May is National Beef Month, and May 27 has been designated as National Italian Beef Day. It\u2019s always fun to learn a new way to enjoy beef. Italian Beef began and became famous as cheap food for the working class and immigrants of Chicago. Today, the Italian Beef Sandwich has stood the test of time as a cultural icon for the city. Little Italy in Chicago is home to the traditional sandwich.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
To make Italian Beef, you will need a roast with lots of marbling. A chuck roast is marbled throughout. A top round roast or sirloin tip roast can be used, as long as it has a lot of fat content to help develop the flavor. When the roast is cooking, the fat melts and becomes sauce that will be turned into au jus gravy. This seasoned liquid is a crucial ingredient for an authentic Italian Beef sandwich.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The meat is seasoned with dried herbs such as basil and oregano. Next, spices such as red and black pepper, garlic, and other spices are added to the roast, which will be slow-cooked while partially submerged in beef stock. After cooking, the cooled beef is sliced very thin and reheated in the cooking juices. This thinly sliced meat becomes the foundation of the Italian Beef sandwich once it is placed inside the bread.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Italian Beef sandwiches are made on bread called \u201cFrench bread\u201d by the Italian bakeries in Chicago, but it is not the traditional French bread we would picture. The loaf is thinner, longer, and has less crust. I would describe it more as a baguette.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
After the meat is placed in the bread, it is topped with peppers. Italian Beef sandwiches can be either hot or sweet, depending on the type of peppers used. A \u201csweet\u201d Italian Beef sandwich is topped with sweet peppers, such as roasted sliced green and red peppers that have been tossed with fresh garlic, pepper, salt, and olive oil. A \u201chot\u201d\u00a0 Italian Beef sandwich is layered with giardiniera, a pickled relish of vegetables and spicy peppers.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
If desired, you can add cheese. Mozzarella and provolone are popular picks.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
When ordering an Italian Beef at a stand or eatery, you will need to know if you prefer your Italian Beef sandwich to be hot or sweet, and also, \u201cdry,\u201d \u201cdipped,\u201d or \u201cwet.\u201d\u00a0 To make the sandwich \u201cdry,\u201d most of the liquid is allowed to drip off the beef before it is put into the bread. For a \u201cwet\u201d sandwich, the beef is pulled from the liquid and immediately put into the bread. For it to be \u201cdipped,\u201d the entire beef sandwich will be quickly dipped into the liquid.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Nutritionally, Italian Beef sandwiches contain high amounts of protein, along with vitamins and minerals. Those watching the fat content of their diets should skip the optional cheese and order a smaller sandwich with less beef and au jus gravy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Written by Vicki Hayman, MS, University of Wyoming Extension Nutrition and Food Safety Educator<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Sources:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"Italian](\"https:\/\/uwyoextension.org\/uwnutrition\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/shutterstock_1957001710.jpg-resized-500x500.jpg\")
<\/div>\n\t