Reviewed: Feb. 3, 2012

I made this in the oven and it was delicious but want to use crock pot today. Thanks!

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Reviewer:

Patty Ann

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Los Angeles, California, USA

Living In: Salem, Oregon, USA

Reviewed: Jan. 22, 2012

Like everyone else raised in Chicago and no longer living there, I get such a taste for this sandwich from time to time. Have tried many different recipes and this is one of the best. Made just as directed, except that I just put minced garlic in the liquid instead of into the meat itself. Just the right amount of seasoning and very tender beef. Thanks much, Dick. We will make this again!

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Reviewer:

KONWAL

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Western Springs, Illinois, USA

Living In: Sister Bay, Wisconsin, USA

Reviewed: Oct. 12, 2011

I made this recipe tonight and it was awesome. Like others, we moved from Chicago several years ago and the thing we miss the most are the beef sandwiches. No one else knows how to make them right. We finally got a Luke's here in AZ (another Chicago establishment) and theirs are the best anywheres near us. I couldn't get a rump roast as the store was running a B/O G/O sale and was out so I got a 3 Lb. Bottom round. I used a meat thermometer and roasted it just to 125 degrees and then covered and refrigerated it. Today I sharpened the heck out of my carving knife and sliced it as thinly as I could. This is with out a doubt as close to a Chicago beef as you could get at home. The meat was tender and seasoned well, served on crusty rolls with the Au jus, perfectly amazing! Thanks for this recipe Dick, we'll definitely be having this often.

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Reviewer:

figgy

Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Reviewed: Sep. 29, 2011

My husband and I grew up in the Chicago area and miss the food....Italian beefs being one of those. I made this recipe and didn't have high expectations for it to taste like the "real" thing...but it did! The only thing I did differently is that after cooking it in the oven, I slow cooked it the next day...all day. The seasoning was spot on. I also added some mozzarella, dipped the bread in the juice, and added some giardiniera. We will be making this again. Delicious

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Reviewer:

Renee

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Zion, Illinois, USA

Living In: Bonaire, Georgia, USA

Reviewed: Sep. 4, 2011

These are wonderful. I served with all sorts of different toppings. 3 different cheeses, tomatoes, lettuce, onions and peppers. However my guests and my family decided that truly all this needs is crusty bread. The meat and the au ju is perfect. No extras or toppings needed. Truly delicious just as it is. Do not change or add a thing.

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Reviewer:

QueenKey

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Sparta, Michigan, USA

Living In: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA

Reviewed: Aug. 27, 2011

I followed this recipe EXACTLY as directed. Rump roast, same spices, nothing added or taken away. I decided to have my first sandwhich with only the meat and no other toppings at all. I just might keep it that way because it was DELICIOUS! So flavorful, not tough or chewy at all! If it helps anyone, I used a glass cake pan (don't have a roasting pan), used a regular knife to cut it (it doesn't have to be perfectly sliced just as long as it's as thin as you can get it), cooked the meat in the au jus in the same glass pan until most of the red was gone and voila! VERY good and not much work.

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Reviewer:

pegasuscvc

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Pocatello, Idaho, USA

Reviewed: Aug. 14, 2011

Very Flavorful ! Live near Chicago but have not tasted the Real thing talked about in other reviews. Used beef bouillon instead of water and omitted salt, also because of hot weather I used crock pot and it was both easy an Perhaps the cut of roast makes a difference in how it slices, it does not require perfect slices to make delicious sandwiches !

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Reviewer:

BoysRUs

Home Town: Pullman, Washington, USA

Living In: Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA

Reviewed: Jun. 13, 2011

IDK what I did wrong, if anything, but the meat was so incredibly tough and chewy. The rest was very good, however. Maybe I'll try again with a different cut of meat.

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Reviewer:

jennilind19

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Wind Lake, Wisconsin, USA

Reviewed: Mar. 12, 2011

This was simply wonderful - gone in a flash. I'd tried another Italian Beef recipe from this site that used Italian dressing packets and it had a weird, artificial taste and my son would not eat it but I thought I'd give this a try with it's more natural ingredients. I was making calzones so had to cook on very low flame on stove top. I sliced mine as thin as possible with a good knife and it worked out fine. I have no intentions of buying a meat slicer. I used a "spencer roast" which is pretty new to me but it's a form of chuck roast. I added a few jarred hot banana peppers with some juice. The vinegar in the juice helps tenderize the meat. I also used beef broth instead of water. I thickened the sauce slightly with a roue and served over meat and mashed potatoes. I didn't want sandwiches in the same week with calzones. Try it - nice change from the sandwich and very good. My son made a hot roast beef sandwich with the leftovers. Great stuff. Thank you Dick! My son's begging me to make it again this week. Calzones are among his favorite foods, but this was all he can talk about.

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Reviewer:

sandy

Reviewed: Mar. 2, 2011

I made this as directed. While the flavor was fantastic, just like Portillios, the meat was just too chewwy. I don't own a meat slicer so cutting the meat really thin was a challenge. I would use this recipe again with a different cut of meat like a top or bottom round and I would do it in a crock pot.

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