Italian Beef Sandwiches

Italian Beef Sandwiches

Serves 6

2.5-3 lb beef bottom round roast

2 T olive oil

4 T unsalted butter

8 cups low sodium beef stock

1 T celery salt

½ t red pepper flakes

1 T garlic powder

1 T onion powder

2 t ground coriander

1 t fennel seed

1 T smoked paprika

2 T Italian seasoning

3 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Buns and giardiniera for serving

Preheat the oven to 325 F.

Combine ingredients from celery salt through Italian seasoning in a bowl and mix well.

Season the roast with salt and pepper on all sides. Add the oil to a large pot or braising pan and place over high heat. Sear the roast on all sides (3-4 minutes per side) then remove from the pot. Add butter and turn off the heat. The remaining heat in the pan will melt the butter. Add the spice mixture and toast in the hot fat for 1 minute.

Return the roast to the pan along and add the beef stock and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and then place in the oven, uncovered, and cook for 2.5-3 hours or until the roast is 195 F internally.

Allow meat/broth to rest at room temperature for 1-2 hours then in the fridge overnight. * The next day, remove the roast from the liquid. Do not remove any hardened fat from the liquid in the pot. Return liquid to the stove and bring to a simmer. Slice the beef as thinly as possible against the grain using a very sharp knife or deli slicer.

Return thinly sliced beef to the cooking liquid and warm through. Pile plenty of juicy beef on a crusty roll and top with chopped giardiniera and serve with plenty of au jus for dipping. Serve with fries or chips.

*If in a hurry you can skip the overnight rest, however the beef will be very difficult to cut thinly if it is still warm and will want to shred with the grain leaving it chewy. An electric knife might cut the meat more easily if still warm.