My Chicago Italian beef. Rump cap braised in herbed stock, sliced thin, piled into a baguette with giardiniera. Best made the day before.
Juicy Italian Beef Sandwich
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Category
Lunch
Servings
4
Prep time
20 minutes
Cook time
1 hour 30 minutes
Have you had a Chicago-style Italian beef sandwich? It's pretty great! We slow-cook a whole rump cap in a deeply spiced beef stock, let it cool in its own liquid overnight, then slice it paper-thin and pile it into a day-old baguette with spicy giardiniera. Then, we'll dunk the whole sandwich into the warm jus before you bite in making it super juicy and rich.
Italian Beef Elements
The cut
We're using rump cap, you might also see it called picanha or sirloin cap depending on where you buy it. It’s got a thick fat cap that renders down during the braise, a tight grain that holds up to slicing thin, and a really intense beef flavour for a fraction of the price of premium cuts. If you can’t find it, beef chuck roast, ribeye roast or sirloin will all work, just expect to pay more for the same result.
The braise
The beef gets a hard sear on all sides in a Dutch oven first to build colour and flavour. Then we'll drop the heat, add the aromatics and the spice mix, followed by the stock, and into a 180°C oven covered for 35 to 40 minutes. We’re pulling it at 50°C internal temperature. That’s deliberately rare. The beef will keep cooking gently as it cools in the stock, soak up the spices and aromatics, and finish the day of when the slices are warmed back through in the simmering jus.
The bread
Day-old baguette holds up to the jus far better than fresh as slightly dry bread soaks up liquid without going to mush. Slice it lengthwise, tear out some of the crumb to make room for more beef, pile the warmed slices in, top with chopped giardiniera, then dunk the whole sandwich briefly in the simmering stock. Wrap in parchment, slice in half and serve with a small bowl of jus on the side for dipping.
Ingredient Notes
Rump cap: You might know this cut as rump cap, picanha or sirloin cap. The thick fat cap on top renders down during the braise and bastes the beef, the tight grain holds up to slicing thin, and the flavour is intensely beefy. It’s also way more affordable than premium cuts like ribeye or sirloin. Ask your butcher for picanha if you’re struggling to find it at the supermarket.
Giardiniera: Also known as sottaceti, this is an Italian pickle mix of cauliflower, carrots, peppers, celery and sometimes olives, pickled in vinegar with salt and spices. Specialty grocers and Italian supermarkets are your best bet, I like mine spicy. If you can’t find giardiniera, any pickled veg mix you like will work. The acid and crunch are what cut through the rich beef.
Beef stock cube: The stock cube doubles down on the beefy flavour and saltiness in the braise. If you’d rather skip it, bump the stock from 1L to 1.5L and reduce the braising liquid hard before adding the sliced beef back. You’ll need to season with more salt to make up for it.
Equipment
Chopping board
Chef’s knife (sharp, for slicing the beef thin)
Large Dutch oven with a lid
Tongs
Meat thermometer
Fine sieve
Saucepan (for reducing the jus)
Parchment paper
Ingredients
-
1.2kg rump cap
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground fennel
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 bay leaves
-
sea salt to taste
-
neutral oil for cooking
-
2 shallots
-
1 carrot
-
2 stalks celery
-
3 garlic cloves
-
1L beef stock
- 1 beef stock cube
-
500g giardiniera
- 2 baguettes
Directions
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
Peel carrots, shallots and garlic. Crush the garlic and set aside. Chop the carrot, celery and shallot, set aside.
In a large Dutch oven with a lid, heat a drizzle of oil over high heat. Season your beef well on both sides and place into the Dutch oven cap side down. Sear the beef for 4-5 minutes on each side until you get a good golden colour. Remove and set aside.
Next, reduce the heat to medium, add the shallots, carrots, celery, and garlic to the Dutch oven along with all the spices. Sauté for 1-2 minutes before adding the beef stock and beef stock cube.
