As someone who grew up far from Chicago I never encountered an Italian beef sandwich until I was an adult. The first time I visited the Windy City and saw these sandwiches on so many menus I couldn’t help but wonder – what makes Italian beef so special?
This iconic regional sandwich has a fascinating history and preparation process that gives it its uniquely delicious flavor Once you understand what goes into making authentic Italian beef, you’ll see why fans are so passionate about this sandwich!
A Thinly Sliced, Seasoned Roast
At its heart, Italian beef starts with ultra-thin slices of roast beef cooked slowly in an herby broth until meltingly tender. It’s not quite the same as a typical roast beef sandwich.
The traditional cut of meat for Italian beef is the chuck roast or top round, which does well with long, slow cooking. The roast might be seasoned with Italian herbs and spices like oregano, basil, garlic, and black pepper. Some recipes even include nutmeg, cloves, or crushed red pepper for extra flavor.
Once the roast beef is fall-apart tender, it gets sliced as thinly as possible – much thinner than you’d cut it for a regular roast beef sandwich! The slices then go for a dip back into the seasoned juices they were cooked in so they can soak up all that delicious flavor.
The Bread and Toppings Make It
Of course, a pile of seasoned shredded beef does not an Italian beef sandwich make. The right bread and toppings are essential!
Authentic Italian beef is served on a long French bread roll that gets nicely crusty on the outside without falling apart. The bread may come from Chicago’s own Turano Baking Company.
In terms of toppings, you’ll need to choose between hot and sweet. Order your sandwich “sweet” and it will come topped with grilled or roasted bell peppers. Go for “hot” and you’ll get spicy giardiniera, an Italian pickled veggie mix.
Provolone or mozzarella cheese is another popular addition. Some places give you the option to add Italian sausage for a “combo” sandwich. But however you top it, the bread always gets dunked in those seasoned beef juices!
A Sandwich Born in Chicago
While no one knows exactly who invented the Italian beef sandwich, most food historians agree it originated in Chicago’s Italian-American community.
Back in the early 1900s, Italian immigrants to Chicago found themselves able to afford only the toughest, cheapest beef cuts. To make the meat tender and flavorful, they roasted and sliced it thin, stretching it to feed many people on bread.
The Italian beef gradually became a Windy City staple, showing up in local weddings and small sandwich shops. By the 1980s, celebrities like Jay Leno were raving about Chicago’s signature sandwich. But it remained mostly unknown outside the Midwest until very recently.
The 2022 TV series The Bear introduced Italian beef to a national audience. Since then, demand has skyrocketed across the U.S. as people discover the joys of this meaty, messy, and utterly delicious regional specialty!
Give It a Try Yourself!
I’m so glad I finally tried an authentic Italian beef during my trip to Chicago. Now, I try to satisfy my cravings by making it at home in my slow cooker.
It takes some time and patience, but being able to dip the thinly sliced, seasoned beef myself makes it totally worth the wait! The sandwich really is a local treasure.
I’d encourage any fellow Italian beef newbies to look up a recipe and try it out. Just be prepared for tender, juicy meat, crispy bread, and deliciously salty, peppery juices dripping everywhere. That’s all part of the genuine Italian beef experience!
How To Make Italian Beef at Home (Chicago-Style)
FAQ
What is Italian beef made of?
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The Beef:A well-marbled cut of beef, like chuck roast or top round, is slow-cooked in a broth infused with Italian herbs and spices.
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Seasoning:The broth typically includes garlic, oregano, black pepper, and sometimes red pepper flakes, according to Visit Oak Park.
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The Broth:This rich, flavorful broth is what the thinly sliced beef is soaked in and is often served with or on the sandwich.
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Toppings:Giardiniera, a mix of pickled vegetables, and sometimes sweet or hot peppers, are common additions.
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The Roll:A crusty French roll is used to hold the sandwich.
Is Italian beef only a Chicago thing?
The Italian beef sandwich is one of the top foods Chicago is known for and is beloved throughout the city and surrounding suburbs alike. The origins of the Italian beef sandwich date back to early 1900s Chicago and its legendary combination of roast beef and spices have been tempting palates ever since.
What is the Chicago way Italian beef?
- Dry: The beef is removed from the au jus and placed on the roll with minimal liquid.
- Wet: The beef is placed on the roll, and the bread is soaked in the au jus.
- Dipped: The entire assembled sandwich is dipped into the au jus.
- Sweet: Green bell peppers, often roasted, are added.
- Hot: Giardiniera (a mix of pickled vegetables) is added.
What’s the difference between regular roast beef and Italian roast beef?
That might sound like a pretty standard roast beef to you, but there’s one key differentiator that plays an indispensable role in making the Italian beef what it is: juice. Specifically, the juice (or gravy) that accumulates when the fatty content of that sirloin tip or top round melts away during the roasting process.
What makes Italian beef so special?
That might sound like a pretty standard roast beef to you, but there’s one key differentiator that plays an indispensable role in making the Italian beef what it is: juice. Specifically, the juice (or gravy) that accumulates when the fatty content of that sirloin tip or top round melts away during the roasting process.
Where did Italian beef come from?
Like most untrademarked foods, the exact origin of the Italian beef is hard to pin down, but the story of its proliferation throughout the Windy City Italian immigrant community (and eventually far beyond) is a bit clearer.
What to eat with Italian beef?
An Italian beef is frequently ordered with a side of French fries, or sometimes an Italian ice. Some restaurants sell “gravy bread,” bread dipped in juices without meat or toppings. This is cheaper than a full sandwich.
What is an Italian beef sandwich?
An Italian beef is a sandwich, originating in Chicago, made from thin slices of roast beef simmered and served au jus on French bread. Common toppings are a choice between spicy giardiniera (called “hot”) or mild bell peppers (called “sweet”).
Can you make Italian beef at home?
Recreating Italian beef at home is easy—if you cheat a little, chef. What Is an Italian Beef? Using thinly sliced roast beef from a trusted butcher ensures a tender Italian beef, solving the problem of slicing at home. To make an extra beefy jus, beef bones and sliced stew meat are roasted until deeply browned and then simmered for hours.
Is Italian beef a jus?
While solid, it never quite crossed the line into pure mayhem like the best Italian beefs. While it’s almost always referred to as being served au jus, the liquid used with an Italian beef is actually more of a broth. In the strictest sense, the jus only refers to the juices released from the meat.