Ingredient Notes:
Chuck Roast – Chucke roast is a fatty cut of meat that can be tough if you don’t cook it properly. Luckily for us, low and slow turns it nice and tender. If your roast isn’t shredding easily, it’s just not done cooking.
Italian Dressing Mix – I’m adding two envelopes, or packets, of Italian dressing mix. Think ranch dressing mix, but for Italian dressing! You’ll find this in the salad dressing aisle.
Banana Peppers – We love these mild peppers for adding flavor without adding heat. Pepperoncini peppers could be used here in place of banana peppers, much like we do in our Mississippi pot roast.
Sandwich Rolls – You can use pretty much any type of sandwich roll, hoagie, or bun that you’d like to make the slow cooker Italian beef sandwiches! We like a sturdy, crusty French roll best.
Provolone Cheese – Our favorite cheese for topping Italian beef sandwiches! It gets perfectly melty and the flavor goes well with the spicy beef. You could use Swiss or other cheeses here instead if you have a preference.
Step by Step Instructions:
Add the chuck roast, seasoning, and peppers to the crockpot.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
Shred the beef with two forks. Remove some of the juice to a small bowl for dipping sandwiches.
Fill the rolls with the shredded beef and top with cheese and extra peppers.
Pro Tip!
We like to dip our sandwiches in the liquid from the slow cooker. For the best results, strain the liquid and use a fat separator to remove the excess fat.
You can either dip it just like it is or you can boil the liquid for a bit to reduce the liquid and concentrate the flavors.
Serving Suggestions:
This crockpot Italian beef is perfect for sandwiches but there are lots of other great uses for it too. This makes a lot so you can serve sandwiches one day and use the leftovers for your next meal.
Stuffed Peppers: Stuff some bell peppers with leftover Italian beef, cooked rice, shredded cheese, and diced tomatoes. Bake until tender!
Nachos: Spread the Italian beef over tortilla chips, top with your choice of cheese (we like shredded swiss cheese!) and sprinkle on extra peppers.
Pasta: Stir the leftover beef and some of the juice into cooked egg noodles. This will be similar to our beef and noodles.
Quesadilla: Add shredded cheese and Italian beef to a tortilla and cook over medium heat in a buttered skillet until the tortilla is crispy and the cheese is melty.
Freezing & Storage Instructions:
You can keep any leftover crock pot Italian beef stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for about 4 days. It can be reheated in the microwave.
You can freeze this Italian beef recipe too! Let it cool completely before transferring to a freezer safe bag or container. You can store it with or without the juice, or store the juice separately.
Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
