Hot Giardiniera

If you're going to go to the trouble of making your own Italian Beef, the chances are there won't be any decent giardiniera anywhere near you. Its easy enough to make and even better than the storebought stuff.

Hot Giardiniera

There is no set amount for all of these vegies. You have to add an amount that looks right to you. Also you can add other vegies as you wish.

Cauliflower
onion
celery
carrot
red bell pepper

Combine the above ingredients in a bowl and add enough water to cover. Add salt. For every 2 cups of water, add 1/4 cup salt. Cover the bowl and let sit for 24 hours. Drain the water and wash the salt water off the vegies. Dump vegies into a bowl and add:

capers
green olives with pimento
sport peppers (substitute jalapenos)
pepperoncini peppers
fresh ground black pepper
red pepper flakes
oregano leafs

Place into a jar and add an equal amount of white vinegar and olive oil, enough to submerge the whole mess.

Italian Beef

When I lived in Chicago, one of my favorite things to get was an Italian Beef sandwich. I've lived a lot of places and no one outside of Chicago seems to understand the sandwich. I decided to do a little research to come up with a version I could make at home.

Italian Beef

2.5 pounds bottom round roast
1 quart beef broth
leaf oregano
leaf basil
4 cloves garlic
pepper
sliced onion

Rub the outside of the roast with oregano and basil and pepper. Brown on all 4 sides in a Dutch oven. When browned, remove pan from heat. Make a layer of sliced onion in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Place the roast on top. Add in garlic and beef broth. Roast uncovered in the oven at 300 until the beef reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees. Remove from the oven, wrap in foil, and cool to room temperature. Strain the juice from the Dutch oven and set it aside.

When cooled to room temperature, slice the meat thin using a meat slicer. A knife just isn't going to get the job done for you. Reheat the meat in the reserved broth. To serve, place in a crusty Italian roll. Either serve the broth on the side or ladle some broth over the whole mess, or do it like I like, dip the whole mess into the broth. I like mine with a link of Italian sausage and hot giardiniera on the top. MMM.