Mike, Author at Life's A Tomato

Easy Battered Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

Why yes, there are other ways of making a tenderloin sandwich. More often than not, you’ll find them tossed in a flour coating. Even some cornmeal. Well, my easy battered pork tenderloin sandwich isn’t that. This sandwich is more about channeling my addiction to fried fish (and in particular, fish and chips) but using pork. A wonderfully light crunchy coating covers a thin, moist, tasty pork loin. All in a convenient sandwich format with some of my favorite toppings: red onion and mayonnaise….

… or sometimes I’ll add lettuce, tomato, pickle and ketchup to my easy battered pork tenderloin sandwich…

The Onion Adds A Nice Crunch

This is a sweeter sandwich than what you might consider traditional. That’s why I like the addition of red onion. That onion ‘bite’ is a good contrast. And in my opinion you absolutely have to have dill pickle chips. And they have to be cold, too. I love that crunch and the vinegar hit. Each bite is perfect. Nope, not traditional but mighty darned good in its own right.

Shore Lunch Batter Mix Beer Batter Mix, 9 Oz…

Product Type:Grocery
Item Package Dimension:10.591 cm L X12.801 cm W…

Deep-Fryer Time!

I used my Fry Daddy deep-fryer to make these sandwiches. It’s perfect for the two of us. It doesn’t use much oil, either. Now, the downside is that it is small. And the pork tenderloin tends to ‘grow’ in the hot oil. That batter gets bigger. Crunchier. Things got a little crowded but I was able to do two-at-a-time in the fryer. If I was going to make more than two of them at a time I’d use a larger deep-fryer or a Dutch oven on the stovetop.

You’ll want to drain the pork chops a little after they get out of that hot oil. I like to put them on a wire rack for a few minutes. I think it does a better job of draining them does paper towels.

Also try my beer battered shrimp and fries.

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5 from 1 vote

Easy Battered Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

Note the usual sandwich. Just as tasty as the classic. If not more!

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword pork, sandwich

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Servings

Calories 375kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

2 boneless pork loin chops around 6 ounces each
1 package Shore Lunch Beer Batter Mix
½ cup beer can be at room temperature
oil for frying
2 hamburger buns
2 slices red onion
4 pieces iceberg lettuce
6 slices dill pickle chips
mayonnaise to taste
ketchup to taste
prepared yellow mustard to taste

Instructions

Pound the chops out nice and big, to about 1/4" thickness. Trim off any excess fat if desired.
Combine the batter mix and beer per package instructions.
Heat oil to 350 F.
Working in batches if needed, dip the chops into the wet batter mix. Shake off excess if desired. I personally like mine heavily battered.
Transfer to the hot oil and fry until done, flipping once, about 4 minutes per side. Chops will be golden brown and cooked to at least 155 F.
Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool slightly.
Toast the buns if desired.
Add pork tenderloin to the buns. Top with remaining ingredients.
Devour.

Notes

I love my sandwich slathered with plenty of mayo!

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Spicy Italian Flatbread Pizza

I’m always up for a good flatbread pizza. Usually that means a store-bought crust, a tomato-based sauce, cheese and traditional pizza toppings. Like Italian sausage. Or pepperoni. You know, the ‘regular’ things. This time I stepped out of my comfort zone and made a spicy Italian flatbread pizza. It was different (for me) and absolutely delicious. I loved the change from my ‘usual’ and would definitely make this again. And again.

Salami Is Good

I used a genoa salami for my spicy Italian flatbread pizza. You don’t want a hard salami. You want one that is more pepperoni-like. Great flavor but not hard to chew if you know what I mean. You don’t have to get the expensive stuff either. Sandwich meat salami is perfect.

The Crunchier The Better

I like my flatbread pizzas to be crunchy. That’s a big reason I like them so much. It’s easy to get them nice and crunchy, too. I like to pre-bake my crust a few minutes to get the crunchy going. Then I add my toppings and continue baking it until nicely golden brown.

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Seasoned with 100% natural vegetable oil

Also try my garlic Parmesan pizza rolls.

