Recipes

Chicago Beef-Style Italian Beef with Steak Sauce Aioli

Grilled flank steak stands in for the classic slow-braised beef here, piled onto a buttered, grilled hoagie roll with melted provolone, smoky charred sweet peppers, and tangy giardiniera. The trick is the steak sauce aioli — spiked with beef bouillon and the steak's own resting juices, it brings back that essential dip-worthy moisture a braise would normally deliver.

chicago-beef-style
By Stephanie Banyas
Serves: 6
Ingredients
Directions
  • 1 cup prepared mayonnaise, such as Hellmann’s
  • 2 tablespoons mild or hot giardiniera brine
  • 2 teaspoons beef bouillon paste such as Better Than Bouillon
  • 1 large clove garlic, finely grated
  • 1 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, optional
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 5 large bell peppers, assorted colors such as red, orange and yellow
  • Avocado oil
  • 1 recipe Grilled Marinated Flank Steak, rested and thinly sliced against the grain, juices reserved
  • 6 French-style or Italian-Style rolls, halved
  • Unsalted butter, softened
  • 12 thin slices provolone or mozzarella cheese
  • 1 jar mild or hot giardiniera, drained

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, giardiniera brine, beef bouillon paste, garlic, celery salt, rosemary (if using), ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper until fully blended. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes up to 1 day. Just before serving, mix a few tablespoons of the rested flank steak juices 

2. Set up your grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat (550–660°F), creating a two-zone setup with an indirect cooking zone. A charcoal fire is recommended for best flavor.

3. Lightly coat the bell peppers with oil and season with salt. Place them over direct heat, close the lid, and grill for about 8 minutes, turning every few minutes until charred and softened on all sides. Transfer the peppers to indirect heat and grill for another 10 minutes until tender. Promptly transfer the charred peppers to a bowl, seal tightly with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a lid and let them steam for 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Gently peel away the blackened skin with your fingers. Slice the peppers open, then remove and discard the core and seeds. Avoid rinsing them with water to preserve their rich, smoky flavor. Slice into ¼-inch thick slices. Transfer to a bowl.  

5. While the grilled flank steak rests for 10 minutes after cooking according to the recipe, butter the cut side of each roll. To ensure even browning, place the rolls buttered-side down over direct heat and press firmly with a grill press until lightly golden.Transfer them cut-side up to the indirect cooking zone, crown each bottom roll with 2 slices of cheese, and close the grill lid for about 30 seconds to let the cheese melt. Slather some of the steak sauce aioli on the cut side of the top half of the roll.

6. Assemble each sandwich by layering the sliced steak, generous heap of grilled peppers and giardiniera capping with the top rolls.