight!
I’ve made this many times! I’m also pleased that it holds up well enough to reheat because I feel like a lot of the time crock pot shredded meat doesn’t keep well. This is still good as leftovers! My biggest struggle is my local stores inconsistently stock the giardiniera (fellow Iowan here!) It’s gotten to where whenever I see it somewhere I stock up in case the mood for beef sandwiches strikes!
Same with my local store – it’s super hit and miss. Good idea to stock up when you can! :D
I’ve made this four times now – BIG HIT with the whole family! One improvement I’d suggest is that if you don’t mind another dish, sear the beef after cutting it up. It adds a little more depth to the flavor.
Love the Italian Beef, this is a great recipe!!