Chicago-Style Italian Beef Sandwiches

1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/2 teaspoon salt + a little extra to season the roast
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
1 (.7 ounce) packet dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1 (3 pound) chuck or rump roast (I prefer chuck because it shreds better)

Put half of the sliced onion on the bottom of your slow cooker. Turn heat to the LOW setting.
Combine broth with all the seasonings in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and then pour into heated slow cooker.

Sprinkle salt over roast. In a large frying pan, pour about a tablespoon of olive oil, heat, and quickly sear the sides of the roast til it is browned all over. Remove from pan & place into broth in slow cooker. Sprinkle packet of Italian dressing mix over the entire top of the roast, top with the other half of the sliced onion, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours. At the 8 hour mark, shred roast with a couple of forks, and let it go for another hour to hour and a half.

After this, you can decide how you want to serve them. A nice crusty sandwich bun is a good bet because the meat is juicy and softens the bread. It's great with a slice of provolone cheese and some caramelized onions.

Traditionally, these sandwiches are served "hot" or "sweet," with the 'hot' being topped with cooked giardiniera (the hot pickled mix of cauliflower, carrots, pepperoncini - found in stores where you find pickles and olives), and the 'sweet' being topped with roasted bell peppers. Personally, I love the giardiniera. I cook just enough to go on my sandwich by simply pouring it into a small saucepan with some of its liquid and simmering until the cauliflower is soft. Awesome.

To top with roasted bell peppers, cut a yellow or green bell pepper in half, broil it in the oven until the skin is charred (just a few minutes), cover with foil or plastic for about 10 minutes, and then easily peel off the pepper's skin. Slice the pepper into strips, sprinkle a little kosher salt on, and you have a major sandwich topping. Some folks like to have a bowl of the sauce in the crockpot to dip their sandwich, but that's a matter of preference.

ENJOY!!  ~ AJ