Italian Beef Au Jus Recipe
This easy Italian beef au jus recipe is made in the slow cooker with minimal prep. Seasoned to perfection, this slow cooked beef is served with the best au jus, on french rolls with your favorite giardiniera.
Ingredients
- 3-4 pound beef chuck roast
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced
- 4 cloves garlic sliced thinly
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 cups beef broth divided
- french rolls
- hot or mild giardiniera
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat on the stove top and season both sides of the chuck roast with the salt and pepper.
- Add the olive oil to the skillet and sear the roast in the olive oil for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned. Remove the roast from the pan and place it in the slow cooker.
- Reduce the heat to medium low and add the onions, garlic, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper. Saute for 2-3 minutes, while stirring occasionally until the onions start to soften.
- Deglaze the pan by adding 1 cup of the beef broth and scraping the bottom of the skillet to remove any stuck on bits.
- Let the mixture simmer for 1-2 minutes until the liquid is slightly reduced and then pour it over the beef roast in the slow cooker.
- Add the remaining beef broth to the slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours until the meat is tender.
- Using two forks or kitchen tongs, shred the beef into smaller pieces and mix it with the juices.
- Serve the beef on the french rolls topped with the giardiniera.
Notes
Recipe yields approximately 8 cups of shredded beef which will make approximately 8-12 sandwiches.
- Searing the roast in the skillet and sautéing the garlic and onions adds a ton of flavor. In a pinch, everything can just be added to the crock pot and cooked as directed.
- Sandwiches can be served "dry" with just the beef on the bread, "wet" with extra au jus sauce ladled over the sandwich or with the au jus on the side for a gravy dip or french dip style sandwich.
Substitutions and Variations
- Beef - A boneless chuck roast is the best cut of beef for making Italian beef sandwiches. Top sirloin, top round or bottom round could also be used.
- Rolls - French rolls are typically used for Italian beef sandwiches. Other types of hoagie rolls or buns can be used as well. Make sure they are sturdy so they hold up well to the juices.
- Toppings - Instead of giardiniera, sweet or hot peppers, pepperoncinis or sliced mozzarella or provolone can be added.
- Gluten Free - Serve the beef on a gluten free french roll or lettuce wraps.
Alternative Cooking Methods
The beef can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Make sure to cool it completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Beef can be heated back up in the crock pot, the oven or the microwave with a little bit of au jus so it doesn't dry out.Storage Instructions
Leftover beef will keep for 3-5 days when stored separately from the rolls in the refrigerator in an airtight container.Nutrition
Serving: 1sandwichCalories: 619kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 49gFat: 45gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 156mgSodium: 2458mgPotassium: 839mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 58IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 5mg
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