Italian Dip Beef for Sandwiches

Aug 03, 2013

This is a long post since it involved two days of cooking.

Today was a long cook day for me. I did up a beef arm roast for some Italian dip beef and then fixed some burgers for our supper. Chicago style beef sandwiches are usually made from eye of round, cooked to rare then sliced thin and cooked with broth and seasonings. I wanted to do some shredded beef. The arm roast would be good cooked slowly in broth all day.

I seasoned with salt and pepper and did a two hour smoke on my Traeger at 8:00 AM, 175 to 180 deg. I then sautéed some onions to cover the bottom of my cast iron Dutch oven; about 2 medium Vidalia onions. The roast went on top; covered with some pepperoncini peppers and about ¼ cup of the juice.

I mixed up a packet of Louie’s Italian beef seasoning with a quart of water and poured over the roast then added almost a bottle of Yuengling black and tan beer.

This went on the smoker at 225 deg. that’s 250 deg. grill level. I left the lid off for about 45 minutes for it all to get happy. I placed the lid on and never opened the grill until 4:30 PM. I could have done this step inside but I like to keep the heat out of the house in the summer.

I removed some of the fat and shredded it up. It was fall apart tender. When it cooled it went in the fridge. Tomorrow I will remove some of the fat and reheat for some Italian dip sandwiches.

Arm Roast

Ingredients

After 2 hours of smoke

Getting Happy in the Pot

Louie's broth and a beer

Getting Happier on the smoker

All done

Fall apart tender

Shredded and ready for the fridge overnight

Aug 04 2013

I got the roast out of the fridge to heat up for supper. There was not enough fat on top to skim off. That’s one reason I like using an arm roast over a chuck roast; cooked slow it is as tender as a chuck roast.

I was not happy with the rolls I had. You can never find good crusty hoagie rolls around here.

They would have to do.

I cooked some rice in my steamer. While it was cooking I sautéed some onions, corn cut off the cob and asparagus in grape seed oil. When the rice was done I added 4 tablespoons of my gorgonzola butter and added the sautéed veggies over top. I put the cooker on warm hold while I made up the sandwiches.

I drizzled a little olive oil on the buns and toasted in my steel skillet. I served the sandwiches and rice with some au jus for dipping. My wife said it was the best Italian beef I ever made. I think I agree with her and it is easier than doing up a roast and slicing.

Heating up

Sauteing the Veggies

Butter added and Veggies went overtop

Sandwich and Rice

My Supper