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Chicago Italian beef
Thin-sliced roast beef soaked in spiced jus on a roll with giardiniera
Italian beef was born at Italian-American weddings and family stands on Chicago's West Side in the 1930s, when cooks sliced roast beef paper-thin so a little meat could feed a crowd. The slices are soaked in a garlicky, oregano-spiced jus and piled into a crusty roll with hot giardiniera or sweet peppers; order it 'dipped' and the whole sandwich gets a dunk in the jus. Chef's tip: chill the roast overnight before slicing; cold beef slices far thinner, and thinness is everything here.
- Total time
- 175 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the beef
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 8 cloves garlicsliced
- 5 cups beef stock
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
To serve
- 9 oz hot giardiniera
- 2 green peppers (optional)sliced and fried soft
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Rub the 3 ⅓ lb beef topside or top round joint with the 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Brown it all over in the 2 tbsp olive oil in a roasting tin on the hob, about 8 minutes.
10 minStep 2: Add the 8 cloves garlic, 5 cups beef stock, 2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp chilli flakes, ½ tsp fennel seeds and 2 bay leaves around the beef, cover with foil and roast for 1¼–1½ hours, until the centre reads 140°F on a thermometer.
90 minStep 3: Lift out the beef, cool it, wrap and chill overnight. Strain the jus into a pan and chill too. A common mistake is slicing the beef warm, which gives thick, chewy slices.
720 minStep 4: Skim the fat off the jus and bring it to a simmer. Slice the cold beef as thinly as possible, ideally on a slicer or with a very sharp long knife.
15 minStep 5: Drop the slices into the barely simmering jus for 3–5 minutes, until heated through and tender.
5 minStep 6: Split the 8 long crusty Italian rolls, pile in the beef with tongs, spoon over jus and top with 9 oz hot giardiniera or 2 green peppers. For 'dipped', dunk the whole sandwich in the jus quickly.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chicago Italian beef take?
- About 175 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of dried oregano?
- Dried thyme or marjoram, same amount.
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