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5 from 1 vote

Spicy Italian Flatbread Pizza

Different and absolutely delicious.

Course Appetizer or Main

Cuisine American

Keyword flatbread, pizza

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 12

Servings

Calories 730kcal

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 flatbread pizza crust
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
¼ small red onion sliced or chopped
3 slices salami chopped or quartered
6 ounces artichoke hearts drained, quartered
3 slices provolone torn or sliced
½ teaspoon dried red pepper flake

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 F.
Brush top of flatbread with the oil.
Bake the flatbread a few minutes without any toppings to get it a little browned.
Sprinkle Italian seasoning over the pizza. Add onion, salami, artichoke hearts and cheese. Sprinkle with the red pepper flake.
Bake directly on the oven rack for 8-9 minutes or until the pizza is golden brown and crunchy.
Remove and slice and serve!

Notes

Best served immediately.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Spicy Chicken Fillet Sandwich

Sometimes I’m just hankerin’ for a good, spicy, crunchy, moist, juicy chicken sandwich. The fried kind. Nothing fancy. But nothing wimpy, either. My spicy chicken fillet sandwich is a take on the sandwich you could get at Wendy’s. Heck, you might still be able to get it. I dunno. I haven’t been to a Wendy’s in years. And now, suddenly, I am hankerin’ for a Wendy’s burger. But first, back to this delicious sandwich! The chicken has a great kick. It’s not overly spicy, but it’ll make you sit up and notice.

Simple Is Good. Very Good.

There’s nothing complicated going on with this spicy chicken fillet sandwich. The secret to its great flavor is in the seasoning mix. It is fantastic. I’ve used it on other dishes too, from wings to pork chops. Make extra and keep it on hand for seasoning darned near anything.

Thin Is Good. Very Good.

Make sure you get your chicken fillets nice and thin. And try and get them the same thickness throughout. You don’t want some parts to be more (or less) cooked than others. You want them nice and consistent.

I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.

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I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

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Also try my hot honey fried chicken sandwich.

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5 from 1 vote

Spicy Chicken Fillet Sandwich

A good, spicy, crunchy, moist, juicy chicken sandwich.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken sandwiches, deep-fried

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Servings

Calories 433kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

4 chicken breast fillets about 3 ounces each
vegetable oil for frying
⅓ cup Frank’s RedHot Sauce
⅔ cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
4 hamburger buns
8 teaspoons mayonnaise or more, to taste
4 leaves lettuce
4 slices tomato

Instructions

Pound the chicken fillets out until about 3/8" thick. They should be slightly larger than the buns. Trim off any excess fat.
Heat 2-3" of oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 350 F.
Combine the hot sauce and water in a shallow bowl or pie plate.
Combine the flour, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, onion powder, paprika and garlic powder in another shallow bowl or pie plate.
Working with one fillet at a time, coat each piece with the flour. Get the mixture on both sides.
Shake off any excess flour then dredge the chicken on both sides in the hot sauce mixture.
Return the chicken to the flour mixture and again coat on both sides.
Shake off any excess then transfer to the hot oil.
Fry 8-112 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and crispy.
Remove to a paper towel-lined plate or rack to drain
Toast buns as desired.
Divide the mayonnaise between the tops of the buns.
On bottom buns place chicken followed by tomato and lettuce.
Add top bun and serve.

Notes

Add a few slices of dill pickle too!

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Slow Cooker Italian Subs

These slow cooker Italian subs were one of the best things we’ve made. Almost Sloppy J o e-like, they are packed with deliciousness. Each and every bite. Not too much sauce, either. Like a Sloppy Joe you want a little mess, but you don’t want to drown in sauce. I wouldn’t hesitate to make these again and again.

Texture Your Way

I prefer to use bulk sausage in these slow cooker Italian subs. After I brown and drain it, I let it cool slightly then put it into my food processor. I pulse a few times to get the sausage pieces all the same size. I don’t go crazy pulsing it, I still want the texture of the sausage crumbles. I just don’t want big bites of it. You can make it however you like!

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Also try my quick-and-easy cold cut sandwich.

