I have been resisting turning on the air conditioning in the day, which also means that I have been resisting turning on the oven, since my kitchen really warms up when it is on. Instead, I have been using our slow cooker.
My husband had a group of friends over for dinner last night, so I used the slow cooker to cook for a crowd. On the menu was Italian Beef Sandwiches. If you have never had Italian beef, it is chuck roast cooked long and low in liquid, with giardiniera (spicy Italian pickled vegetables), and then shredded and served on a crusty roll with provolone cheese.
Italian Beef for Sandwiches
3 pound beef chuck roast
2 cups water
1 16 oz jar giardiniera
2 packages of dry Italian dressing mix (the kind in the tiny envelopes)
(I also threw in a half jar—about five ounces—of sliced pepper rings and their juice, since I like my Italian beef hot).
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high for six hours or until beef easily shreds. Remove beef to a bowl, shred, and return to jus in slow cooker. Keep slow cooker on low until ready to make sandwiches.