Chicago Style Beef Rolls Recipes

PORTILLO'S ITALIAN BEEF HACK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Render the beef fat by chopping it into small bits (about the size of peas) with a food processor. Be sure the fat is very cold--it will chop better. If you don't have a food processor, you can chop the fat by hand. Use a sharp knife and cut it as small as you can. Heat up the fat in a sauté pan over medium heat until the bits are browned. Strain the solids from the fat and measure 1/4 cup of fat for the gravy.
• Make the beef gravy by combining all of the ingredients, including the beef fat, in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture begins to boil reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then turn the heat to low.
• Make the sandwiches by heating up the rolls in the hot oven for 3 minutes.
• For each sandwich, drop 1/4 pound of sliced beef (separate the slices) into the gravy for 2 minutes. Make sure the gravy isn't boiling. It should be around 180 degrees F. After the beef has soaked in the gravy, use tongs to arrange the beef on a warmed sandwich roll and top with your choice of hot giardiniera or sweet peppers. Or both. Spoon on some extra gravy just before serving.

CHICAGO-STYLE BEEF ROLLS

Steps:

• Brown roast in oil on all sides in a large skillet; drain. Transfer beef to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Combine the broth, onion, dressing mix, garlic, Italian seasoning and pepper flakes in a large bowl; pour over roast., Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until tender. Remove meat; cool slightly. Skim fat from cooking juices. Shred beef with two forks and return to slow cooker; heat through. Place 1/2 cup on each roll, using a slotted spoon. Serve with pepperoncini and pepper rings if desired.

REAL CHICAGO-STYLE ITALIAN BEEF I

Steps:

• Make a spice rub by combining 1 teaspoon each of dried basil,dried oregano,garlic powder,ground pepper,salt,red pepper flakes.
• Rub HALF of the spice rub over and around the roast, Press the mixture into the meat as much as possible. Place the meat in a roasting pan. Add about 1 cup water to the pan.
• Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
• Roast the beef for 35 minutes, Now reduce the temperature to 400 degrees F., and roast for 40 minutes.
• DO NOT TURN OFF THE OVEN, Remove the pan from the oven and pour 1 1/2 cups cold water into the pan, Let Stand for 15-20 minutes.
• Add remaining seasoning mixture to the pan juices and water. Return meat to the oven and roast until meat thermometer reaches (160 degrees very important to reach this temp) about 50 minutes but use the thermometer to make sure.
• When temp is reached remove pan and allow the roast to cool slightly befroe slicing. Slice almost paper thin (the right thiness is critical to ensure a good chew, But without being tough).
• Transfer the juices to a sauce pan and keep it warm over low heat.
• Immerse the sliced beef into the warm gravy.
• To serve, scoop some of the beef out of the gravy using a fork, Load it onto a Gonnella french bread roll. Garnish with hot or sweet peppers and serve.
• TIP: One of the secrets of Chicago Italian Beef restaurants is that they add garlic juice to the pan juices during the final roasting.
• TIP 2: The beef served at these restaurants are not undercooked, infact most roast the beef until it is medium well which shows very little redness.

BEEF ROLLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Melt the butter in a large saute pan and fry the bacon and mushrooms for 3 minutes; put into medium size bowl; do not wash saute pan as you will use it again for Step 7.
• Add to mushroom mixture, the chopped parsley, lemon rind and juice, bread crumbs, and seasoning.
• Spread an equal amount of the bread crumb mixture evenly over the beef slices, leaving a narrow border clear around the edges.
• Put flour onto dinner size plate and mix paprika into flour.
• Roll up the slices and tie securely with fine string, then dip the beef rolls in the flour/paprika mixture to coat lightly, shaking off any excess flour into a small bowl and RESERVE for thickening later.
• Heat the oil in the frying pan that you used earlier, saute the beef rolls until lightly browned and set rolls in casserole (that has a lid).
• Pour into frying pan the beef stock, onions, reserved flour; stir constantly, bring to a boil, stirring, and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Taste test the sauce, add more salt and pepper if needed.
• Pour the sauce over beef rolls, then cover with tight fitting lid and bake in the oven for 2 hours.
• Lift out the "rolls" using a slotted spoon and remove the string.
• Return beef to the sauce and serve hot.