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5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Italian Subs

I prefer to use bulk sausage in these slow cooker Italian subs. After I brown and drain it, I let it cool slightly then put it into my small food processor.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword crockpot, Italian, sandwich, slow cooker

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 6 15

Servings

Calories 571kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

2 pounds Italian bulk sausage bulk, or use links and remove the sausage from the casings first
2 large onions sliced
28 ounces spaghetti sauce
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 medium green bell peppers sliced
½ pound mushrooms sliced
kosher salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
8 sub rolls for serving

Instructions

Crumble sausage into a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until browned. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Note: After the sausage has cooled I like to chop it finer using either a knife or a food processor pulsed a few times. This is optional but I prefer the smaller sausage bites.
Lightly spray a slow cooker with non-stick spray.
Add the sausage and onion.
Pour in the spaghetti sauce. Note: I pour the sauce over the back of a large spoon so it doesn't splatter.
Sprinkle with the oregano.
Cover and cook on low 4 hours.
Add bell pepper and mushrooms.
Cover and cook another 2 hours or until peppers are tender.
Stir, season with salt and pepper and stir again.
Serve on toasted rolls.

Notes

Make sure you have plenty of napkins!

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Spicy Reuben

Oh it might look like a pretty normal Reuben sandwich. Tender corned beef. Kraut. Cheese. And a little sauce. Well, looks can be deceiving. This spicy Reuben is not your standard classic sandwich. With just a few ingredients, boring kraut is brought to a whole new level of taste. And Russian dressing? None of that here. Or Thousand Island, for that matter. The sauce has a fantastic kick and so many flavors you’ll want extra!

This Isn’t Your Usual Sandwich

Any good corned beef will work just fine on your spicy Reuben. I just happened to use some that I had slow cooked for about 8 hours. It was tender and juicy and packed with flavor. It was so tender that I was able to get away with slicing it thick. Nothing makes me sadder quicker than tough corned beef!

I grew up on Reuben sandwiches. I think it was the second kind of sandwich I was ever introduced to, after bologna. Oddly, I loved them even as a kid. That seems a bit strange to me now. Reubens aren’t ‘plain’ sandwiches. I don’t remember many kids bragging about how great the Reuben was they had for lunch. Or how the kraut was crunchy.

Oh, The Pepperoncini!

Pepperoncini adds such wonderful flavor to this sandwich. Or peperoncini. Same peppers. Different spellings. Doesn’t change how great they are no matter how you spell them. I used ‘regular’ ones. You can get ‘spicy’ ones and take this sandwich up even higher on the heat scale.

I like to buy my pepperoncini peppers whole. You can get them sliced too. But I liked them whole because no matter how I end up using them, I can always cut, chop or dice them. Or leave them whole. My call.

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I like to use my slow cooker Guinness corned beef on this sandwich.

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5 from 1 vote

Spicy Reuben

Oh it might look like a pretty normal Reuben sandwich. Tender corned beef. Kraut. Cheese and a little sauce. Well, looks can be deceiving.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword sandwich, spicy

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings

Calories 3348kcal

Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

For the kraut

15 ounces kraut drained
6 peperoncini finely chopped
1 cup beer a dark ale works best

For the sauce

½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
⅓ cup Chili sauce
2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
6 pepperoncini peppers diced
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
¼ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

For the sandwich

8 slices rye bread dark rye is best
4 tablespoons butter
1 pound corned beef sliced
8 slices hot cheese such as pepperjack

Instructions

For the kraut

Add kraut, pepperoncini and beer to a medium pot over medium high heat.
Bring to a simmer and continue simmering until the beer is reduced by half.
Pour into a strainer and remove and any excess liquid.

For the sauce

Combine all ingredients.

For the sandwich

Butter one side of each slice of bread.
Spread 1 tablespoon of the spicy sauce on other side.
Place bread butter side down in skillet on medium heat or a heated pannini press.
Top with kraut and spread out evenly.
Add a cheese slice and corned beef slices.
Add another cheese slice and remaining bread, sauce side down.
Press down with spatula and cook until the bread is crisp and the cheese begins to melt. Flip and cook other side.
Slice in half and serve.

