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Italian Beef Po' Boys

Italian Beef Po' Boys, easy beef roast cooked overnight in the slow cooker with seasonings, shredded for hot sandwiches the next day. Serve on rolls with cheese and peppers. 

Italian Beef Po' Boys

I hail from Chicago and every time I go home for a visit, a stop for an Italian beef sandwich is always a must, dipped in juices and loaded with hot peppers.  I hear New Orleans also has a pretty good hot beef sandwich, called a Po' Boy (or po-boy, or po boy).  The main difference is how you dress it, and to a lesser degree, the cut of beef.  This recipe fits the bill for either sandwich, I think.  Put out all the fixings' and dress it how you like.  The beef comes together overnight in the slow cooker and the next day, voilà ~ Italian Beef Po' Boys.

Italian Beef Po' Boys, on plate with peppers in background.

I first had this version of Italian beef at my sister-in-law's, she made it for a graduation party.  Everyone loved it, including my kids, and Paula shared the recipe with me.  I've made it several times, including for my oldest daughter's high school graduation party.  Quite a few people have asked me for the recipe over the years, everyone loves it!  And it's so easy.

The beef slow cooks overnight in Italian dressing and Au Jus seasoning packets, a little salt and pepper and water.  The next morning, just shred the beef, defat the juices/gravy, put the beef back in the juices and you're all set to go.

Italian Beef Po' Boys, ingredients and slow cooker.

I like Italian beef on French bread cut and split into rolls, crusty with a light and airy crumb, not the dense baguette type of bread.  Soft hoagie rolls work, and so do hamburger type buns, especially for a crowd.  People can serve themselves and dress as they like.

Italian Beef Po' Boys, collage photo of shredding cooked beef.

So, I like hot peppers on my Italian beef, specifically a hot giardiniera that's popular in Chicago.  You can find it in the grocery store, in the pickles section.  I usually also put out milder banana pepper rings, and sometimes I sauté up some sweet green and/or red bell peppers.  Point is, put out some peppers!  And we also like provolone cheese, which I usually pop in the oven to melt on the sandwich, as well as crisp up the roll a bit.  Put some cheese out and let people put on their sandwich if they want.

Italian Beef Po' Boys, cooked and shredded beef in juices.

Peppers and juices spooned over the beef is definitely the Chicago-style way, but you can also dress these hot sandwiches with shredded romaine lettuce, onion, pickles and mayo.  Yep, mayo.  In fact, I put a swipe of mayo on mine last time I made this.  So, that would be more the NOLA way of doing things ~ a hot beef po' boy.  No right or wrong way here, however you top it is up to you!

Italian Beef Po' Boys, sandwich with melted cheese and hot peppers.

Italian Beef Po' Boys ~ perfect for a crowd, on a buffet table for a party, or just for a family dinner.  Aunt Paula has never steered us wrong, just ask my kids!  They also love her biscuits and gravy and my mother-in-law's German Potato Salad.  This is how I've always grown my cooking repertoire, by adding recipes from family and friends that are delicious, and then passing them on to others.  Hope you like these sandwiches, too.  Best, Kelly

Italian Beef Po' Boys, finished sandwich on plate, with cheese and peppers.

If you’ve tried these Italian Beef Po' Boys, please rate them below in the comments and let me know how it went ~ I love hearing from you! HUNGRY FOR MORE?  Subscribe to my Newsletter and come hang out with me on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK for all the latest updates.

Italian Beef Po' Boys

Italian Beef Po' Boys

Beef simmered overnight in the slow cooker, shredded and added back to the pot of juices for Italian Beef Po' Boy sandwiches.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 24 sandwiches
Calories: 239kcal

Ingredients

  • 7 lbs boneless beef chuck roast
  • 2 envelopes Good Seasons Italian dressing mix .7 oz each
  • 2 1-oz envelopes Au Jus gravy mix
  • 1 tablespoon Lawry's seasoned salt
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups water
  • Toppings for serving, such as: hot and/or sweet peppers, provolone cheese, mayo, mustard, shredded lettuce, sliced onions, pickle slices

Instructions

  • Cut beef into large chunks, trimming away any large pieces of fat.  Place in a slow cooker.
  • In a bowl, whisk together seasoning packets, seasoned salt, black pepper and water.
  • Pour liquid mixture over beef and toss gently to combine.  Cook on low setting overnight (for 8-10 hours).
  • Remove meat to cutting board and using two forks, shred meat.  Skim fat from juices in slow cooker, return meat to juices and combine.  Keep on low , or transfer to a dutch oven to reheat and serve.    Serve on buns or rolls with plenty of optional toppings.

Recipe Notes

  • You can keep the beef in the slow cooker on warm for serving, especially on a buffet table for a party.
  • I cut back on the seasoning salt a bit because I find it a little too salty, but that said, no one else thinks it's too salty.
  • For a crowd, buns or hoagie rolls work best.  Or you can cut a soft and light French bread into 3- to 4-inch sections.
  • I'm going to guess you'll get any where from 18 to 24 sandwiches, maybe even more, it depends on the size and how much meat people pile on!!
  • If you like cheese, I suggest making the sandwich with beef and cheese and popping in the oven to melt the cheese, then add more toppings, as desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 239kcal Carbohydrates: 1g Protein: 25g Fat: 15g Saturated Fat: 7g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 8g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 91mg Sodium: 408mg Potassium: 443mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 1g Vitamin A: 19IU Calcium: 24mg Iron: 3mg
Did you make this recipe? Please comment, rate it and share! And mention me on Instagram @thehungrybluebird or tag #thehungrybluebird so I can see!

 

Recipe Rating




Quinn

Thursday 17th of August 2017

We made these and they were out of this world. Customizing them was a lot of fun. Everyone fixed theirs a little differently, although once people saw someone dip their roll in the pot, everyone dipped their rolls! Delicious and made great leftovers.

Meathead

Friday 9th of June 2017

Did someone just say " boneless beef chuck roast" ?