Insanely Delicious Italian Drip Beef

Italian drip in the crockpot! In the past I wasn't a big proponent of the crockpot. There were few recipes that I tried and liked as I felt that everything usually comes out like a big pot of bland mush. Over the years though, I have learned that the crockpot is wonderful for very specific things. Dried beans come out fantastic after a day in the crockpot and I find it very convenient to throw a couple of pounds of chicken breasts in to cook and then shred for later use in various casseroles, enchiladas and chicken salad. Now I will add Italian drip beef to the rotation thanks to Pioneer Woman's recipe. It was fantastic, flavorful and it will conveniently feed a crowd.

First I threw the roast in the pot. Then I added chopped onion and garlic.

Next I dumped in three heaping tablespoons of Italian seasonings. Don't get scared. I did because it looked like a lot, but it came out great. Put in 1/3 of the jar of peppers and pour in 1/3 of the juices from the jar. Because of the peppers, I didn't put in black pepper, but I did shake in some salt. Lastly I poured in the can of broth, put the lid on, turned it to low and went to work. I timed myself and the whole thing, fridge to lid, took me 8 minutes and that included the time it took to take the pictures!

8 and some hours later I was home from work and the chuck roast had shrunk considerably.  Not to worry.  It was tender to the point of falling apart, and I helped it along by shredding it with two forks.

I took out the peppers just as a personal preference--wanting the flavor but not the bite.  I buttered and toasted two buns, dumped on the meat, slapped on some provolone, and melted it in my toaster oven.  At the point where I put some of the drippings in a bowl to use for au jus I realized that I never put in the 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water called for in the recipe.  Again, no worries, it was fantastic.

Since I was the only one eating there was a ton leftover.  After being in the fridge overnight I was surprised to see that there wasn't a lot of fat.  The original recipe claimed there would be a lot of fat and that it should be skimmed off after being refrigerated but it also called for cooking in the oven or on the stovetop.  I don't know if the lack of fat in my version was because of the crockpot cooking method, or just the cut of meat but either way it worked for me.  Less fat, and so so so quick, easy, and convenient.  Perfect for the next family visit.

Ingredients:
(Adapted from Italian Drip Beef)

3-4 lb Chuck roast
half an onion, cut into chunks
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
8 oz jar Pepperoncini peppers
3 tbsp Italian seasoning
15oz can of beef broth

Directions:

1. Add roast to slow cooker and top with the onions and garlic.
2. Add to roast the Italian seasonings, Pepperoncini peppers and Pepperoncini juices along with a teaspoon of salt.
3. Pour in the can of beef broth and cook on low for about 8 hours.
4. Remove roast and shred with two forks.
5. Serve on buttered, toasted bread. Top with cheese of choice and broil. Serve with a side of juice from the slow cooker.

~K-Bomb