Notes

Also great on pumpernickel bread.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Sausage Pepper Onion Hoagies

These sausage pepper onion hoagies are like souped-up Sloppy Joes. I’m a big Sloppy Joe fan, and now I’m an even bigger fan of these sandwiches. They check all my boxes. Messy. Yes. Cheesy. Oh yes. Great flavor in every bite. Definitely. And easy. Very easy. It’s an all-around win for me.

Gooey Cheese is Better Cheese

I like to put my sausage pepper onion hoagies into the oven before serving. I want my cheese to be melted and not just sorta melted. And I want a little crunchy contrast to the tender, juicy tomato-y meat mixture. So I get the buns nice and toasty good. Then I’m ready to eat.

I highly recommend that you shred or grate your cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Shred it yourself and use the good stuff.

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I like cooking the meat mixture for these sandwiches in my Dutch oven. I think meat always cooks better in a Dutch oven versus a plain-ole skillet. Well, unless it’s a cast iron skillet. Those are great too!

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Also try my Italian loose meat hoagies. They’re similar to these but with a different flavor.

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5 from 1 vote

Sausage Pepper Onion Hoagies

I like to put my sausage pepper onion hoagies into the oven before serving.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword sandwich, sausage

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Servings

Calories 550kcal

Author Inspired by a recipe from Call Me PMC

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound Italian sausage bulk. If you can't find it, buy links and remove the sausage from the casings.
1 large red bell pepper sliced
1 large orange bell pepper sliced
1 large onion sliced
1 teaspoon garlic minced
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ cup Marinara sauce
1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded
6 hoagie rolls

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. A Dutch oven also works great!
Break the sausage into small pieces and add to the skillet. If the sausage is lean you might want to add a splash or two of oil.
Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sausage is done and is lightly browned.
Break up any big pieces as the sausage cooks.
Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
Add peppers and onions to the skillet.
Cook 5 minutes, stirring often, until just starting to soften. The moisture from the onion should be enough to keep the mixture somewhat wet, but if not, add a splash of oil.
Add the sausage back to the skillet and stir.
Add the garlic, black pepper, oregano, and marinara sauce. Stir.
Reduce heat to low and let cook 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is warmed through.
Toast the hoagie rolls.
Spoon the sausage mixture into the rolls.
Top with the cheese.
Transfer sandwiches to the oven on a baking sheet and bake until the cheese is melted.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Have plenty of napkins nearby!

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil

I’ve eaten my share of shrimp boils. But honestly, there’s no such thing as having had too many shrimp boil. My favorite was at a hole-in-the-wall shack in Virginia. You’d place your order, grab a few beers (ok, maybe a bucket of them) and sit down at a picnic table covered in newspaper. Minutes later out comes a large pot of everything good. Dumped out onto the table, I would instantly start to devour shrimp, corn, potatoes and sausages. And sometimes, take a sip of cold beer. This here isn’t quite the same, but here in Indiana on cold winters day slow cooker shrimp boil did just fine as a substitute.

A Few Notes And Changes

Do not be shy with the Old Bay seasoning. You can also substitute beer for the beef stock, or go half beer, half stock. I used smoked sausage in my slow cooker shrimp boil, but andouille would be fantastic and a little more spiciness. Just enjoy! Oh, and although I didn’t state it in the recipe, you can certainly brown your sausage first before adding it. It adds a bit of color (duh!) and texture and flavor. So go for it if you want!

Don’t go all fru-fru with this recipe, though. This isn’t meant to be a fancy dish. It’s not coat-and-tie stuff. You’re supposed to get messy eating it. Heck, you can get messy making it too if you want. People expect that from a shrimp boil. No one goes into it thinking they’ll come out as clean as they went in.

To Peel Or Not To Peel

I used unpeeled gulf shrimp in my boil. I think there’s just no better shrimp to be found. But, not everyone has access to them. So use what you can find. I prefer ones with the shells still on. Those shells add flavor as the shrimp cook. And peeling them is half the experience of eating the boil. But you can use peeled shrimp if you want. I recommend using tail-on shrimp at least, as those tails give you a little handle to hold on to!

