Chicago Johnny's Italian Beef Recipe From the Home Kitchen (Chicago Style Italian Beef Sandwiches)
To order a slicer from Amazon
Josh Downey of Chicago Johnny's (chicagojohnnys.com) gives his recipe for Chicago Johnny's Italian Beef sandwiches. He also give some tips and shares from his home kitchen, where it all began. To download this recipe & others visit ChicagoJohnnys.com
This Italian Beef sandwich and recipe comes with instructions on sweet peppers, dipping the 'sangwich', giardiniera, and other tips and pointers from Chicago Johnny's founder, Josh Downey.
I've made life easier, you can use my Italian Beef Gravy Seasoning from Amazon!
Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich
Smoked Top Sirloin Roast turned into one amazing Italian Beef Sandwich
#italianbeefsandwich #chicagoitalianbeefsandwich #howtobbqright
Italian Beef Sandwich Recipe
I don’t know if there is a sandwich more fitting for the “Super Bowl” than the Chicago Italian Beef. Hailing from the South Side of Chicago, this sandwich has it all: Piles of thinly sliced, hot beef nestled in a soft bread smothered in tasty “beef juice” topped with sautéed peppers and spicy giardiniera; it just doesn’t get any better. This is a sandwich worthy of a Championship Trophy!
For the authentic version of this recipe I turned to my friend Meathead over at
Meathead suggests starting with a Top Sirloin Roast in the 3-4 pound range. You can also substitute top round or bottom round roast as well. I would say any lean beef roast will work. Remove as much fat and sinew from the outside of the roast as possible. To season the roast I used salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, and crushed red pepper. Mix the seasonings together in a bowl, spritz the outer surface of the roast with water and sprinkle on a good dose of the seasoning. The water will help the seasonings stick and release some of the flavor from the herbs.
To cook the roast I set up my Big Green Egg for indirect cooking running Royal Oak lump for heat and few chunks of hickory for smoke flavor. Use the plate setter in the Egg to create indirect cooking. The temp needs to run at 325 the entire cook.
The cooking set up is key for Chicago Italian Beef. The roast sits above a pan of simmering beef broth while it cooks. Place a 9x13” baking pan on the cooking grate and add 6 cups of water. Throw in 4 beef bouillon cubes and stir to dissolve. Season the beef juice with a good pinch of the same seasoning used on the outside of the roast. Place a baking rack over the pan and sit the roast on the raised rack.
For the first stage of cooking the roast needs to hit 125-130 degrees internal for medium rare. Insert a wired probe thermometer - I used my Thermoworks DOT into the center of the roast to monitor the temperature.
Once the roast hits 125-130 degrees, remove it from the pit. Pour the beef juice into a large container. Cover both with foil and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours (or overnight) to cool.
When the roast is completely cool, it’s ready for the next step. Remove any fat that floats to the top of the juice then bring it to a slow simmer. Taste the juice for flavor. Add more seasoning if necessary.
Now it’s time to slice the beef. In Chicago they use a meat slicer for thin slices but at home you can use a thin bladed knife. Let the knife do the work and take your time. Like Meathead says you don’t want to press too hard or saw at it because it’ll be too thick.
Also no Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich is complete without peppers. I sliced 3 sweet bell peppers into 1/4’ slices and sautéed them.
To assemble the sandwiches first you need a good bread. If you have fresh Italian bread loaves great, but I didn’t, so I went with fresh French Rolls. The bread needs to be firm on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside. Slice it lengthwise but don’t go all the way through.
Place a big handful of the sliced beef into the simmering juice and let it hang out for a minute. Ladle the bread with a big spoon of the juice then pile the hot beef right on top. Add a few strips of sweet pepper and giardiniera - Meathead has a great recipe for making it yourself - Lastly spoon more of the Beef Juice over the top or if you’re like me just dunk the whole sandwich back in the crockpot.
Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich Ingredients:
- 3-4lb Top Sirloin Roast (you can also use Top Round or Bottom Round)
- 2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Granulated Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Granulated Onion
- 1 teaspoon dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried Sweet Basil
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed Red Pepper
- 4 Beef Bouillon cubes
- 6 cups Water
- 3 Green Bell Peppers
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Killer Hogs AP Seasoning
- 8 French Rolls
- 1 jar Giardiniera (can be store bought or homemade)
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Italian Beef Sandwich | Matty Matheson's Home Style Cookery Ep. 1
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RECIPE IN COOKBOOK: ITALIAN BEEF
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CHICAGO STYLE ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICH (Made By Man From Chicago)
The Italian Beef Sandwich aka one of Chicago's four main food groups is a sloppy, drippy, monster of a sandwich and a damn good one at that. I grew up on these beloved gut bombs and it was a real thrill to create a video showing you how to make your own at home from scratch. Enjoy responsibly.
