Italian Beef Slow Cooker Sandwiches rely on juicy, tender and flavorful beef cooked in a broth base of pepperoncini, its brine, onions, garlic and seasoning. Serve on Italian-style hoagie rolls and top with melted provolone cheese and enjoy!
Cooking beef in a slow cooker is the best way to enjoy tender and juicy meat effortlessly. We tested these amazing recipes for you to try: Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs, Slow Cooker Beef Dip and Slow Cooker BBQ Beef.
Italian beef sandwiches are a Chicago classic, traditionally made with thinly sliced, seasoned roast beef served on an Italian-style roll with flavorful beef juices, often called jus or gravy. They’re commonly topped with sweet peppers or spicy giardiniera.
Why I Love This Recipe
- So easy in the crock pot
- Family favorite
- Love the spice but not too spicy
- Easy to customize; take out some of the heat or add more with giardiniera to finish
- Super tender, juicy beef
HELPFUL ITEMS FOR THIS RECIPE
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Crock-Pot 7-Quart Manual Slow Cooker, Family Size Serves 9+ People & Fits 7-lb Roast
Measuring Cups & Spoons Set, Stackable Cups and Spoons
Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet with Silicone Handle Holder, 12 Inches
Italian Beef Slow Cooker Sandwiches Ingredients
I love a slow cooker meal, as they are easy and you can serve up a gorgeous meal at the end of the day. These would be great for football, too, and sharing with friends.
Recipe Ingredients
Beef chuck roast – This cut of meat is good for cooking low and slow, as it helps to tenderize the meat.
Olive oil – We used it to give the roast a nice sear. Though the cooking happens in the slow cooker, searing the meat is great to build flavor from the very beginning.
Kosher salt and black pepper – The base seasoning that enhances the overall flavor of the broth.
Garlic and onion powder – They go into the rub and give the meat a savory backbone before it ever hits the slow cooker.
Dried oregano and thyme – The classic Italian herb duo.
Paprika – Adds a warm, mild sweetness and helps the roast get that deep color when you sear it.
Low-sodium beef broth – We used low-sodium broth because we added 1 1/2 tsp of salt; you could also use regular broth, but in that case you should reduce the amount of salt.
Pepperoncini peppers and brine – These are the key ingredients of the recipe; pepperoncini in brine has a sharp acidity that gives the cooking broth a mild tanginess.
Yellow onion – It slowly breaks down during the long cook and melts right into the broth, adding sweetness that balances the tang from the pepperoncini.
Garlic cloves – Fresh garlic here, not powder. After hours in the slow cooker, it turns mellow and almost sweet, which is exactly what you want in the jus.
Tomato sauce – Just a little, to add body to the broth and round out the acidity. It should not taste like a tomato sauce; it just gives the jus more depth.
Worcestershire sauce – It adds an umami hint to the broth.
Italian seasoning – A quick way to layer in more herbs and more flavor.
Bay leaves – Another herbal note that’s a must in slow-cooked beef.
Italian sandwich rolls – These are a good option as they have a sturdy crust and a soft interior, great to hold the beef and its juices.
Slices of provolone cheese – Melty provolone is great, but mozzarella would also work excellently here.
What cut of meat is used for Italian Beef Sandwiches?
For a slow cooker version, chuck roast is the better pick. It has more fat and connective tissue, which breaks down over those long hours and gives you beef that shreds easily and stays juicy in the jus. Leaner cuts like round can turn stringy and dry with this method.
If you want to swap, brisket or rump roast both work well. Just avoid anything too lean, and look for a roast with some visible marbling.
How to make Crockpot Italian Beef Sandwiches
Pat the chuck roast dry and season all sides with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, and paprika.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer it to the slow cooker.
Add the beef broth, pepperoncini brine, whole pepperoncini peppers, tomato sauce, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, and bay leaves to the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on Low for 7-8 hours or High for 4-5 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender.
Remove the roast from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Discard any large pieces of fat and the bay leaves. Return the shredded beef to the cooking liquid and let it soak for 15–20 minutes so it absorbs the flavorful juices.
