This Italian Beef is so delicious and full flavor and it's so easy to make in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! Wonderfully juicy, it's perfect to add to sandwiches and then dip in that yummy jus!
I fell in love with Italian Beef Sandwiches on a visit to Chicago while in college. Since then, I couldn't stop myself from learning how to make one at home in Carolina. This sandwich takes a lot of love, time, and effort but thanks to my Instant Pot, I can make it much quicker. It's so easy and the au jus for dipping is so flavorful!
If you, too, are a sandwich lover, be sure to check out my Nashville Style Hot Chicken Tenders and Air Fryer Turkey Burgers.
How To Make Instant Pot Italian Beef
- Season roast with salt and pepper. Set Pressure Cooker to High sauté.
- Once Hot, add olive oil and the beef, browning each side about 3 mins per side. Remove beef pieces and set aside.
- Deglaze pot by adding ¼ cup of beef broth and use a wooden spoon to remove brown bits from the bottom. This is where the flavor lives!
- Add onions and sauté until softened, about 5 mins. Add garlic cloves and sauté for 30 seconds more.
- Add remaining beef broth, pepperoncini juice, Italian seasoning, paprika, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, pepperoncini peppers.
- Add the beef to Pressure Cooker. Press Cancel on the pressure cooker, cover and cook on high pressure for 52 mins, then natural release for 20 mins, and then quickly release any remaining pressure.
More liquid will produce in the pressure cooker while it's cooking.
- Remove meat to a baking sheet and use two forks to shred the meat.
- Pour some of the liquid over the beef until moistened. Reserve the remaining sauce for dipping. Enjoy as a sandwich or any way you prefer your Italian Beef.
All done.
Can you make shredded beef ahead of time?
Yes, this Italian beef is a great make ahead recipe! Cook and shred the beef and then you can keep it in the fridge for 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
You can cook the meat from chilled or frozen on the stovetop until heated through.
How do you serve Italian Beef?
I love to serve the shredded meat in a roll and topped with some pepperoncini and other pickles. Be sure to serve some of that jus in a bowl on the side for dipping!
You can also serve the beef as part of a main with your favorite sides like Southern candied sweet potatoes and sauteed beet greens. Hey, you can even pop it into some tacos if you like!
What's the best beef to use?
I like to use beef shoulder or rump roast for this recipe. They are tough cuts of beef that have a great flavor and the high fat content prevents it from drying out during cooking. Look for cuts that are well marbled.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- These Italian beef sandwiches are delicious when topped with Giardiniera. You can purchase this in many grocery store chains. I also like to top mine with a spicy pepper mix.
- For less spicy beef, use fewer pepperoncini.
- Serve the au jus sauce on the side for dipping if you like a wet sandwich.
More Easy Beef Recipes
Italian Beef
Ingredients
- 3.25 lb beef shoulder or rump roast cut into 4 large chunks
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion sliced
- 6 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup beef broth separated
- 8 mild pepperoncini and ¼ cup pepperoncini juice
- Salt to taste*
Instructions
- Season roast with salt and pepper. Set Pressure Cooker to High sauté. Once Hot, add olive oil and the beef, browning each side about 3 mins per side. Remove beef pieces and set aside.
- Deglaze pot by adding ¼ cup of beef broth and use a wooden spoon to remove brown bits from the bottom.
- Add onions and sauté until softened, about 5 mins. Add garlic cloves and sauté for 30 seconds more.
- Add remaining beef broth, pepperoncini juice, Italian seasoning, paprika, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, pepperoncini peppers, and beef to Pressure Cooker. Press Cancel on the pressure cooker, cover and cook on high pressure for 52 mins, then natural release for 20 mins, and then quickly release any remaining pressure.
- Remove meat to a baking sheet and use two forks to shred the meat. Pour some of the liquid over the beef until moistened. Reserve the remaining sauce for dipping. Enjoy as a sandwich or any way you prefer your Italian Beef.
Suggested Tools
Video
Notes
- These Italian beef sandwiches are delicious when topped with Giardiniera. You can purchase this in many grocery store chains. I also like to top mine with a spicy pepper mix.
- For less spicy beef, use fewer pepperoncini.
- Serve the au jus sauce on the side for dipping if you like a wet sandwich.
Kathi says
What if I do not have an Insta Pot?
Tanya says
Hi Kathi, this recipe was tested in the Instant Pot but could be baked in the oven. You would still need to sear it on the stove (in a dutch oven is best) and then bake in the oven, after adding all ingredients, covered, on 300F for 3-4 hours until shredded.
Dominick P Costello says
Well just when I was about to close down my computer for the night I come across Italian Beef and being the food loving Italian that I am, I found myself here: "My Forking Life". Being the OLD Man that I am, I'd use a diff word than "Forking", but I LOVE IT!!! Thank You, I'll be trying your recipe soon.
Dominick
Tanya says
lol, thank you Dominick. I hope you enjoy this recipe too.
Elizabeth says
I am working on expanding my repertoire of meals for groups. I made this and thought it was good. My friend, who doesn't usually eat much meat, thought it was really, really good. It is really worth buying the pickled vegetables to go on top.
I have a mini Instant Pot and so could only fit 2 of the 3 meat pieces in. Then I forgot to close the valve until it had been cooking for awhile. WHen the timer was done the meat was still in one piece, not easily pulling apart. I just put it back under pressure for 20 minutes and it finished cooking.
Tanya says
Thank you Elizabeth! So glad you liked the recipe. I forget to close the valve sometimes too, happy to hear you were able to fix it.