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Also try my Old Bay peel-n-eat shrimp.

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5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil

I’ve eaten my share of shrimp boils. But honestly, there’s no such thing as having had too many shrimp boils.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword crockpot, shrimp boil, slow cooker

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5 15

Total Time 5 30

Servings servings

Calories 997kcal

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Ingredients

12 small red potatoes
8 cups water
2 cups beef stock
1 sweet onion quartered
¼ cup Old Bay seasoning
2 lemons
1 pound smoked sausage cut into 1″ slices
3 ears frozen corn
2 pounds large raw shrimp
Hot sauce for serving
Cocktail sauce for serving

Instructions

Lightly spray a large slow cooker with non-stick spray.
Add the potatoes, water, stock, onions, and Old Bay.
Cut the lemons in half and squeeze into the slow cooker. Add lemons.
Cover and cook on high for 3 hours. The potatoes should start to soften.
Add the sliced sausage and corn. Cover and cook on low for another 2 hours.
Add the shrimp. Increase heat to high and cook another 15 minutes.
Turn off heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Drain and discard lemon halves.
Serve with hot sauce and cocktail sauce and lots of paper towels.

Notes

If you’re a big fan of Old Bay feel free to add more.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Smoked Sausage Nacho Soup

It was the first cold day of the season, and I was needing something warm my cold bones. Something hearty. And easy. Definitely easy. This smoked sausage nacho soup hit the spot. Cheesy goodness, crisp corn, tomatoes, potatoes and smoked sausage all join in for a spoon after spoon of deliciousness. I didn’t have big expectations for this soup. But yet it more than blew me away. I’d make this again in a heartbeat. It’s a bowl of warming happiness.

Leave It Alone. Well. Maybe.

I wouldn’t change anything about this smoked sausage nacho soup… Except if I wanted it to be a bit spicy. In that case I’d add spicy Rotel. And I’d use Mexican Velveeta. Those would add just a bit of heat. Not much, but a little. But if you make it as written, it’s fantastic. You could always add a bit more hot sauce if you wanted it spicier. Or just serve the hot sauce on the side for everyone to decide how hot theirs should be.

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Also try my celery and cheddar soup.

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5 from 1 vote

Smoked Sausage Nacho Soup

I wouldn't change anything about this smoked sausage nacho soup.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword cheese, soup

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Servings

Calories 588kcal

Author Inspired by a recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen

Equipment

Saucepan

Ingredients

1 box Au gratin potatoes
2 cups water
15.25 ounce whole kernel corn drained
10 ounce Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles
8 ounces smoked sausage sliced thin. Browned in a skillet with a splash of oil if desired.
2 cups whole milk
16 ounces Velveeta cheese cubed
½ teaspoon hot sauce

Instructions

In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, add the Au gratin potatoes and the seasoning packet along with the water, corn and tomatoes. Stir together.
Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes, stirring often, until the potatoes are just tender. Make sure that the potatoes stay under the liquid the entire cooking time.
Stir in the smoked sausage, milk, Velveeta cheese and hot sauce. .
Cover and let simmer another 5 minutes, stirring often, until the Velveeta has melted.

Notes

Use whole milk for the creamiest soup.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Raises meats, sourdough bread, pies, and other…

Sous Vide Corned Beef

This is not my first time making corned beef using sous vide. It is my first time cooking at a higher temperature, and for a shorter time. I was after a little different texture than my ‘usual’ cooking technique. Normally, I go for a final product that slices a little thicker and holds together. This time, I wanted something I could slice super thin and I was ok if it was more ‘crumbly’, but not dry. And that’s what I got. I found this approach to make for the perfect sandwich. Just the right texture, just the right thickness, and the real winner, absolutely fantastic flavor. For sandwiches, this is how I will sous vide corned beef from now to eternity!

