Italian Beef originated in Chicago. This delicious recipe takes a boneless rump roast and cooks it with Italian salad dressing mix and seasonings. It can be served as a roast (with au jus or "gravy" as Chicago locals would say) or thinly sliced on a sandwich made from Italian bread covered with provolone and roasted sweet or hot peppers if desired.
A 4-packet box of Italian Salad Dressing mix is shown, but you will only need 2 packets. |
Slow Cooker Italian Beef
1 3-4 lb. boneless beef rump roast
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
2 (0.7 oz) packets Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing & Recipe Mix
1 (10.5 oz) can beef broth
Half of a 16 oz. jar sliced peperoncini peppers
Optional sandwich ingredients--Italian bread, provolone or sharp cheddar cheese, roasted peppers, etc.
In a 6 qt. slow cooker, place the rump roast fat side up so the fat will drip down into the meat. Generously season with several shakes of the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. In a bowl, combine the dry Italian dressing with the beef broth and half the jar of peperoncini peppers including some of the juice. (I use a fork to drain the peppers before adding to the broth mixture and then pour in a small amount of juice.) Pour this mixture over the rump roast. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove roast from slow cooker and slice thickly if being served as a roast or thinly for sandwiches. (Meat can also be shredded for sandwiches if desired.) Place meat back into juices and cook for another hour to hour and a half.
*Recipe adapted from my friend Irene's recipe.
One day, my friend Irene mentioned that she had made Italian Beef for sandwiches. I had never heard of Italian Beef, but Irene is a fabulous cook, so of course...I had to get the recipe. We loved it! We like it best served as a roast with baked potatoes and a side, but it is fabulous served as sandwiches. Here are a couple of interesting reads on the sandwich: