Linda in MO's Crock Pot Italian Beef

[AZLorena]

Linda....

Thanks so much for posting this recipe. I made this today in my crock pot and it smells and tastes so yummy. I am serving it with some oven baked potatoes and salad. I don't usually make roasts, etc. because the are not usually "lite" eating, but this one looked so good, I just had to. I will just walk an extra mile tomorrow.

Lorena

[Linda in MO]

Oh wonderful! Thanks for the feedback. I'm so glad you all enjoyed the recipe. Leave it to me to post all of the not-so-light recipes! :o And, for a change, this is one that I actually created...well, technically I combined/adapted a few recipes to make it "my own".

[Wendy w]

As I may have mentioned before, I love your recipes - especially the blueberry pudding cake. Thanks for sharing them with us!

[Linda in MO]

What a sweetheart you are, Wendy! :) I love sharing recipes, especially tried and true ones.

[vbak]

Linda, wheere is your crock pot Italian beef recipe? I just put some beef in the crock to cook all night and I wish I had seen your recipe. Vicky

[Linda in MO]

Here you go, Vicky...

* Exported from MasterCook *

CrockPot Italian Beef

Recipe By : Linda in MO
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Beef , CrockPot, Main Dish , Sandwiches


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 lb. chuck or rump roast, approx. -- trimmed of fat
1 package Good Seasons Zesty Italian salad dressing mix
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 (16 oz.) jar pepperoncini peppers -- including juice
1 can beef broth -- (or 1 to 2 cups hot water mixed with a teaspoon or two of beef flavored Better than Bouillon)--or more if needed
ground pepper, garlic powder, etc. -- optional
favorite cheese
kaiser buns

Mix all ingredients together in a slow cooker or crockpot. Cook all day on low (or #3 in a slow cooker). (I use my slow-cooker)

When meat is done, shred it and put back in its juices.

Serve on warm kaiser buns (toast if desired). Top with favorite cheese--cheddar, colby/jack, mozzarella/cheddar, etc. Warm in the microwave if cheese needs to be melted.

Can also top with sauteed onions, green peppers, and mushrooms if desired.


NOTES : This is a very forgiving recipe. If roast is large add another pkg. of Italian salad dressing mix and more beef broth. Using more broth will leave you with more juices to dip your sandwich in. You can use less peppers, too.

[vbak]

This sounds very good. Thanks for posting. Vicky

[Gracie]

Hi Linda -

It does sound awesome and I'm copying and pasting it to my pre-MasterCook archives (I'm at work where there is no MC) right now. Now, would you please post the blueberry pudding cake recipe? That sounds great too!

Thanks!

Loren

[Wendy w]

I am bringing this thread back up so that Linda will see it. After waiting for the right occasion, I have finally made this recipe and it was fabulous! My sister, nephew, and I have an annual dinner (usually something easy) & slumber party the night before Thanksgiving. Since the workaholic upper management in my department thought it was wonderful for everyone to work until 5 pm that day:rolleyes: :mad:, this recipe was a Godsend. We had it on focaccia rolls with provolone and sauteed mushrooms, onions and peppers. Even my 13 year old nephew enjoyed it. Thanks again, Linda!!

[Linda in MO]

Wendy, serving it on foccacia rolls with provolone and sauteed mushrooms, onions and peppers sounds wonderful! I'll have to try it. I'm so pleased that others have been enjoying one of our favorite recipes. :)

[JackieO]

I, too, am a real fan of this recipe. It was 2 degrees here this morning when I spent all of 60 seconds placing the ingredients for this dinner in my crockpot. I walked in the door at 3:30 this afternoon and smiled. We had this tonight served in kaiser rolls and topped with gorgonzola cheese. WONDERFUL!

Thanks again, Linda. This is definitely a family favorite.

[Beth]

This is the version I have made also. Try some of your leftovers as a filling for baked potatoes too!

[ShanaG]

I am resurrecting an old thread to tell Linda how much my family enjoyed this recipe. A local supermarket had a very nice sale on chuck roast last week. When I did a search here on the BB for how to prepare it, I found your recipe. YUM. We had it on whole wheat bread with sharp provolone cheese and thought it was wonderful :) This will definitely be repeated, and I am passing the recipe along to my mom and sister.

[BettyBoop]

Thanks so much for the sandwich ideas for my family reunion. They are both good ideas. I am especially interested in trying the Italian sandwich. I also like the barbecue idea, especialy for the kids. Thanks alot.
/Betty

[newbabygirl#2]

With all the good reviews for this super-easy recipe, I'm definitely eager to try it. The only thing is, I've never cooked with pepperoncini peppers before (only in greek salads), so how do they turn out in a crockpot? Do they disentegrate and just become part of the sauce? Just curious...

