Italian Shredded Beef

Side view of an Italian beef sandwich on a wooden board.

5 from 4 votes

Italian Shredded Beef is a staple in my kitchen, because it's easy and really flavorful! It is a cinch to make at home any day of the week!

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 10

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 336kcal

Author: Marie

Equipment

Pressure cooker, slow cooker, or dutch oven

Ingredients

2 lbs london broil (also called top-round steak)
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 jar sliced pepperoncini or banana peppers with liquid reserved (see NOTE 1), hot or mild
1 small can tomato paste
beef broth or water

To serve

4 slices provolone cheese or mozzarella (more if desired)
2 cups italian giardiniera
4 sandwich rolls seeded italian bread recommended
roasted red peppers

Instructions

Initial Preparation (All Methods)

Season the meat on both sides with onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper.
Heat olive oil in your cooking vessel (or a separate pan if using a crockpot and use the sear function on InstantPot) and brown the meat on both sides.
After browning, add jarred peppers with liquid (remove some if you don't like it too briney) and tomato paste to your pot (i.e., Dutch Oven, slow cooker, or InstantPot), stirring well.
Add beef broth or water in a pinch or both if the broth alone doesn't reach halfway up the sides of the meat.

For Instant Pot

Cook on manual setting (high pressure) for 70 minutes and then allow for natural pressure release (this should take about 20 minutes more).
Total time: about 100 minutes (10 to pressurize + 70 to cook + 20 to release)

For Slow Cooker

Cover and cook: On LOW: 7-8 hours or on HIGH: 3-4 hours (this can vary depending on the power of your slow cooker, so please check the meat intermittently to see if it's shreddable/ cooked the first time you make this and then note the time)

Stovetop Method (Dutch Oven)

Cover and simmer over very low heat for 90 minutes
Turn beef, cover and simmer for another 90 minutes or until meat is very tender

Oven Method (Dutch Oven)

Place covered Dutch oven in 350°F oven. Cook for 2½ hours total, turning meat once after 1 hour

Final Steps (All Methods)

Once the meat is tender, shred using two forks. Serve either on rolls topped with cheese, peppers, or pickled vegetables, or with mashed potatoes as a non-sandwich option

Pro Tips

When browning meat, ensure pan is hot enough to get a good sear. Don't skip browning - it adds crucial flavor. If using stovetop method, scrape up all browned bits when adding liquid. For all methods, ensure there's enough liquid to prevent burning. Let meat rest for 5-10 minutes before shredding for juicier results.

Notes

To cook more meat or double the recipe, increase the amount of spices accordingly, but keep the cooking time the same if the thickness of meat is similar (about 1.5 to 2 inches thick for each cut).

Note 1. For a milder flavor, drain the jarred peppers and substitute beef broth for the pepper brine. While the pepper brine adds a delicious tangy depth to the dish, using broth creates a more traditional beef flavor that some may prefer

The nutrition information estimate is for cooked shredded beef without bread or toppings (cheese, giardiniera, or roasted peppers).

Nutrition