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 from a born and raised Chicagoan.

Dear Reader, In order to achieve a truly delicious and authentic version of this recipe, it's important to note that it is time intensive but well worth the wait!  Enjoy! - Chef L 

Start with a bottom round roast. Remove it from the packaging, pat it dry, and the season with salt. Place it back into the fridge uncovered to dry brine for 24-48 hours (do not skip this step).

This recipe really develops it's flavor from the au jus and the seasoning base. It uses a LOT of seasonings, so be prepared to raid the spice cabinet. 

Use a high quality beef stock or even a beef bone broth to make the base of the au jus. You can purchase this from your local butcher or make your own for best results. 

In a heavy bottom pan over high heat, sear the roast on all sides to develop a crust and a fond in the pan. 

Remove the meat and add butter into the pan to scrape off the fond and add the spices. This helps develop the aromatics.

After a few minutes, coat the roast in the butter/seasoning mixture and bring the pan back up to a medium heat. 

Fill the pan up with the beef stock. The meat will not need to be fully covered, but it will roast in the oven without a lid. 

Roast the beef until it reaches an internal temperature of 195 F. This helps make it tender enough to break down tougher connective tissue, but not enough that it falls apart. 

Chill the beef roast and the au jus over night or for at least 12 hours. Cold meat is necessary for slicing the beef into paper thin slices to make this sandwich. 

The best way to slice the beef super thin is with a deli slicer. If the meat is chilled, you can slice it with a sharp knife as thin as possible. It's not easy, but doable. 

Bring the au jus up to a simmer on the stove. Drop handfuls of the sliced beef into the au jus to cook for 5-10 minutes. This heats it through and adds a lot of flavor. 

Pile on the shaved beef and the au jus onto a french bread roll. Turano rolls are the preferred brand if you can find them! 

Finish the sandwich off with spicy pickled vegetables known as giardiniera. You can buy this via amazon and I have it linked down below. 

This is probably one of my favorite recipes and it's absolutely an authentic version of this Chicago staple. I hope you enjoy, recipe linked below!

Lauren Nagel is the creator of BONAPPETEACH.COM, a recipe based website where you can find more confidence in the kitchen. Follow Lauren below!