Split the sandwich rolls and, if desired, toast them under the broiler for 2–3 minutes until lightly crisp.
Pile the juicy shredded beef onto each roll, top with a slice of provolone cheese, and broil for 1–2 minutes until the cheese is melted.
Finish with sliced pepperoncini and chopped parsley. Serve immediately with small bowls of the warm cooking juices for dipping.
Don’t Forget the Au Jus
Don’t throw away that delicious liquid in the slow cooker! It’s one of the best parts of an Italian beef sandwich.
Strain some of the cooking juices and serve them in small bowls alongside the sandwiches for dipping. You can also spoon a little directly onto each sandwich.
For an extra-juicy Chicago-inspired sandwich, quickly dip the cut side of the bread into the jus before adding the beef. Just don’t soak it too long unless you enjoy a very wet sandwich.
Recipe Pro Tips
Best Bread for Italian Beef Sandwiches
You need a roll with a firm crust, something that can hold up to all that juicy beef and the jus without falling apart. Soft rolls turn to mush.
Storing and Reheating Slow Cooker Italian Beef
Always store the beef in its juices. That is the whole trick. Shredded beef dries out fast on its own, but sitting in the jus it stays juicy for days.
Transfer the meat and enough broth to cover it into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the beef and jus together for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
To reheat, warm the beef and juices in a saucepan over medium-low heat until hot, about 10 minutes, stirring now and then. The microwave works too; just cover the container so the meat does not dry out. Toast and assemble the sandwiches fresh, since rolls get soggy if you build them ahead.
Can I make Italian beef sandwiches ahead of time?
Absolutely. In fact, the beef can taste even better the next day after sitting in the flavorful juices overnight. Reheat the meat and broth together and assemble fresh sandwiches just before serving.
Why is my slow cooker beef tough?
It usually needs more time. Chuck roast becomes tender as its connective tissue breaks down during slow cooking. Continue cooking until you can easily pull the beef apart with a fork.
Are pepperoncini peppers spicy?
Pepperoncini are generally quite mild. They add more tangy, vinegary flavor than intense heat.
What cheese is best on an Italian beef sandwich?
Provolone is my top choice. Mozzarella also works well if you prefer a milder cheese.
Can I make Italian beef without cheese?
Definitely. Traditional Italian beef doesn’t require cheese. The juicy beef, peppers, and giardiniera provide plenty of flavor on their own.
What Is Giardiniera?
Giardiniera is a mixture of pickled vegetables that typically includes peppers, cauliflower, carrots, and celery. Chicago-style giardiniera is often packed in oil and can range from mild to quite spicy.
It provides acidity, crunch, and heat that cut through the richness of the beef, making it one of my favorite toppings for these sandwiches.
LOVE SANDWICHES LIKE THIS FOR A MEAL?
So do we; check out some of our favorite sandwiches for lunch or dinner. Also great while watching the game!!
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Italian Beef Slow Cooker Sandwiches Recipe
Ingredients
Beef
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp paprika
Cooking Liquid
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1/2 cup pepperoncini brine
- 1 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers
- 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves smashed
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
To serve
- 6 hoagie sandwich rolls
- 10-12 slices provolone cheese
- Extra pepperoncini sliced
- Fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Pat the chuck roast dry using paper towels. Then, season all sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, and paprika.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer it to the slow cooker.
- Add the beef broth, pepperoncini brine, sliced pepperoncini peppers, tomato sauce, sliced onion, smashed garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning and bay leaves to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours, or HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender.
- Shred the beef with fork, discarding any large pieces of fat. Take out bay leaves too. Put the shredded beef back into the slow cooker and let it soak in the juice for 15 minutes.
- Prepare the sandwiches by splitting the rolls and stuffing enough beef onto each one. Top with one or two slices of provolone cheese and broil for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Finally, add extra pepperoncini and fresh parsley before serving. Serve immediately with small bowls of the warm cooking juices for dipping.
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