The Delicate Dish

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The Best Damn Italian Beef Sandwich Recipe You’ll Ever Make (With Spicy Giardiniera)

The Story: A Love Letter to Italian Beef

If you want to understand Chicago, really get under the skin of this city, you don’t start with deep-dish pizza. You don’t begin with a hot dog dragged through the garden or argue about whether ketchup is an abomination. No, you go to the joints that don’t advertise, where the walls sweat from decades of steam and beef drippings, and where every counter guy has a look that says he’s seen things.

You eat an Italian beef.

An Italian beef is messy, a little aggressive. It’s a sandwich that demands respect—juicy, thin-shaved roast beef soaked in its own drippings, piled high on a fresh, crusty roll, topped with a mouth-puckering, sinus-clearing giardiniera. It’s a legacy, born in the immigrant butcher shops of early 20th-century Chicago, where resourceful Italians found a way to turn tough, cheap cuts of meat into something sublime. They slow-cooked beef in a bath of its own fat, sliced it razor-thin, and served it drenched in jus to make it tender.

The rules are simple. The bread must hold up to the dip—no flimsy supermarket buns. The beef should be seasoned to perfection, its edges kissed by garlic, oregano, and black pepper. The giardiniera must be fiery, vinegary, and alive. And the au jus, oh, the jus—it should be liquid gold, the kind of broth that dribbles down your wrist and makes you forget about dignity.

Some say the best Italian beef comes from a neon-lit stand off a Chicago highway, where the line never ends, and the order is given with a quick nod. But for those who don’t have that luxury, I offer you this: a foolproof way to make the best damn Italian beef in your own kitchen, using an Instant Pot to cut down on time while keeping every ounce of the flavor and tradition intact.

Let’s get messy.

Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwich Recipe (With Spicy Giardiniera)

Ingredients:

For the Beef:

  • 3 lbs chuck roast, trimmed and cut into large chunks
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust for spice level)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 2 cups beef broth (low sodium)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup jarred pepperoncini peppers (plus 1/4 cup of their brine)
  • 1/4 cup red wine (optional, but highly recommended)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the Giardiniera (or Buy a Jar from the Store):

  • 1/2 cup cauliflower florets, chopped
  • 1/2 cup carrots, diced
  • 1/2 cup celery, diced
  • 1/2 cup bell peppers (red & green), chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup sliced jalapeños (optional, for heat)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

For Serving:

  • 4 fresh crusty sandwich rolls (French rolls, Italian rolls, or ciabatta)
  • Butter for toasting
  • Extra pepperoncini for garnish
  • Au jus from the Instant Pot for dipping

Instructions:

1. Sear the Beef

Set your Instant Pot to “Sauté” mode. Melt the butter, then sear the beef chunks on all sides until browned. Remove and set aside.

2. Build the Flavor

In the same pot, add the sliced onion and garlic. Sauté until fragrant. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, oregano, basil, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, crushed red pepper, and salt.

3. Pressure Cook

Return the beef to the Instant Pot. Pour in the beef broth, water, red wine (if using), and pepperoncini peppers with their brine. Secure the lid and set to “Pressure Cook” on high for 60 minutes. Let it naturally release for 15 minutes before manually releasing the rest.

4. Shred the Beef

Remove the beef and shred it with two forks. Return it to the pot to soak in the jus while preparing the sandwiches.

How to Make Giardiniera (Or Just Buy a Jar)

  1. In a bowl, toss the chopped vegetables with salt. Let them sit for an hour, then rinse and drain.
  2. In a small saucepan, heat the vinegar, oregano, red pepper flakes, and garlic until warm. Pour over the vegetables.
  3. Let the mixture cool, then add olive oil. Store in a jar in the fridge for 24 hours before using. (Or skip this and buy a solid brand like Marconi.)

Assemble the Sandwich

  1. Toast the Bread: Butter the sandwich rolls and lightly toast them in a pan.
  2. Load It Up: Pile the shredded beef onto the bread. Spoon extra jus over it.
  3. Top It Off: Add a generous scoop of giardiniera.
  4. Dunk It (Optional): Serve with a bowl of au jus for dipping.

The Only Decision: How Wet Do You Want It?

  • Dry: Just beef, no extra jus.
  • Wet: Spoon jus over the beef before serving.
  • Dipped: Take the whole sandwich and dunk it in the jus like a Chicago pro.

This is the kind of sandwich that drips down your chin, where every bite is a battle between soft bread, fiery giardiniera, and slow-cooked, deeply flavored beef. It’s not meant to be clean or polite. It’s meant to be eaten with both hands, standing over the counter, eyes closed, savoring every bite.

Now go, make this. And make a mess while you’re at it.

Dan

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