Beer Forum

How do you guys make your Italian beef? I have been using a slow cooker with dry Italian dressing and a pint or two of ale. It keeps coming out tuff.

Try grinding it with those teeth of yours.

larry78cj7 wrote:How do you guys make your Italian beef? I have been using a slow cooker with dry Italian dressing and a pint or two of ale. It keeps coming out tuff.

I'll bet you're over-cooking it and drying it out in a crock-pot. I think the roast should be pretty rare when you slice it. Then when you reheat it in the gravy, it cooks perfectly.

The other secret is to slice the meat VERY thin. Use a deli-style slicer if you can. Here are some great recipes for Italian Beef.

Oh, and don't forget the giardiniera!

codewritinfool wrote:Try grinding it with those teeth of yours.

Elbone wrote:

larry78cj7 wrote:How do you guys make your Italian beef? I have been using a slow cooker with dry Italian dressing and a pint or two of ale. It keeps coming out tuff.

I'll bet you're over-cooking it and drying it out in a crock-pot. I think the roast should be pretty rare when you slice it. Then when you reheat it in the gravy, it cooks perfectly.

The other secret is to slice the meat VERY thin. Use a deli-style slicer if you can. Here are some great recipes for Italian Beef.

Oh, and don't forget the giardiniera!

That might be the problem. I am cooking it for 8 to 12 hours in the slow cooker, I then pull it out and slice it. I don't have a deli slicer, I was thinking about getting an electric knife, I could use it to filet crappie too.
Should I cook it at a low temp for a long time, or just get the outside brown at 350 in the oven, slice and put it in the gravy? Thanks

larry78cj7 wrote:

Elbone wrote:

larry78cj7 wrote:How do you guys make your Italian beef? I have been using a slow cooker with dry Italian dressing and a pint or two of ale. It keeps coming out tuff.

I'll bet you're over-cooking it and drying it out in a crock-pot. I think the roast should be pretty rare when you slice it. Then when you reheat it in the gravy, it cooks perfectly.

The other secret is to slice the meat VERY thin. Use a deli-style slicer if you can. Here are some great recipes for Italian Beef.

Oh, and don't forget the giardiniera!

That might be the problem. I am cooking it for 8 to 12 hours in the slow cooker, I then pull it out and slice it. I don't have a deli slicer, I was thinking about getting an electric knife, I could use it to filet crappie too.
Should I cook it at a low temp for a long time, or just get the outside brown at 350 in the oven, slice and put it in the gravy? Thanks

I brown it good on all sides in a hot skillet or Dutch oven on the stovetop, then season it, and put it in the oven 'till it's medium-rare at most. The site I linked above has the technique laid out on it. There are as many ways to do Italian Beef as there are Chicagoans! The cut you choose is important, too. I like a bottom round roast. Here's another decent looking recipe. Do brown the roast before putiing it in the oven, though. It adds a lot of flavor.

Dammit - I miss Chicago. I'm going to have to make one of these this weekend you bastards.