Italian Beef Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. rendered beef fat (or olive oil)
• ¹⁄₄ cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tbsp.)
• 6 cups low-sodium beef stock
• 2 0.7-oz. packets Italian salad-dressing mix
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1 tsp. chile flakes
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 2-3 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• 4 Italian- or French-style rolls (about 6 in. long)
• 2 lb. boneless sirloin steak, thinly sliced on the bias
• 2 cups hot giardiniera relish, drained

Instructions

1. In a medium pot, over medium heat, cook the beef fat (or olive oil) until it shimmers, then add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent and softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds more, then add the beef stock, Italian salad-­dressing mix, basil, black pepper, chile flakes, oregano, and parsley. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until reduced by a third, 30-40 minutes. Season to taste with the ­Worcestershire sauce, if using, and maintain a low simmer.
2. Meanwhile, split the rolls in half lengthwise, leaving one side intact, and place on a large rimmed baking sheet; set aside.
3. Pull the steak slices apart and divide into 4 equal batches. Working with 1 batch at a time, use tongs to dunk the meat into the juice, swirling gently to quickly poach the meat, 1-2 minutes, before nestling the batch inside one of the split rolls. Repeat with the other 3 steak batches and rolls. To serve “wet,” ladle a generous amount of juice over the beef. To serve “dipped,” use tongs to quickly dunk the entire sandwich into the juice. To make a sandwich “hot,” top the beef with giardiniera to taste.