Easy And Delicious Results

There is nothing fancy, nothing complicated about making sous vide corned beef. Into the bag with the seasoning packet contents, and into hot water. That’s it. I’ve seen where people add beef stock, or other spices. And that’s fine. For me, I found that I didn’t need it. I got pure, great corned beef flavor in the end. I was able to slice it so thin I could practically read a newspaper through it. And it made for fantastic sandwiches. I couldn’t ask for more!

Reheating Leftovers

I do recommend that you steam your leftovers when re-heating. Don’t reheat the corned beef using any technique that might dry it out, like in an oven. The second (and third) days it will be fall-apart tender. The slices do not stick together, but a little moisture when re-heating doesn’t hurt. Not much, just a little.

I use an Anova sous vide cooker. It’s my immersion circulator workhorse!

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Make yourself some southern corned beef sandwiches with your tasty results!

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5 from 1 vote

Sous Vide Corned Beef

Perfect for slicing.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword corned beef, sous vide

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10 15

Servings

Calories 225kcal

Equipment

Immersion Circulator

Ingredients

3 pound corned beef along with the spice packet

Instructions

Heat a water bath to 180 F.
Rinse the corned beef and pat dry.
Sprinkle the spice packet over all sides.
Transfer to a large baggie and seal with a vacuum sealer.
Place in the water bath and cook for 10 hours.
Remove from the water bath and let rest for 15 minutes.
Remove the corned beef from the bag, discarding the liquid.
Slice the corned beef against the grain.

Notes

Pile it high for the best sandwiches!

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Sale

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Pros have been doing it for years, and now you can…

Slow Cooker Italian Beef

Slow cooked beef piled deep on a crusty roll with ooey gooey cheese and sautéed peppers and onions. This definitely satisfies my rule about sandwiches. The messier, the better. The tender juicy meat socks up all sorts of great flavors from the broth to the seasonings to the pepperoncini and Giardiniera. There are a lot of variations on this approach to making Italian beef in a slow cooker. And I’ve definitely tried a number of them, but this is by far my favorite. Perfect on a cold fall or winter day.

One Great Sandwich

I would not hesitate to use spicier versions of pepperoncini and Giardiniera in this slow cooker Italian beef since I like a little kick. I used nacho cheese sauce instead of sliced provolone cheese because I wanted to up the messy factor (mission accomplished!). If you’re going the sliced cheese route also consider using pepper jack cheese instead of provolone.

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Crock-Pot 7-Quart Manual Slow Cooker, Family Size…

Generous Capacity: 7-quart slow cooker that…
Cooking Flexibility: High or low slow cooking…

Also try my slow cooker Creole sausage sandwiches and my fantastic Italian subs.

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5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Italian Beef

Slow cooked beef piled deep on a crusty roll with ooey gooey cheese and sauteed peppers and onions definitely satisfies my rule about sandwiches. The messier, the better.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword beef, crockpot, Italian, slow cooker

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 8

Total Time 8 15

Servings sandwiches

Calories 775kcal

Author Inspired by a recipe from Deep South Dish

Equipment

Ingredients

For the beef

3 pound chuck roast excess fat trimmed
3 cups beef broth
2 teaspoons beef bouillon
1 tablespoon beef base optional
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
1 cup peperoncini drained (use spicy for a nice kick)
1 cup Giardiniera drained (use spicy for a nice kick)
3 cloves garlic minced

For sandwiches

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 green bell pepper sliced
1 red bell pepper sliced
1 medium white onion sliced
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 French bread sliced horizontally
mayonnaise optional
8 slices provolone cheese or substitute your favorite cheese product

Instructions

For the beef

Add chuck roast to a large slow cooker.
In a bowl mix the remaining ingredients then pour over the beef. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or until the meat begins to fall apart.
Transfer the meat to a cutting board (I like to put my cutting board inside a rimmed baking sheet to catch any juices). Slice, chop or pull the meat as desired then return to the slow cooker to keep warm until ready to make sandwiches.

For sandwiches

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the peppers and onion. Saute until tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Toast the bread if desired.
Slather the bread with mayonnaise if using.
Add the meat and top with cheese. Serve.

Notes

If you prefer, sear the chuck first in a large skillet or Dutch oven.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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