Get the Chicago Taste: Portillo's Italian Beef Recipe

Have you ever been to Chicago? Portillo’s, for example, is a must-try for any passer-by. They’re most famous for their Italian beef sandwich, and that’s for a good reason. It’s so good that you’d be surprised to see how many people ask for the recipe.

With meat that is so thin, it’s also so tender that it melts in your mouth. Supported by a group of vegetables that are rich in nutritional value as well, you won’t regret checking out Portillo’s Italian beef sandwich recipe.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage and reheating
• Tips
• Portillo's Italian Beef Recipe
• Comments

Ingredients

1. Base ingredients

• Stewing beef — 5 pounds.
• Beef broth — 4 cups, plus more as needed to cover.
• Onion powder — ½ tsp.
• Garlic powder — ½ tsp.
• Cooking oil — 2 ½ tbsp.
• Oregano — 1 tsp., dried.
• Basil — 1 tsp., dried.
• Carrots — ½ cup, chopped.
• Celery — ½ cup, chopped.
• Bay leaf — 1 pc.
• Cayenne pepper — 1 tsp.
• Salt and pepper — to taste.

2. Serving

• Turano rolls — as needed.

Instructions

1. Heat some oil in a skillet and cook the meat until both sides turn brown.

2. While cooking the meat, season it with salt and pepper.

3. Once the meat has cooked, stir in all of the base ingredients except for the beef broth.

4. Stir well. Follow by adding enough beef broth to cover the meat.

5. Bring to a boil.

6. Transfer the mixture to your slow cooker.

7. Cook for at least 10 hours at a low setting, or for at least 4-5 hours at high setting.

8. Transfer the mixture to another pot, while straining the excess beef broth.

9. Shred the meat into smaller pieces with a fork or wooden spoon.

10. Start by pouring additional broth into your Turano rolls, and later follow by adding the vegetables and the beef.

Substitutions

• Stewing beef — Although any kind of beef would work to make a regular sandwich, our Portillo’s Italian beef sandwich should be with Angus roast beef. The meat should be as tender as possible, with the leanest of cuts. Don’t be afraid to ask for the leanest cut possible. If you can’t find Angus beef, you could also go with London broil or Italian-style seasoned beef.

• Beef broth — You can substitute beef broth easily using chicken broth. Vegetable broth fits well in this recipe, as it pairs well with bay leaf, peppers, and much more.

• Turano rolls — Turano rolls are the secret ingredient in this recipe for Portillo’s Italian beef. Although classic hoagie rolls will work great as well, we’d recommend turning to them only as a last resort. Gonnella and Amoroso rolls would be excellent choices as well.

• Italian seasoning — If you don’t really want to deal with multiple ingredients, Italian seasoning could be your lifesaver, especially if you don’t have dried oregano and basil. Italian seasoning also contains rosemary and thyme, for a deeper flavor.

Variations

• Meaty — An Italian sandwich with thin-as-paper meat. What could be better? What about sausage? This one’s for those who’d rather have their Portillo’s Italian beef sandwich even meatier. Though any kind of sausage will do, be authentic and try Mortadella or Luganega.

• Leafy — If you’d like some more greens, try adding some wilted spinach into the mix. Cook the spinach slowly on low heat for a bit, and you’re all set.

• Cheesy — Since this is an Italian beef sandwich, there could be no harm in going even more Italian and adding some cheese. Provolone cheese will work great.

Equipment

• Measuring spoons and cups.

• Skillet.

• Cooking pot.

• Slow cooker.

• Fork.

Storage and reheating

• Tightly wrap any leftovers. And you can store it in the fridge for 3-5 days.

• To reheat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and heat it for 10 minutes.

Tips

• Add some acidity — The beef has a very strong and rich taste, and while it’s a good thing, it might be overwhelming for some. To prevent this, try adding some acidity into the mix. While lemon juice is simple but effective, vinegar might be even better if you’re feeling bold.

• Toast the bread — This Italian beef Portillo’s recipe is great, but you should probably consider toasting your rolls for an even greater experience. And make sure to butter them generously. These will make a huge difference.