I’ve lived in Vegas since I was in elementary school, but I was born in Chicago. My family is all from there and many still live there, so growing up I visited every summer. One of the best parts of the trip? The food!
Since my parents are from the area, we always tried the “Chicago food” places here in Vegas- but very few are authentic and can hold a candle to the real Chicago food from back home. One thing my family has found here in Vegas that compares is a good Italian Beef Sandwich! In fact, my dad gets one every Wednesday at his favorite local Chicago style restaurant.
That said, Italian Beef Sandwiches are FROM Chicago, so it’s really hard to get a REALLY authentic one unless you’re in the Windy City. I do like the one at the restaurant but I wanted to be able to make them myself, and this recipe is about as close as it gets to true Chicago cooking!
My parents come over for dinner once a month and this is going to be on the menu next month, so it’ll be put to the ULTIMATE test when my Dad tries it! I have to say though, I’m very happy with it- it has all the flavors of a real Italian Beef Sandwich, and the beef comes out so moist making it this way.
Whether you’re missing Chicago or just love beef sandwiches, this is a must-try recipe! Since they’re sliders they are perfect appetizers for a party, or you can make a meal out of them.
What goes good with Italian Roast Beef Sliders?
Italian Beef Sliders go great with a variety of foods, whether you’re using them as an appetizer {and serving them with other apps} or having them for lunch or dinner with a side dish.
If you’re looking to pair these with a side for a meal, try something cool like potato salad or coleslaw to contrast with the hot sandwiches- or pick something light like these Easy Roasted Carrots to balance out the heaviness of the sliders.
Serving these as appetizers at a party? Some other great apps that will compliment them include these easy Potato Bites and a simple veggie tray!
Can this be made in the Instant Pot instead?
Pressed for time? Make these sliders using your Instant Pot instead!
I stand by the Slow Cooker being the better option when you have the time as that method will make the meat just completely melt apart and become super succulent. But if you’d rather make the beef in the Instant Pot you totally can.
To cook the beef, plan on about 20 minutes per pound for chuck roast so about 40 minutes at pressure. Don’t forget that it takes about 10-15 minutes for the Instant Pot to get to pressure- and in order to make sure the beef stays tender, you’ll want to let it naturally release so plan another 15-20 minutes for that. So overall you’re looking at about 65-75 minutes, which is way faster than the slow cooker method but you’ll still want to budget plenty of time for it!
If you take the Instant Pot approach, the rest of the Slider recipe will remain the same aside from how you make the beef.
What’s the difference between Italian Beef Sandwiches and French Dip Sandwiches?
French Dip Sandwiches are made with thinly sliced beef braised in au jus, and Italian Beef Sandwiches are made with beef braised in Italian herbs and pickled veggies {in this case, banana peppers}.
Want to make your Italian Beef Slider more like a French Dip Sandwich? Italian Beef Sandwiches can be served “dry” or “wet”, or for dipping, which just means with or without some of the cooking juice added. A dry sandwich obviously has no extra cooking juices; a wet sandwich has some additional cooking juices in it; a dip variety is dry but comes with some cooking juices on the side just like a French Dip Sandwich. So no matter how you like it, you can customize it to your preferences!
What Supplies Do You Need to Make Italian Beef Sliders in the Slow Cooker?
To make these Crockpot Italian Beef Sandwiches, you’ll need:
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- Slow Cooker
- Meat shredders {optional but recommended}
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Basting brush
Step by Step Guide
Ready to cook? Grab the printable recipe at the bottom of this post and come back here to get started!
Hungry for More?
Want more delicious slow cooker recipes? Try these:
- Slow Cooker Jalapeno Popper Dip
- Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Slow Cooker Hamburger Cheese Dip
- Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Sandwiches
- Slow Cooker Baked Ziti
Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sliders
These delicious Italian Beef Sliders are a taste of Chicago! They're made in the slow cooker for a really succulent beef, and this makes a big batch of 16 perfect for party appetizers or kid-friendly meals.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chuck roast
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, plus more for topping
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, plus more for topping
- ½ cup butter
- 1 12-ounce jar banana peppers
- 1 16-count package butter flavored rolls
- 6 slices provolone cheese
Instructions
- Place the chuck roast in the bowl of your slow cooker and add the beef broth.
- Season with Italian Seasoning and Garlic Powder.
- Set aside 2 TBSP of the butter, then cut the remaining stick into thin slices. Place the slices on top of the beef.
- Top with two-thirds of the banana peppers plus half the juice from the pepper jar.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and set to cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours.
- When the meat is finished, remove it from the pot and shred it.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the entire package of rolls in half and remove the top half of the bread. Spread the meat in an even layer over the bottom half of the rolls.
- Top the shredded meat with the remaining banana peppers.
- Layer the cheese on top of the meat, then place the top of the rolls on top of the cheese.
- Melt the remaining butter in the microwave and brush it over the top of the rolls. Season with Italian Seasoning and Garlic Powder.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, until the rolls are golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Reserve some of the cooking juice from the slow cooker for dipping, if desired.
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