Recreate The Bear's Italian Beef Sandwich at Home

By: The Food Hunter

 The infamous sandwich has risen in popularity thanks to the FX show "The Bear."  The Bear follows fictional chef, Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), from the Northern California fine dining world, to Chicago to run his family's sandwich shop—The Original Beef of Chicagoland—after a heartbreaking death in his family. 

Worlds away from what he’s used to, Carmy must balance the soul-crushing realities of small business ownership, his strong-willed and uncooperative kitchen staff and his strained familial relationships, all while grappling with the impact of his brother’s suicide.

Fans that want to recreate their own versions of the signature Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich, at home can follow the recipe below. The overstuffed soft roll of sliced beef served au jus is amazing.

 

Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich
Recipe by Courtney Storer & Matty Matheson 

 
4 lb top sirloin or top round
2 Tbsp dried oregano
1.5 Tbsp garlic powder
1.5 Tbsp onion powder
1.5 Tbsp dried basil
1.5 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp pepper
½ cup salt
1 quart grapeseed oil
2 quart beef stock
2 whole heads garlic
2 large carrots
2 quartered onions
1 whole stalk celery
1 quart mild Giardinara
5 green bell peppers
sandwich rolls

Trim fat from beef and set aside, you can always use it as the fat base if you have a food processor but if you don’t, cover the base of your pan with grapeseed oil.

Season beef with salt and pepper. In a large rondeau heat grapeseed oil under medium / high heat. Sear beef on all sides to brown.

 
Once browned, remove beef and rest on a half sheet tray with a cooling rack. Deglaze pan with your aromatics – the rough chopped, skin on, carrots, celery and garlic and stir with a wooden spoon to melt. Once all the fond has come up from the pan, deglaze with beef stock and stir. Mix in dried herbs, bouillon, and seasonings.

 
Add beef back in with the torn or sliced green peppers, just make sure to remove all the seeds. Cook in oven set at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Checking internal temp to 140 degrees.
Once your beef has cooked, take it out and let it rest until cool.

 
Remove your peppers from the jus and place in to another large pot that is on very low heat, then strain your liquid to remove all the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary.

 
Once the beef has fully cooled and rested, thinly slice the beef about half an inch thickness if you can and place it all back in the jus with the peppers.

 
Get all your buns ready to start building! 

 

Slice your bun in half and take a tong-full of your beef, lay it in gently, then stuff one of the peppers in there and top with your giardinara. Dip each corner into the jus and wrap up your sandwich in parchment or wax paper.