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.

Slow Cooker Italian Beef

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.

Also try my slow cooker Creole sausage sandwiches.

Slow Cooker Italian Beef
Print Pin
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 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings 8 sandwiches
Calories 775kcal
Author Inspired by a recipe from Deep South Dish

Equipment

Ingredients

For the beef

For sandwiches

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

Calories: 775kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 2057mg | Potassium: 894mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 769IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 235mg | Iron: 8mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Slow Cooker Spicy Italian Beef Sandwiches

My wife and I definitely both agreed that these slow cooker spicy Italian beef sandwiches were absolutely fantastic. And besides tender, juicy beef, you also get great Italian spice flavors. All served on a sub bun with plenty of smoky provolone cheese. Every bite of this sandwich is perfect.

Slow Cooker Spicy Italian Beef Sandwiches

Kick it Up Even More

To really kick up your slow cooker spicy Italian beef sandwiches use hot pepperoncini and Giardiniera, and substitute habanero jack cheese for the provolone. You’ll have the perfect game-time sandwich.

You may or may not need all of the peppers and Giardiniera I listed for the sandwich build. It all depends on how much you like on your sandwiches. Me, I like pepperoncini, and lots of it, on top. I only used the Giardiniera in the slow cooker and didn’t add any to the sandwich. To each his own!

I love sandwiches topped with tender slow-cooked beef. Try my beef debris po boy and French dip sandwiches too.

Slow Cooker Spicy Italian Beef Sandwiches
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Spicy Italian Beef Sandwiches

Besides tender, juicy beef, you also get great Italian spice flavors. All served on a sub bun with plenty of smoky provolone cheese. Every bite of this sandwich is perfect.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword beef, Italian, sandwich, slow cooker
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 9 hours
Total Time 9 hours 5 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 493kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Italian beef

For the sandwiches

  • 10 Hoagie buns or steak sandwich rolls
  • 10 slices Provolone cheese sliced
  • 1 12 ounce peperoncini slices, drained
  • 1 12 ounce Giardiniera drained, lightly chopped

Instructions

For the Italian beef

  • Add beef broth to slow cooker set to high.
  • Stir in the dressing seasoning and red pepper.
  • Add the peppers and Giardiniera.
  • Add meat and cover.
  • Cook on high for 6-8 hours or low for 10-11 hours until the meat can be shredded.
  • Remove meat, shred, and return to the slow cooker and cook another hour.

For the sandwiches

  • Open buns and add cheese slices. Make sure to cover the bread with the cheese – it’ll help keep the buns from getting overly soggy.
  • Add shredded meat.
  • Top with pepperoncini and chopped Giardiniera as desired.

Notes

Have plenty of napkins nearby.

Nutrition

Calories: 493kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 790mg | Potassium: 520mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 422IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 179mg | Iron: 14mg

Nutritional values are approximate.