Thanks,
Jodi

[luv2dance]

Another rave review here for this recipe. I have made it a few times and it comes out great. I have served it on rolls for sandwiches. It's very easy to prepare and I love coming home to a meal that is already prepared.

[Beth]

They will soften, but not disintegrate. I pull them stems off before adding them to the crock so that we can put the peppers on the sandwiches without having to pull the stems when they are hot.

I have noticed that my peppers vary in spiciness, so some batches turn out to have more of a kick than others. You may want to go easy on the peppers the first time if you don't like a real kick. Cheese will help mellow the kick, but I have one son who won't eat it that way.

[mcgee]

I just had to bump this up. I made this last night for the first time and we LOVED it. I served the sandwiches on buttered and pan-grilled Trader Joe's brioche buns and topped with melted cheddar and they were to-die-for. I cooked the meat for about 8 hours on low and it just shredded on its own. I tasted the "sauce" mid-stream and thought it was going to be too salty but it was just perfect. I can't say enough good things about this recipe. It is definitely a keeper and is up there with my all time favorite recipes.

[PAMMELA]

I think this is my favorite crock pot recipe! I use an entire jar of sliced pepperoncinis when I make this. That way you have some in every bite and do not have to take off the stems.

[LakeMartinGal]

I think this is my favorite crock pot recipe! I use an entire jar of sliced pepperoncinis when I make this. That way you have some in every bite and do not have to take off the stems.
I've never had pepperoncinis... what do they taste like? Sour/sweet/hot?:confused:

[PAMMELA]

Definitely not sweet or sour..... or hot!

Let's see, just sort of......like a little zing, crunchy and salty. I can't describe the taste. I love them though! They just have a great flavor.

Wikipedia describes them as:

Pepperoncini are mild with a slight heat to them, with a hint of bitterness and are commonly pickled and sold packaged in jars.

I don't think they are hot at all, but i'm a chile head!

[LakeMartinGal]

Definitely not sweet or sour..... or hot!

Let's see, just sort of......like a little zing, crunchy and salty. I can't describe the taste. I love them though! They just have a great flavor.

Wikipedia describes them as:

Pepperoncini are mild with a slight heat to them, with a hint of bitterness and are commonly pickled and sold packaged in jars.

I don't think they are hot at all, but i'm a chile head!
Thanks! I'll try them out for this recipe!:D

[Mary Ann]

Thanks! I'll try them out for this recipe!:D

You don't have a weck to serve it on, do you? ; )

This is a great recipe. Good to see it pop up again.

[LakeMartinGal]

You don't have a weck to serve it on, do you? ; )

This is a great recipe. Good to see it pop up again.I've got the recipe for weck topping, and a video that says how to make them, but I've never actually tried it!:rolleyes: What kind of Buffalo girl am I?;)

[krhm]

Glad to see this bumped up...somehow I've missed it all these years. DH and I watched Food Wars on the Travel Channel last night, and the competition was Italian beef in Chicago (Al's versus Mr. Beef, I believe), so now I want to try this!

[Beth]

I love this recipe. The pepperoncini are a bit spicy or zesty to me -- not hot. Does that make sense? I like to get the sliced one so that they go into a sandwich that way rather than having the whole peppers in there. It is also easier to get a sense of how strong the peppers are when sliced. If you are concerned about heat, the sliced peppers give you an almost infinite adjustment potential. You can also use regular Italian dressing mix rather than the zesty or add half a packet and check the aroma -- it will give you a pretty good sense of how strong the peppers in both are.

[wintkat]

cooked this up the other day--tasty served over mashed potatoes
it also worked its way into burritos last nite

couldn't find sliced pepperoncini but slicing up whole ones after removing stems a breeze before adding to pot

finally found "Zesty" dressing after 3 stores

have a good weekend
wintkat

[Seachelle]

I have to say, we tried this yesterday and it was a huge hit! The jar of peppers I bought were leaking when I got home from the store, so I had to toss them. So, I didn't have that added component but it was delicious without them. I served sandwiches with sharp provolone and a tossed salad but we agreed that the bread almost distracted from the flavor of the meat. Next time, I will probably serve it as a stand alone meat with potatoes and a veggie.

Thanks for bumping this one up!

