Illinois Italian Beef Sandwich
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 3 lbs. top round beef roast
  • Olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. black pepper
  • 2 tsps. garlic powder or granulated garlic
  • 1 tsp. each basil, onion powder, oregano, salt
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 6 cups water
  • 4 beef bouillon cubes
  • 2 Tbsps. olive oil
  • 3 bell peppers, sliced
  • Giardiniera (see recipe below)
  • 6 Italian loaves or hoagie rolls
Giardiniera
  • 1 cup cauliflower, chopped into even small florets
  • ¾ cup bell pepper, chopped
  • ¾ cup carrots, chopped
  • ¾ cup red onion, chopped
  • ¾ cup celery (about 3 stalks), chopped
  • 2 large jalapenos, sliced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 3 cups white vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 Tbsps. salt
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • ¾ cup green olives, sliced in half
  • ½ tsp. each basil, oregano, salt, thyme
  • Olive oil
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Combine spices and salt in a small bowl.
  3. Rub the roast with oil all over then sprinkle the roast with spices and salt and rub well, ensuring that you cover all areas. Reserve leftover spice mix.
  4. Dissolve water and bouillon cubes in a roasting pan and pour in remaining spice blend.
  5. Place the roasting rack in the pan and add the meat and put a thermometer in the center of the roast.
  6. Place on the center rack of the oven and bake about 30-32 minutes per pound or until the thermometer reaches 140 degrees F. Ours took 1 hour and 37 minutes.
  7. Begin making the giardiniera (this can be made a day or two before) by bringing the 3 cups vinegar, 1 cup water, 2 Tbsps. salt, 1 Tbsp. sugar, and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice to a boil. Add vegetables (no olives or spices) and boil only 3 minutes. No more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a bowl and add the olives and remaining seasonings. Mix together, then transfer to a 32 oz. mason jar. Pour in olive oil until vegetables are completely covered. Cover and refrigerate. It should last about a month in the fridge.
  8. About 10 minutes before the roast is done, butter bread loaves and heat a skillet on medium heat. Add the bread and toast. Set aside
  9. Once the roast reaches 140 degrees, remove from the oven and place the rack with meat on a cutting board and tent with aluminum foil for 15 minutes.
  10. Heat the 2 Tbsps. olive oil in the same skillet to toast the bread and add bell peppers. Saute until the desired tenderness is reached, about 10 minutes.
  11. Remove the foil from the meat and slice as thin as possible or to desired thickness.
  12. Place meat on toasted roll, top with pan juice and giardiniera and serve.
Notes
Recipe slightly adapted from AmazingRibs.com
Recipe by The Spice Kit Recipes at https://www.thespicekitrecipes.com/illinois-italian-beef-sandwich/