Italian Beef Au Jus Recipe (2024)

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.

Italian beef sandwiches are a classic Chicago food and something our family misses since moving away. They are typically thinly sliced beef served with au jus or gravy. They can be topped with hot or mild giardiniera, sweet peppers, pepperoncini peppers or sometimes cheese.

This simple recipe for homemade Italian beef sandwiches is a great meal that the entire family will love. Serve these delicious sandwiches alongside baked mostaccioli, minestrone soup or cast iron pizza for the perfect meal!

For even more delicious recipes, check out what to serve with Italian beef for other salads, pastas, veggies and more!

🍅 Ingredient notes

• Beef - A boneless chuck roast is the best cut of beef for making Italian beef sandwiches. It's well marbled and breaks down into a super tender beef that melts in your mouth. Top sirloin, top round or bottom round also have great flavor and could be used as an alternative cut of meat.
• Broth - Either beef broth or beef stock can be used to help flavor and add moisture to the beef sandwiches while they are cooking. This also helps create the flavorful au jus.
• Rolls - French rolls are typically used for Italian beef sandwiches. Other types of hoagie rolls or buns can be used as well. It's best to choose something pretty sturdy so it holds up well with the juices and gravy dip.
• Toppings - We like our Italian beef sandwiches classically served with hot or mild giardiniera. This is an Italian-style relish made of mixed vegetables that have been pickled. It's briny and spicy flavor pairs perfectly with the rich and hearty beef. Sweet or hot peppers can also be added as well or a slice or two of provolone cheese or mozzarella cheese.

📋 Substitutions and variations

• Gluten Free - To make these Italian beef sandwiches gluten free, simply serve them on a gluten free french roll or lettuce wraps.

🔪 Step by step instructions

First, season the roast with salt and pepper. Sear it in a large skillet on medium-high heat on the stovetop until it's well browned on both sides. Then, place it in the bottom of a slow cooker.

Add the onions and garlic, along with all of the seasonings to the pan. Sauté over medium heat for a few minutes until the onions start to soften.

Add some of the beef broth to the skillet to deglaze the pan, scraping all of the browned bits off of the bottom. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes to reduce and then pour it over the beef in the crock pot.

Add the remaining beef broth or beef stock to the crock pot. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours until the roast is very tender. Using kitchen tongs or two forks, shred the meat into small pieces.

Mix the shredded meat with the juices and serve it on the french rolls topped with the giardiniera, if desired.

⭐ Expert tips

• Searing the roast in the skillet and sautéing the garlic and onions is an easy way to add a ton of flavor. In a pinch, everything can just be added to the crock pot and cooked as directed.
• Make sure the beef roast is cooked until it is super tender so that the connective tissue has time to break down and make it easy to shred.
• This Italian beef recipe can be served "dry" with just the beef on the bread. They can also be served "wet" with extra au jus sauce ladled over the whole sandwich. Alternatively, they can be served with the au jus on the side as a gravy dip or french dip style sandwich.

💭 Frequently asked questions

🥘 Alternative cooking methods

OVEN - Follow the directions for searing the beef as well as cooking the onions and garlic. After the beef broth is reduced with the onions and garlic, add the roast back to the skillet. Add the remaining beef broth, cover and cook in a 300˚ oven for 3-4 hours until tender enough to shred. Make sure to use a large oven proof skillet or dutch oven so you have room for the roast and the broth.

⏲️ Make ahead instructions

This Italian beef sandwich recipe can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Make sure to cool the beef completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The shredded beef can be heated back up in the crock pot, the oven or also in the microwave. Make sure to add some of the au jus so that the beef doesn't dry out.

🥡 Storage suggestions

Leftover Italian beef au jus will keep for 3-5 days when stored separately from the rolls in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Make sure to cool it completely before storing.

🥘 More slow cooker recipes

If you loved this Italian beef au jus recipe, check out these other slow cooker recipes that I know you will love too.

• 3 Bean Chili
• Crock Pot Chicken Marsala
• Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sliders
• Chicken Cacciatore

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