The Chicago Style Italian Beef Sandwich

Chicago is doing something right with this sandwich. Seasoned roast beef cooked low and slow. It is then thinly sliced, warmed in au jus and then loaded on a sturdy long roll. The whole sandwich is dipped in the au jus and topped with sweet peppers or hot peppers (giardiniera), or both. Wrap it in wax paper, and consume with some napkins close by. It takes time, but damn is it worth it for this sandwich.

Italian Beef

Ingredients (metric & imperial):

  • Eye of Round Roast (3-4 lbs or 1.3-1.8 kg)

  • Coarse Kosher Salt

  • Fresh Ground Pepper

  • 8 garlic cloves, smashed, skin removed.

Spice Rub:

  • 2 TBSP (13g) Paprika

  • 1 TBSP (3g) Oregano

  • 1 TBSP (2g) Coriander seeds

  • 1 TBSP (2g) Fennel seeds

  • 1 TBSP (18g) Coarse Kosher Salt

  • 1 TBSP (7g) Fresh Ground Pepper


Braising Liquid:

  • 2 cups (480 g) Beef stock + Water to cover

Lacto Fermented Giardiniera

Ingredients:

Equal parts (all diced)

  • Celery

  • Carrot

  • Onion

  • Red pepper

Spices

  • 2 cloves Garlic

  • 2 red hot Chiles

  • 5 grams Oregano

  • 5 grams Peppercorns

Italian Beef Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 C).

  2. Liberally salt and pepper the roast.

  3. Add a thin layer of oil to a large dutch oven over high heat.

  4. When the oil is hot, brown the roast on all sides creating those delicious flavor compounds.

  5. Once browned, remove the roast and set aside on a plate. Set the heat to medium.

  6. Add the garlic cloves and spice rub to the fond created from browning. Saute for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

  7. Add the beef stock and water to create our braising liquid. Turn off the heat.

  8. Add the browned roast back to the liquid. The liquid should come up to at least 1/2 the way up the beef, if it's not, add more water/beef stock.

  9. Prepare a parchment paper lid, or set the lid of the dutch oven slightly ajar.

  10. Move the dutch oven to the oven and let braise for 2 - 2.5 hours. Flip the beef roast and let braise for another 1.5 hours.

  11. Remove the roast from the oven and wrap in plastic film and move to the fridge to rest at least 1 hour. This will allow the proteins to set for better slicing and the plastic film doesn't allow water vapor to escape, keeping our roast moist. (Note: If you are not slicing thinly, you could let the beef rest and eat the beef right out of the oven)

  12. Store the braising liquid in the fridge as well.

  13. Once rested, thinly slice the roast by using an electronic slicer for best results, though a slicing knife will work too.

  14. Heat the au jus over medium low heat until 140 degrees F (60 c).

  15. Add a serving of the sliced beef to the au jus and let warm for 30-60 seconds.

  16. Load up the beef on a sturdy long roll and dip the whole sandwich in the au jus for proper Chicago style.

  17. Top with sweet peppers or hot pepper giardiniera. I used my lacto fermented giardiniera from my lacto fermentation video.

Lacto Fermentation Method:

Place empty crock or jar on a scale and tare or zero the scale.

  1. Fit the vegetables snugly into the vessel

  2. If you want to add any additional spices (bay leaves, mustard seeds, peppercorns, etc.). I'm keeping mine plain here for the basic version, but will show you some experiments I tried, after this one.

  3. Add enough water to submerge the vegetables and note the weight down.

  4. Calculate 2% of that weight, and weigh out that much salt into a bowl. (MAKE SURE you calculate and weigh exactly for safety, you can go above 2% but do not go below.)

  5. Pour the water out from the vessel and mix the salt until it’s dissolves.

  6. Pour the saline solution back over the vegetables.

  7. Cover with the cap, and lightly screw on the cap, allowing nothing to enter, but loose enough that gas produced from fermentation can still escape.

  8. Now it is time to wait. Normally, just leave them at room temperature, though Noma does their ferments at 82 F. You can ferment in the fridge, though it will ferment at a much slower pace.

  9. If fermenting at room temperature, you want to start checking on the pickles after 2-3 days and monitor the progress for sourness.

  10. Once the pickles have reached the desired sourness. Move to the fridge, screw the cap tight, and it will store in the brine for several months for you to enjoy.

Ethan Chlebowski