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APRON:
BOOS BLOCK CUTTING BOARD:
BREAD KNIFE:
ESCALI DIGITAL SCALE:
HALF SHEET PAN + RACK:
INSTANT READ THERMOMETER:
INSTANT POT:
KITCHEN AID MIXER:
6.75qt LE CREUSET DUTCH OVEN:
MY FAV STAINLESS BOWL:
RECIPE BELOW Makes 4 very large Italian Beefs (+ extra Giardiniera)
GIARDINIERA (makes 1qt/ltr)
•150g or about 1 1/3c each of Cauli, Celery, Green Bell Peppers, Carrots
•75g or 1/2 c serrano (or another hot pepper of choice)
•400g or 1 3/4c white distilled vinegar
•200g or 3/4c water
•24g or 1 1/2 tbsp salt
•300g or 1 1/3c light olive oil
•150g or 3/4c ex virgin olive oil
Chop all veg into small dice and mix to combine. Combine vin, water, salt in a sauce pan, bring to a boil, add veg, stir, turn off heat and allow to cook as it comes to room temp. Transfer to container and refrigerate 2 days.
After 2 days, strain liquid off veg. To the strained veg mix, add oils & store in fridge until ready to use.
FRENCH SANDWICH ROLL:
•225g or 1c water (86F/30C)
•9g or 3tsp yeast
•20g or 1 1/2tbsp olive oil
•15g 1 1/4 tbsp sugar
•350g or 2.5c bread flour (12.7% protein)
•9g 1 1/2 tsp salt
Combine ingredients into bowl of stand mixer with dough hook. Mix on low until combined (3min). When dough has begun to form into a ball, increase to high speed and continue mixing for another 6 mins. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover, and allow to ferment at room temp for 90 mins.
Flour dough and work surface and divide into two 300g pieces. Preshape into balls as shown @2:40. Cover with town and allow to rest for 15 min. Shape each piece as shown @3:00.
Place onto parchment lined sheet tray dusted with semolina, place shaped dough rolls onto tray and gently press down to slightly flatten. Cover and let proof for 30-45min until they've grown by about 75%. Score lengthwise.
Bake in a 375F/190C preheated oven for about 30 min (rotating halfway through) until light golden grown.
ROAST BEEF:
•Two 2lb (.9kg) top round roasts, cut in half (1lb for each sandwich roll)
•Neutral cooking oil (canola, vegetable, etc)
•1000g or 1L nice beef stock (recipe below)
•Spoonful bouillon paste (optional)
•Salt to taste
•Bman's Super Secret Beef Spice Blend: 5g each dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, toasted coriander seed, chili flake, paprika, toasted fennel seed, black pepper.
Preheat large pot on med-high, add a few plugs of neutral cooking oil, and add in 2 pieces of roast. Sear well on each side. Add beef stock to deglaze. Add spice blend.
Bring to simmer, cover with parchment and load into 250F/120C oven to cook for 60 min. Meat temp should be 140F/61C. Wrap beefs in plastic wrap and allow to cool in fridge.
When ready to use, slice as thinly as possible.
Strain cooking jus into container. When ready to use, add spoonful bouillon paste, heat to 145F/62C, season to taste (should be very salty) and lower heat to low. Add in sliced beef to just warm through.
BEEF STOCK:
•6-8lbs or 3-4kg beef shanks
•2000g/2L water
Roast shanks in very hot oven (450F/230C) for 30min. Add to slow cooker along with all fond from roasting pan and water. Slow cook for 6hrs.
#italianbeef #chicagostylebeef #roastbeefsandwich #chicagostyleitalianbeef #chicago food
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Some like their beef sweet, some like their beef hot, but head to Marconi Foods with Elliott Bambrough as he mixes up some handmade giardiniera.
Making Italian Beef with FX's The Bear Culinary Producer Courtney Storer
Make. This. Sandwich.
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