Italian Beef Sandwiches Recipe

This is a recipe you can start early in the day, and let it slow cook until you are ready to eat. It is an easy recipe and one that my family loves.  Beef roast, seasoned with Italian salad dressing, herbs and spices, then slow cooked for most of the day, makes the meat so tender.

Ingredients

3 lb. beef roast
1 (1 oz.) pkg.  dry Italian salad dressing
1 Tbs. oregano
3/4 Tbs. basil
1 tsp. garlic powder.
2 1/2 to 3 c. water, or beef broth
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16 oz.) jar pepperoncini peppers
1 can mushrooms, drained
cheese, sliced
tomato, sliced
8 hamburger buns

Directions

If using an oven, preheat oven to 175 to 200°.

Rub all sides of the roast with the dry Italian salad dressing, oregano, basil, and garlic powder. Salt and pepper as desired.

Place the roast in a slow cooker or in a cast iron Dutch oven. 

Pour in the water around the roast. Add the onions, and garlic.

Bake for 5 to 6 hours, or until the met is tender and can easily be shredded with a fork.

Shred the meat with two forks.  You can remove the meat to a platter, or leave it in the slow cooker or Dutch oven. 

Stir in the pepperoncini.  Pour in as much of the pepperoncini juice as you want, as this gives the meat additional flavor. If you are unfamiliar with pepperoncini peppers, try using just a few at first.  You can always add more if you find that you like the flavor and want more of them.

Serve on buns and top the meat with mushrooms, a slice of cheese, tomato, and/or lettuce if desired.

Notes

We add the onions to the pot while the meat cooks, as it gives the meat some flavor. However, you can add the onions at the end of cooking time, when you add the pepperoncini peppers if you want. 

You can substitute half of the water or broth with beer or with a mixture of beer and wine.

You can toast the cut part of the buns first if desired. Spread some mayo, or butter over the bread as well before you put on the meat.