[reformedliberal]

I make Italian Hot beef in a crock pot. I like a round roast. Round steak works, too and cooks faster and can often be found on sale. Chuck is too greasy for me in this recipe. I prefer my sirloin as a roast or steak...too good a cut for Italian Beef.

3-5# round roast (top or bottom)
2 packages Italian salad dressing dry mix (can add more, but 2 is plenty spicy)
I large jar pepperoncini with brine
one onion, sliced
Beef bouillon or beef broth or Better than Bouillon Roast Beef or Au Jus mixed with water to cover (6-8 cups)

I mix the spices, water and peppers and onion and put them in the pot on high. Let heat for an hour so broth is as warm as possible before adding meat. (you can also heat broth, peppers and onion on stove to boiling and add to crock pot)
It’s worth it to sear the beef in a pan...just heat pan, add some oil, use a meat fork and press each side to the hot oiled pan long enough to sear), Place meat in hot broth, set on low six-eight hours. I like to slice the meat at about 5 hours and return to broth to cook until falling apart tender. This makes the normally dry round roast juicier. I make this and freeze in 2-3 serving portions. Freeze extra broth separately in multiple containers (I add broth to the meat when freezing, but like extra for dipping). I like it when I have enough extra broth to start the next batch. If you do this, puree the frozen peppers/onions before adding fresh ones and enough dry dressing mix and broth to cover. Taste to adjust seasoning. Sometimes I add only a partial envelope of dressing mix because my frozen broth is already spicy enough.

I love having this in the freezer. Just add mini baguettes and a salad for a quick dinner.

[Aliska]

That sounds good and thank you. I have to aim for what our local Chef's Hat used to make (the last one I ever had they cut costs and/or didn't know or care how to cook them right). They used a big fat beef roast and plastered it on the outside with tomato paste or diluted a little and the spices, lots of real garlic. Broth I don't know. Or cut I don't know. But I do like the bread a little juicy not soaked or dipped for those. And I think the only thing on the menu I can remember would have been to use the beef for sandwiches which were very popular, Italian Beef and Italian Delight, the one with the cheese and peppers. We liked their pizza the best, too, the flavor of the sausage, think the secret is fennel.

The tomato didn't totally permeate the beef so there was quality beef flavor. My gold standard is prime rib and similar cuts which I haven't bought for years.

So I hope you wouldn't be offended if I try yours with a tomato paste rub. Probably is better to cook the peppers with. But I think ours were served heaped with beaf in french bread, crisped up, cut long and sliced through, the juicy meat, add the partially or wholly cooked peppers and a slice of mozzarella (optional).

I think I lost my recipe I cut out of the paper but that's where i first learned to roast in a heavy covered pot (cast iron enamelware is perfect) at 275 with a little liquid in the bottom. So regret I learned it so late in life. It's about exactly the same as in a crock pot except it does brown a little on the exposed parts. Sirloin tip was what I usually roasted but sometimes rump.

They used to say the bigger the piece of beef, the better the flavor, but the slow oven roast and crock pot changed all that.