[AmyO26]

We had this tonight for dinner and enjoyed it very much! We used the meat for sandwiches on Moomie's buns topped with roasted onions and red peppers (in addition to the cooked jarred peppers) and thinly sliced provolone cheese...YUM!!! :) Thanks, Linda, for posting the recipe...we will definitely make this again :)

[LakeMartinGal]

It's in the crock pot, now! I make Sneezle's Kaiser rolls yesterday just for this! It's too much liquid for my waterless crockpot, so I'm interested to see how it tastes -- also just used 1/2 jar of the pepperoncini!:)

[mcgee]

It's in the crock pot, now! I make Sneezle's Kaiser rolls yesterday just for this! It's too much liquid for my waterless crockpot, so I'm interested to see how it tastes -- also just used 1/2 jar of the pepperoncini!:)

I only used half a jar as well but next time will use more. BTW - I've never heard of a waterless crockpot - is that something new?

[LakeMartinGal]

I only used half a jar as well but next time will use more. BTW - I've never heard of a waterless crockpot - is that something new?It's a Kitchen Craft (http://www.cookforlife.com/) 5 qt pan that has a hot plate, so I can use it as a crock pot.

Their deal is that you can wash the veggies, and just use that amount of water in the pan, closing a vent, and they steam, rather than cook in the water. Because of the vent, the crock pot uses way less liquid than most recipes call for.

You have to buy the pans at a fair or home show. DD and I spit a set, and I've been very happy with them -- they're stainless steel, and heavy, but they cook marvelously!:D

[blrn1]

We had this tonight and both ate two huge sandwiches. I followed the recipe exactly and just used up some shredded "mexican blend" cheese. Delicious! :)

[LakeMartinGal]

I forgot the cheese!:eek: We still enjoyed it, but next time, I'll leave out the peppers and use less water/broth.:)

[TKay]

I've been looking for a different cook it and leave it recipe lately. This one is it. Thanks for the bump. I'm printing and possibly making this tomorrow.

Thanks.

[Linda in MO]

I'm glad people are still enjoying this. :)

[krhm]

Made this yesterday and it was a smashing success...everyone in the family loved it, so it will go on heavy rotation. I used half the jar's juice and one cup of broth, and ended up with tons of liquid leftover, so I will probably only use half a cup of broth next time.

Since I was curious about the sandwich after watching the Food Wars show about Italian beef sandwiches, I followed what they did on the show and quickly dunked each sandwich in the juices before serving. It wasn't enough to soak the bread but provided an extra layer of flaver!

[TKay]

Add me to the list of admirers for this dish. It was so darn easy to make and provided a yummy meal for the whole family. I made this yesterday since we were all going to eat at different times due to meetings, practices and activities. The only problem was ds (10) was the first to try it, and the meat hadn't had enough time to really tenderize. He didn't eat as much as he might normally--even though it was still delish.

Leftovers tonight. I love a meal that is good enough to present itself two nights in a row. Thanks, Linda. :)

[GayeC]

This was great. Even my picky teenager liked it. I will definitely make this again. I used a type of chuck roast (I forget the exact name) that appeared to be much less fatty than the standard chuck roasts, and I was worried that it wouldn't be tender. But it was. I cooked it overnight, then refrigerated the liquid during the day so I could skim off the fat, but there was very little. All in all, an easy and delicious recipe. Thanks.!

[wallycat]

This is my ALL TIME FAVORITE crockpot recipe!!! and shredded beef recipe overall.
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good!

[gobluem82]

I'm planning on making this for a small Super Bowl get-together I'm having. I bought a 3 1/2 pound roast for 7 people, but now 2 more people might be coming. Is this enough meat to serve sandwiches for 9, or should I get a larger roast?

[vbak]

I think it's plenty.[Although I tend to panic} You will serve with buns, and?

[mkc]

It probably depends on your guests and what else you're serving. The beef is sooo..... good (and it reheats really well!)

If more than a couple of the diners are "hungry man" types, and you don't have a lot of other items, I'd consider a larger roast.

DH and I love it on either a lightly toasted crusty baguette section or ciabatta roll with a slice of provolone melted on top.

Michelle

[gobluem82]

Well, no "hungry men", but do three teenage boys count? :eek: I was going to get some provolone and maybe make Moomie buns (or buy some nice ones), along with baked beans and some kind of green bean salad. We'll be doing a fair amount of noshing beforehand, so folks shouldn't be ravenously hungry.

[margeslp]

It's a Kitchen Craft (http://www.cookforlife.com/) 5 qt pan that has a hot plate, so I can use it as a crock pot.

Their deal is that you can wash the veggies, and just use that amount of water in the pan, closing a vent, and they steam, rather than cook in the water. Because of the vent, the crock pot uses way less liquid than most recipes call for.

