What cut of beef is best for slow cooking?

A chuck roast or arm roast works best here. Look for a cut that has nice marbling, and doesn't have a large fat cap. If the roast has a lot of fat, I recommend trimming this off before placing the beef in the slow cooker.

Does the beef get more tender the longer you cook it in the slow cooker?

I recommend you cook the roast on low for 10 hours for pull-apart, tender meat. After this, turn the heat down to warm on the slow cooker and let the beef sit in the au jus if you have time.

Does the meat need to be submerged in the slow cooker?

No. Only a little bit of beef broth is needed in the bottom of the slow cooker to help keep the beef moist while cooking.

How do I store the Italian beef?

Make sure to store leftover Italian beef in its juices. Store in a air-tight container or freezer ziplock bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days

Can I freeze leftover Italian Beef?

Yes! To freeze, cool the Italian Beef to room temperature and place it in a freezer zip-lock bag with its juices. Spread the beef mixture evenly in the bag so it lays flat. Seal the bag, making sure there are no air pockets in the bag. Place the bag flat in the freezer. Alternatively, freeze the beef mixture in a freezer-safe container with a lid, such as a glass food storage container. Keep frozen up to 3 months.

How do I reheat the Italian beef?

To reheat in a slow cooker: Place the frozen Italian beef in a slow cooker, add 1/4 cup water or beef broth in the bottom, and cook on low for 8 hours. To reheat on the stove-top: Defrost the Italian beef in the refrigerator overnight, and reheat in a large heavy-bottom pot on medium-low, about 10 minutes. Make sure to stir the mixture frequently to prevent the bottom of the pan from burning.

Slow Cooker Italian Beef - from market to table

Name: Slow Cooker Italian Beef
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 h
Total time: 10 h 15 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 2 teaspoons oregano; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 teaspoon dried parsley; 1/4 teaspoon dried basil; pinch of celery seed; 2 teaspoons salt; 8 oz Chicago-Style Italian Giardiniera Sandwich Mix, about 1/2 a 16oz jar*; 2.5 – 3 lb chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 2-inch pieces; 8 oz sliced pepperoncini peppers, about 1/2 a jar, drained*; 1 recipe Italian spice mix (recipe above); 1/2 cup beef broth

Slow Cooker Italian Beef

Print Recipe

This Slow Cooker Italian Beef recipe has incredibly tender shredded beef infused with Italian flavors and au jus that drips with delight in every mouthful.

Author: Kim
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 hours
Total Time: 10 hours, 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Slow Cooker
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale

For the spice mix:

1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
pinch of celery seed
2 teaspoons salt

For the Italian beef:

8 oz Chicago-Style Italian Giardiniera Sandwich Mix, about 1/2 a 16oz jar*
2.5 – 3 lb chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 2-inch pieces
8 oz sliced pepperoncini peppers, about 1/2 a jar, drained*
1 recipe Italian spice mix (recipe above)
1/2 cup beef broth

Instructions

Make the spice mix. Mix all of the spices in a small bowl until evenly combined.
Drain the Giardiniera. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and place the giardiniera sandwich mix in the strainer. Let the oil strain from the giardiniera for 5 minutes. Discard the oil.
Prepare the beef. Set the chuck roast on the counter and allow it to come to room temperature, about 1 hour. Rub the spice mixture all over the pieces of beef. Place the beef pieces in a 4 or 6 qt slow cooker with the pepperoncini peppers and the drained Giardiniera Sandwich Mix. Mix the beef mixture until thoroughly combined (your hands work great for this!). Pour the beef broth over the meat mixture into the slow cooker.
Cook the beef. Cover and cook on low for at least 10 hours, until the beef is very tender and shreds easily. After 10 hours, shred the beef, discarding any excess fat. Return the beef to the slow cooker and turn the slow cooker to warm. Keep the Italian beef warm in the slow cooker until ready to serve. Alternatively, cool the Italian beef to room temperature and place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, skim the Italian beef of any excess fat and rewarm it on low heat in the slow cooker or in a 10-12-inch skillet on the stovetop until warm.
Serve. Serve the beef alone or with Italian bread, and pickled jalapenos for an extra spicy kick.

Notes

CONDIMENTS. Using homemade canned pepperoncini peppers or giardiniera is never a bad idea if you have them on hand

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
Calories: 461 calories
Sugar: 1.6g
Sodium: 666mg
Fat: 17.5g
Saturated Fat: 5.9g
Carbohydrates: 4.4g
Fiber: 0g
Protein: 63.2g
Cholesterol: 191 mg

Keywords: Italian beef sandwich, Chicago-style Italian beef

Find it online: https://frommarkettotable.com/slow-cooker-italian-beef/