Italian Beef Sandwiches

Recipe View Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). (5 minutes)

Recipe View Make small slits in the roast with a sharp knife and insert garlic slivers into each slit. Place the roast in a roasting pan that closely fits its size. Pour water into the pan and season the roast generously with salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, and dried oregano. (15 minutes)

Recipe View Cover the roasting pan tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 2 hours, basting occasionally with the pan juices to keep the roast moist and flavorful. After 2 hours, remove from the oven and let the roast cool completely in the roasting pan. The meat should still be quite rare at this stage. Wrap the pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (2 hours + overnight)

Recipe View The next day, remove the roast from the pan and slice it as thinly as possible against the grain. This is easiest to do with a sharp carving knife or a meat slicer. Add a little water to the roasting pan (about 1/2 cup) and heat the pan on the stovetop over medium heat, but do not boil. Stir to blend the concentrated seasonings and create a flavorful au jus. (10 minutes)

Recipe View Once the au jus is hot, add the sliced beef to the pan just long enough to heat through. Do not overcook the beef, or it will become tough. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Serve the Italian beef on crusty Italian bread or rolls. Generously spoon the au jus over the beef in the sandwich, and serve with extra au jus on the side for dipping. (5 minutes)