Authentic Chicago Italian Beef Recipe

Enjoy roasted beef in a rich seasoned au jus, shaved thin and topped on a bun with hot giardiniera. Get a tried and true recipe for the most authentic Chicago Italian beef recipe from a born and raised Chicagoan.

Chicago is truly a magical place and I am grateful to have spent 25+ years living there. As a culinary arts instructor and born and raised Chicagoan, I think it’s safe to say I have credibility when it comes to knowing what a REAL Chicago beef sandwich should look like, smell like, and taste like.

It’s important to note that there are many imposters out there and that –

• This is NOT a french dip sandwich
• This is NOT a Philly Cheesesteak
• This is NOT a Mississippi pot roast made in the slow cooker

While all of those beef sandwiches listed above are great, they are not the Chicago Italian beef sandwich, though many recipes on the internet claim to be.

Growing up I have tried all the famous spots across Chicago (my favorite is by far Johnnies Beef which is 5 min from my house, lucky me).

Because we often move due to military life, I needed to master a truly authentic Italian beef sandwich recipe that I could recreate when I cannot enjoy one locally, and share my love of this special sandwich with all of you.

I do not say this lightly (but I do say so humbly), my husband and I both agreed that this recipe rivals some of the top spots in Chicago. Those are strong words but I would not post anything here on my website if I couldn’t back it up.

This recipe on how to make a Chicago Italian beef sandwich takes multiple days to prep and prepare when making this in a home kitchen. I HIGHLY encourage you to read through everything below before attempting this recipe.

“School” Supplies:

• Large Heavy Bottom Pot (I used this ceramic Le Creuset pan)
• Tongs
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Knife & Cutting Board
• Meat Thermometer
• Whisk
• Wire Rack & Small Baking Sheet (for dry brining)

“Class” Notes:

Welcome to my virtual classroom! Use the guided notes below where I often answer commonly asked questions I get from readers and cooks just like you. 

This information is meant to help you have a more robust understanding of this recipe and the process so you can find success all on your own. 

Ready to begin cooking? Jump to the recipe card below and start. 

What Cut Of Beef Do I Use For Italian Beef Sandwiches?

If you’re making Italian beef at home you have two main options for a beef roast:

• Bottom Round Roast (preferred)
• Top Round Roast

These two cuts are often used for making roast beef. While we cannot call this sandwich roast beef (that would be a crime), you are essentially following similar steps.

Choose a large, even looking cut of beef. There won’t be much marbling but the roast should have a large fat cap. You can leave this one, but I prefer to trim it off so the thinly sliced cooked beef isn’t fatty when I go to make the sandwich.

Italian Beef Au Jus:

Au jus is the backbone of this recipe and really makes or breaks a good Italian beef sandwich. The whole roast will slowly cook in the au jus and it will be used again to reheat the slices of beef and to even dunk your sandwich.

To make a truly good au jus you need two parts; beef stock and a homemade Italian seasoning mixture. Here is how to make the spice blend:

• Garlic Powder
• Black Pepper
• Celery Salt
• Fennel
• Coriander
• Smoky Paprika
• Basil
• Oregano
• Thyme
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Whole Bay Leaves (add these in separately from the blend)

Preparation:

The Beef:

To get the best flavor out of your beef, you need to actually begin preparing the roast 1-2 days in advance.

Remove the bottom roast from the packaging and pat it dry with paper towels to remove the excess moisture. Trim off any large portions of fat or silver skin on the roast, then lightly coat it in olive oil and coarse kosher salt.

Place the beef roast onto a wire rack over a baking sheet. Place it in the fridge for 1-2 days to “dry brine”. This allows the salt to draw moisture out of the meat to dissolve the salt. It then reabsorbs the moisture and helps season the inside of the roast with salt.

Dry brining also intensifies the beef flavor of the meat as it loses some of its natural moisture in the fridge and creates a nice dry outside for getting a perfect sear.

The Au Jus:

If you want to make your own beef broth or stock you can. I used a very high quality beef stock I purchased from my local butcher. Combine the Italian spice blend mixture together and keep it separate from the beef stock.

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Place the oven rack one below the center.
2. Preheat a heavy bottom pan over medium high heat and add a high smoke point oil to the pan (I like avocado oil). Remove the beef roast from the fridge and pat it dry once more with paper towels.
3. Sear each side of the beef roast in the pan until it easily releases with tongs and is brown on all sides. Remove it from the pan and turn off the heat but leave the pan on the burner. Wipe out the excess oil with paper towels.
4. In the hot pan, add some butter and allow it to melt. Add the seasonings to the butter and whisk for a few minutes to amplify the aromatics.
5. Take the beef roast and coast it in the seasonings. Add the beef broth to the pan and pour it around the beef roast. It doesn’t need to cover the meat completely.
6. Bring the beef broth mixture up to a simmer on the stove. Once simmering, remove it from the stove and place it into the oven.
7. Allow the meat to cook for 3.5-4 hours uncovered. Remove the roast from the oven when the internal temperature on a thermometer reads 195 F. The meat should be tender but shouldn’t fall apart.
8. Let the roast and the au jus rest for 40-60 minutes to cool slightly and then place it overnight into the fridge. You cannot slice the roast until it’s fully cooled for several hours.

How To Make A Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich:

Remove the roast and the au jus from the refrigerator. Remove the roast from the au jus (leave any hardened fat in the au jus, this adds flavor) and place the au jus mixture onto the stove, and heat it over medium-low.

Using a meat slicer or very sharp knife and thinly shave off slices of the meat from the roast. Make sure to slice against the grain. Think paper thin slices (like lunch meat). Doing this by hand is a lot of work, but it is possible.

Once the meat is all sliced, add it to the simmering au jus. Let it sit in the broth mixture for 10-15 minutes and reduce the heat to low.

Slice a french roll and pile beef onto the roll. Like, seriously PILE it on. Use a ladle to spoon more au jus over the beef. Some people enjoy their sandwich dunked into the au jus (this is a little much for me personally).

Finish it off with the signature spicy pickled vegetables also known as giardiniera. You can also try my Chicago style smoked sweet peppers, but I love the giardiniera personally. Pair this sandwich with this grinder salad recipe and a side of fries.

Now that you are officially enjoying one of my favorite Chicago foods, be sure to also check out Chicago hot dogs and my recipe for a keto Chicago thin crust pizza recipe too.