Timothy Hoffman
TVWBB All-Star
I love Chicago's Italian Beef sandwiches. I have been eating them since I was a kid. I am in that area a couple of times a week and have had my fair share of the good, the bad and the ugly of beefs! My family also likes these sandwiches but rarely gets to Chicagoland.
One night I was having a dream that I was making Larry Wolfe's recipe for Pepper Stout Beef. (Yes I dream about food and cooking, don't you?) Instead of the standard recipe, I was actually making Italian Beefs! Now, I have studied how to make these and decided a more simple recipe was best. After all, these sandwiches originate over a hundered years ago among the Italian slaughterhouse workers. A poor working class in Chicago, they brought home the cheapest of cuts from work and fed their families. After this dream I knew now was the time to see if my recipe was right.
First I started out with a 3.5# chuck roast. I trimmed most of the fat away down to about 3#. Onto the grill to slow cook for a couple of hours at 250degF with an internal temp of 160degF. The only seasoning was a kosher salt rub.
Next the roast was placed in a disposable aluminum roasting pan on a bed of green peppers and onion with a few crushed garlic cloves.
Remember I said simple? The seasoning doesnt get much more simple. A palm full of kosher salt, a palm full of oregano, a large pinch of crushed red pepper and a 2 ounce bottle of garlic juice. I am going to try this again minus the garlic juice and more regular crushed garlic as the juice is expensive. Since something seemed to be missing, I will also try adding some fresh ground black pepper.
Tightly foiled the pan and back onto the grill for 3 hours at 350degF. Time to pull the oh so tender beef. In Chicago it is thin sliced , but I do not have a slicer and this is just as quick with only a couple of forks getting dirty.
I foiled the pan back up again as I want this to stay nice and juicey. Back on the heat for another half hour so the shreaded meat can make sweet, sweet love with the juices.
Then came the downfall. Nasty sub rolls from WalMart. The photo below looks like there is hardly any meat on the bread. The bread fell apart and slid down inbetween! Trust me when i say there is a full half pound on there. We only had 5 sandwiches form 3 pounds of meat. I just need to learn how to make good bread like Gonnella does. Then I topped it with some good Marconi giardiniera.
I want you all to try this recipe especially if you are familiar with Chicago Italian Beef and give me your honest input and suggestions. I do know I like the shreaded beef better as it holds more of the precious juice!
One night I was having a dream that I was making Larry Wolfe's recipe for Pepper Stout Beef. (Yes I dream about food and cooking, don't you?) Instead of the standard recipe, I was actually making Italian Beefs! Now, I have studied how to make these and decided a more simple recipe was best. After all, these sandwiches originate over a hundered years ago among the Italian slaughterhouse workers. A poor working class in Chicago, they brought home the cheapest of cuts from work and fed their families. After this dream I knew now was the time to see if my recipe was right.
First I started out with a 3.5# chuck roast. I trimmed most of the fat away down to about 3#. Onto the grill to slow cook for a couple of hours at 250degF with an internal temp of 160degF. The only seasoning was a kosher salt rub.
Next the roast was placed in a disposable aluminum roasting pan on a bed of green peppers and onion with a few crushed garlic cloves.
Remember I said simple? The seasoning doesnt get much more simple. A palm full of kosher salt, a palm full of oregano, a large pinch of crushed red pepper and a 2 ounce bottle of garlic juice. I am going to try this again minus the garlic juice and more regular crushed garlic as the juice is expensive. Since something seemed to be missing, I will also try adding some fresh ground black pepper.
Tightly foiled the pan and back onto the grill for 3 hours at 350degF. Time to pull the oh so tender beef. In Chicago it is thin sliced , but I do not have a slicer and this is just as quick with only a couple of forks getting dirty.
I foiled the pan back up again as I want this to stay nice and juicey. Back on the heat for another half hour so the shreaded meat can make sweet, sweet love with the juices.
Then came the downfall. Nasty sub rolls from WalMart. The photo below looks like there is hardly any meat on the bread. The bread fell apart and slid down inbetween! Trust me when i say there is a full half pound on there. We only had 5 sandwiches form 3 pounds of meat. I just need to learn how to make good bread like Gonnella does. Then I topped it with some good Marconi giardiniera.
I want you all to try this recipe especially if you are familiar with Chicago Italian Beef and give me your honest input and suggestions. I do know I like the shreaded beef better as it holds more of the precious juice!