You have to buy the pans at a fair or home show. DD and I spit a set, and I've been very happy with them -- they're stainless steel, and heavy, but they cook marvelously!:D

Kay, I won an Americraft stainless steel slow cooker at State Fair this year and will try the Italian Beef in it. My recipe is almost identical to the one posted but has less liquid:

ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICHES

3-4 lb. beef roast (I like chuck but rump, Boston are good)
12 garlic cloves
1 packet au jus seasoning
1 packet Good Seasons Italian dressing (Zesty gives more flavor)
1 small jar pepperocini peppers
Loaf of crust French bread.
Make pockets in roast and insert garlic cloves. Season with cracked black pepper. Place in crockpot. Mix remaining ingredients together, including juices from peppers and add to crockpot. Cook all night at 200 or in crock pot. Chill to skim off fat. Depending on texture of meat, slice very thinly or pull into shreds with fork. Slice bread horizontally. Cut into sandwich servings. Reheat meat in juices and serve on buns. Be sure to serve bowls of the juice for dipping.

This is a special treat from the Midwest. The Chicago version is sliced.

This would make a wonderful Superbowl recipe. I use it for any informal gathering and only wish I had had it for the graduation parties. We love the dipping juices. I serve the peppers on the side for those who want to add more heat to their meat.

[gobluem82]

One more question--does rump roast really shred like a chuck roast would in this recipe? I think of rump roast as being more of a slicing roast, but maybe it cooks differently in the crockpot.

[margeslp]

One more question--does rump roast really shred like a chuck roast would in this recipe? I think of rump roast as being more of a slicing roast, but maybe it cooks differently in the crockpot.

I usually buy a chuck because I love the flavor, juiciness and texture. If I want to try for sliced beef, I buy a rump, but over the years I know some of my rumps have fallen apart and were shredded

[LakeMartinGal]

Kay, I won an Americraft stainless steel slow cooker at State Fair this year and will try the Italian Beef in it. Congratulations! I hope you love it as much as I love mine!
:D

[margeslp]

Congratulations! I hope you love it as much as I love mine!
:D

Kay, I would love it if you could start a thread of favorite recipes using stainless steel. This one pot is valued at $500 and sits there. I remember years ago waterless cooking was the healthy alternative. Would love to know how you use yours. Yeah. I read the manual and googled.

[LakeMartinGal]

Kay, I would love it if you could start a thread of favorite recipes using stainless steel. This one pot is valued at $500 and sits there. I remember years ago waterless cooking was the healthy alternative. Would love to know how you use yours. Yeah. I read the manual and googled.Marge, I use the pans just like any other pan, except I occasionally cook vegetables waterlessly. Just rinse (or use frozen) and heat it until it whistles, then shut the valve and turn off the stove. I wouldn't pay extra for this feature... except that I probably did.:o But the stacking feature would be nice, except I gave DD the 2-qt pan, because I had another brand. The website doesn't abound with recipes, does it?:rolleyes:

The crockpot, I use just as I would a ceramic one, except I brown the meat on the stove in the pan (5-qt) and then put it on the heat plate. I always spray it with Pam first, then add whatever oil it calls for, or a little less.

Oh, and I always clean the pans with Barkeeper's Friend, to keep them shiny. DH, who normally does the dishes, doesn't use it, so I sneak back and make them shiny again. :p I don't know if the shine helps the cooking, but I don't like to use pans that don't look clean!

I love that the pans have such even heat, and clean up so well. Even when I've scorched something (cook's error), it comes off - no steel wool required. I just put soap and vinegar in it, let it set for overnight and then some, and it comes off with a scrubbie and some Barkeeper's Friend.:cool: I have a smooth-top ceramic range, and I love these pans because they are absolutely flat on the bottom, and not all pans are!

[margeslp]

Marge, I use the pans just like any other pan, except I occasionally cook vegetables waterlessly. Just rinse (or use frozen) and heat it until it whistles, then shut the valve and turn off the stove. I wouldn't pay extra for this feature... except that I probably did.:o But the stacking feature would be nice, except I gave DD the 2-qt pan, because I had another brand. The website doesn't abound with recipes, does it?:rolleyes:

The crockpot, I use just as I would a ceramic one, except I brown the meat on the stove in the pan (5-qt) and then put it on the heat plate. I always spray it with Pam first, then add whatever oil it calls for, or a little less.

Oh, and I always clean the pans with Barkeeper's Friend, to keep them shiny. DH, who normally does the dishes, doesn't use it, so I sneak back and make them shiny again. :p I don't know if the shine helps the cooking, but I don't like to use pans that don't look clean!

I love that the pans have such even heat, and clean up so well. Even when I've scorched something (cook's error), it comes off - no steel wool required. I just put soap and vinegar in it, let it set for overnight and then some, and it comes off with a scrubbie and some Barkeeper's Friend.:cool: I have a smooth-top ceramic range, and I love these pans because they are absolutely flat on the bottom, and not all pans are!


Thanks Kay