Once the stock comes to a simmer, add the browned beef back to the pot, cover with a lid, and place in the oven. Cook the beef for 35-40 minutes or until you reach an internal temperature of 50°C (122°F).
Once your beef is cooked, remove from the oven, take the lid off, and let it cool completely in the stock. It's honestly better if you do this the day before and leave it in the fridge overnight once it gets to room temperature.
When you're ready to assemble the sandwiches, pass the stock through a fine sieve and bring it to a simmer. Meanwhile, roughly chop the giardiniera. Top and tail the baguette then slice in half lengthwise. I like to remove some of the crumb from the bread to fit more beef, but that’s just me.
Taste the reduced stock and adjust seasoning as needed. Slice the beef against the grain as thin as you can and once it's all sliced, place it back into the simmering beef stock for a few seconds to warm through.
Liberally stuff the baguette with the thinly sliced beef. Top with the chopped giardiniera. Quickly dip the whole sandwich into the simmering liquid to get all of those flavours into the bread. Immediately transfer to a large sheet of parchment paper. Roll the sandwich up, then slice in half and serve.
Recipe notes
Chef Tips
Make it the day before
This is one of those recipes that’s actively better if you make it 24 hours ahead. The beef gets more tender as it cools in its own liquid, the aromatics keep working into the meat overnight, and cold beef is way easier to slice paper-thin than warm beef. On serving day, all that’s left is reducing the jus, slicing, warming and building.
Slice as thin as you possibly can
Use a sharp knife and slice against the grain. The thinner the better. Paper-thin slices warm through in the jus in seconds and pile up beautifully in the baguette. If the beef has been in the fridge overnight, even better. Cold beef holds its shape and slices cleaner than warm.
Use a day-old baguette
Same logic as French toast. A slightly dry baguette absorbs the jus and giardiniera juices without falling apart in your hands. A fresh one will go to mush the second it hits the dip. Buy your bread the day before. Pull out some of the crumb before piling the beef in to make more room.
Storage
The cooked beef keeps in its stock in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the slices gently in the simmering jus as you build sandwiches. The giardiniera, in its own brine, will keep for weeks. I wouldn’t freeze the cooked beef. The reheating texture suffers. If you want to prep further than a day ahead, freeze the raw seasoned beef and braise it from fresh.
FAQs
What is giardiniera? Italian pickled vegetables, typically cauliflower, carrots, peppers, celery and sometimes olives in a vinegar brine. It’s a non-negotiable in a proper Chicago Italian beef. The acid and crunch cut through the rich, beefy meat. Look for it at Italian delis and specialty grocers. I prefer mine spicy. Any pickled veg you like can sub in if you can’t find giardiniera.
Can I use a different cut of beef? Yes. Beef chuck roast, ribeye roast or sirloin will all work. They cost more than rump cap but they all have enough fat and flavour to hold up to the braise. Adjust the cook time based on the size of the piece. Pull at 50°C in the thickest part regardless of cut.
What if I don’t have a meat thermometer? Get one. They’re cheap and they pay for themselves in better-cooked meat across hundreds of recipes. For this one, time alone is a poor guide because rump caps vary in shape and starting temperature. If you have to time it, 35 minutes for a 1.2kg cap that started at room temperature is a reasonable guide, but probe-checking is the safer bet.
Can I make this in a slow cooker? Yes, but adjust the steps. Sear the beef and sauté the aromatics on the stovetop first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker with the stock. Low setting for 4 to 5 hours, or until the internal temp hits 50°C. The slow cooker pulls less moisture out of the beef, so reduce the strained jus harder before serving.
What do I do with the leftover jus? This is the best part. Pour it into a small bowl or mug and sip it alongside the sandwich, or save it for soup, for cooking grains, or for moistening another batch of slow-cooked beef. It’s the most flavourful liquid in your kitchen, don’t pour it down the drain.
