Italian beef sandwiches, as seen on “The Bear,” are a Chicago staple that traditionally feature thinly sliced Italian-style roast beef, its cooking liquid and a pickled vegetable relish on a roll. To achieve a weeknight-friendly version, this recipe relies on shaved steak, as well as store-bought beef broth or stock fortified with beef bones and seasonings to approximate the jus (meaty cooking liquid). The sandwich is delightfully messy thanks to the jus added to the sandwich, so don’t forget the napkins.
Storage: Refrigerate the beef and jus separately for up to 4 days.
Where to buy: Beef bones can be found in the freezer section of well-stocked supermarkets and at butcher shops; alternatives include neck bones or oxtails. Shaved steak can be found in the fresh meat section of well-stocked supermarkets. Chicago-style giardiniera, pickled vegetables packed in oil, can be found at specialty shops and online.
Ingredients
Servings: 4 (makes 4 sandwiches)
Directions
Active:
20 mins|
Total: 50 mins
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Step 1
In a stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until shimmering. Add the bones and cook, turning as needed, until browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the beef broth or stock, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes, bring to a simmer, and cook, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer and flipping the bones occasionally (they may not be fully submerged in the liquid), until the liquid has reduced roughly by half, about 30 minutes. Discard the bones, and season the liquid to taste with salt. This is the jus you’ll use later.
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Step 2
In a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil until shimmering. Add the steak, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and cook, stirring regularly, until no longer red, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
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Step 3
Divide the meat among the toasted rolls, spoon some of the beef jus over the meat and top with plenty of giardiniera. Serve hot, with the remaining jus on the side for dipping.
Substitutions
Instead of fortifying store-bought beef stock >> Use a beef demi-glace or 2 cups of water combined with a concentrated beef stock base, such as Better Than Bouillon (using twice the amount of base recommended on the jar), for an even faster shortcut.
Chicago-style giardiniera >> chopped Italian giardiniera, pickled jalapeños or your favorite pickled vegetables with a drizzle of olive oil.
