Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches Recipe
This Slow Cooker Italian Beef recipe features tender, flavorful chuck roast slow-cooked with Italian seasonings, pepperoncini, and giardiniera, then perfectly shredded and served on toasted hoagie rolls with melted provolone and garlic aioli. It's a comforting, hearty sandwich ideal for easy meal prep and satisfying dinner gatherings.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
Beef and Seasonings
- 3-4 pounds chuck roast
- 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Slow Cooker Mixture
- 2 cups beef broth, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 8 oz sliced pepperoncini peppers, plus 1/4 cup juice
- 8 oz mild giardiniera, drained (plus more for serving)
For Serving
- 4-6 crusty Hoagie Rolls or French sub rolls
- Melted butter, for brushing rolls
- Garlic aioli
- Sliced provolone cheese
- Sliced pepperoncini peppers, for topping
- Additional giardiniera, for topping
Instructions
- Heat Skillet: Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot and ready for searing.
- Prepare Beef: Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels, then sprinkle half of the kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper on one side of the roast.
- Sear Beef: Add olive oil to the skillet. Place the chuck roast salt-side down in the skillet. Sprinkle the remaining salt and black pepper on the other side. Sear the beef for 6-8 minutes on each side, developing a golden brown crust. Remove beef and transfer to slow cooker.
- Deglaze Skillet and Cook Aromatics: Lower heat and add 1/4 cup beef broth to the skillet, scraping up browned bits. Return heat to medium-high, then add sliced onions and smashed garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onions soften.
- Add Aromatics to Slow Cooker: Pour the cooked onion and garlic mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.
- Add Seasonings and Peppers: Add the bay leaf, Italian seasoning, sliced pepperoncini along with their juice, drained giardiniera, and the remaining beef broth to the slow cooker.
- Slow Cook Beef: Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 6-8 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and easy to shred.
- Shred Beef: Use two forks to shred the beef inside the slow cooker, then stir well so the beef is evenly coated in the juices and seasonings.
- Prepare Rolls: Preheat oven to 400°F. Split hoagie or sub rolls lengthwise and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Brush with melted butter and toast for 5-10 minutes until lightly golden.
- Assemble Sandwiches: Remove tops of toasted rolls. Spread garlic aioli on both top and bottom halves of the rolls. On bottom halves, pile on shredded Italian beef, extra giardiniera, sliced pepperoncini, then top with provolone cheese.
- Melt Cheese: Return open-faced sandwiches to the oven briefly until the cheese melts, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve: Top with the toasted roll tops and serve immediately with additional giardiniera or pepperoncini as desired.
Notes
- For best flavor, sear the beef well to develop a deep crust before slow cooking.
- Adjust pepperoncini and giardiniera amounts to your preferred spice level and tanginess.
- Leftover Italian beef keeps well refrigerated for up to 4 days and freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
- Use good quality crusty rolls to hold the juicy beef without getting soggy.
- Garlic aioli can be substituted with mayonnaise or left out for a lighter sandwich.
