Over the last two summers, The Bear on Hulu has captured the imagination of a nation enthralled by the chaos inside a restaurant kitchen. If a program could ever be a “song of the summer,” it would be this Chicago-based drama centered around an Italian beef sandwich shop with a fine-dining spin.
But as you watch Carmy and Sydney and Richie jaw at each other, intermittently shouting “CORNER” and “BEHIND” and “HANDS,” you might be wondering — how can I get my hands on the central, delectable and savory Chicago treat? And, what is “The Bear” (or “The Beef of Chicagoland”) actually based on within the city limits of the heart of the Midwest?
As it turns out, per Variety, the show derived inspiration from Mr. Beef — a Chicagoland greasy spoon institution built on good eats and better people. And a Twitter user (@mckiesdjlounge) has found Mr. Beef’s original recipe for an Italian beef sandwich, published in the Chicago Tribune in January 1990.
Talk about a wonderful and delicious slice of au jus history.
So, in the interest of helping grow your investment and get a little “taste” of Chicago, if you will, here’s how to make the Italian beef sandwich that helped inspire the mayhem of a fictional Second City restaurant.
MORE THE BEAR:
The recipe
Servings: Eight
Estimated prep time: 20 minutes
Estimated cook time: 50-55 minutes
The recipe:
- One teaspoon each of red pepper flakes, garlic powder, dried basil, dried oregano, freshly ground pepper
- One half-teaspoon of salt
- Two and a half pounds of sirloin tip roast
- One cup of cold water
- Eight soft, warmed Italian bread rolls
- Pickled hot sports peppers/sliced sweet peppers at your discretion
Cooking steps
Initial bake
After heating your oven to 450 degrees, combine all your seasonings in one dish. Rub half of them across your meat, working some under the fat. Ensure the meat is in a shallow-enough pan to hold it before cooking. Bake for 15 minutes at this temperature before reducing to 350 degrees and baking for another 20 minutes.
Solidify the fat for the juices
After you’re done baking, take the pan out and pour cold water into the bottom of your pan. Let this stand for a bit to allow the fat to solidify, then throw out the fat. In the juices now present, throw in the remainder of your seasoning. Put the pan back into the oven to bake to the meat level you want, with “rare” being ideal. A temperature of 130 degrees at 15 to 20 minutes should provide a rare cook.
Prep the cooked meat
After you’re finished baking, placing the meat itself in the freezer until it’s solid should make for easier cuts. The pan juices should be refrigerated.
Serving time
Once ready to serve, slice the meat into slices that have a paper-thin thickness. Putting your meat in the microwave for about 30 seconds should suffice for proper heating. Steaming it over simmering water for a couple of minutes is another option. The same heating principle applies to the juices and half-split rolls.
The juices should be ladled/spooned over the bread first, then meat and peppers can be added after the fact to serve immediately.
Enjoy! Hopefully this sandwich keeps you calm in the madness of Carmy Berzatto’s kitchen.
