Fall-apart tender shredded beef roast cooked slowly with Italian spices. Layered with sauteed peppers and onions, sliced cheese and pesto mayo on a ciabatta roll, these little sandwiches are perfect football party food or an easy weeknight dinner. This simple crock pot preparation is so delicious.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 8 hourshours20 minutesminutes
Total Time 8 hourshours35 minutesminutes
Servings 8sandwiches
Ingredients
Italian Beef
1Cwaterplus more to bring water to halfway up roast
2tspsoy sauce
2tspWorcestershire sauce
1.5tspdried basil
1tspdried oregano
1tspgarlic powder
1tsponion powder
½tspcayenne pepper
2-3lbbeef chuck roast
Peppers and Onions
1Tbolive oil
1red bell pepper
1green bell pepper
1yellow onion
1Csliced peperoncinosjarred
2clovesgarlicminced
1tspkosher salt
½tspblack pepper
2tspred wine vinegar
Pesto Mayo
½Cprepared mayonnaise
3Tbprepared basil pesto
2tsplemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Sandwich
8ozMonterey jack cheesesliced
Ciabatta rolls
Fresh basil
Instructions
To make Italian beef
Combine 1C of water and all of the rest of the ingredients but the chuck roast in a liquid measuring cup. Place the chuck roast in the bottom of your Crock-Pot and pour the mixture over the beef. Add enough water to bring the liquid halway up the sides of the roast. Cook on low for 8 hours.*
To make peppers and onions
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 1 Tb olive oil. Thinly slice the onion and bell peppers. When the oil is hot, add the sliced onion and stir to coat evenly in oil. Let the onion cook for 2-3 minutes.
Once the onion has started to soften, add the sliced bell pepper and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, add the peperoncino and garlic and stir to combine. After 2 minutes, add the red wine vinegar, salt and pepper, and stir. Cook for another 2 minutes until the garlic and onions have browned slightly and the peppers are crisp-tender.
To make pesto mayo
Combine all ingredients and refrigerate.
To make sandwiches
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with nonstick foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Split the rolls in half and lay on the baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 5-7 minutes until beginning to brown around the edges.
Once the buns are toasted, remove the pan from the oven. Top the bottom bun with a healthy portion of beef and then peppers and onions. Place a couple of slices of cheese on top of the beef and on the top bun and put back in the oven for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.
Before serving, smear the top bun with a couple of teaspoons of pesto mayo, garnish with torn basil leaves, and put the two sides together.
Notes
* You can easily cook the beef overnight then simply store the beef in its juices in a Tupperware before starting your day. Just reheat the beef when you're ready to assemble your sandwiches. The beef will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.