I created this recipe for a Super Bowl party a few years back. When I think football, I think tailgate. My family’s favorite tailgate specialties are sausage and peppers and Italian beef sandwiches. I was trying to decide which one serve for Super Bowl Sunday and thought: why say “or” when you can say “and”. . .? Enter the Italian Beef and Sausage Sandwich! 

So I created this recipe mash-up of both with the added convenience of crock pot cooking. Meaty, manly and seriously delicious. Oh, and easy and relatively cheap! This is a celebration of a meal. No matter who wins the Super Bowl; we have a winner!

 

Don’t have a Crockpot? Here’s one I can recommend. Great price! Great value, and great reviews:  Crock Pot SCR450-PT 4-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker, Black Demask Pattern

 

To keep costs low, only purchase two Italian sausage links (sweet or hot, you decide) from the deli counter rather than buying a larger package. Choose whichever beef roast cut that’s on sale for the lowest price per pound that week. Check the day old bakery rack for sandwich rolls. You don’t need “good” (read: expensive) mozzarella cheese for this sandwich. Buy the store brand block cheese and slice it yourself.

This recipe is perfect for weekly meal prep. Besides making an awesome sandwich, you can serve this over pasta, rice or polenta, (a family fave!) on a pizza, over sautéed hearty greens, or add beef broth and canned Italian style tomatoes to make a luscious soup. 

 

ITALIAN BEEF SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS SANDWICH

 

What You’ll Need:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 links Italian sausage
• 3 to 4-pound beef roast – whatever cut is on sale
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder – divided
• Salt and pepper
• One large sweet onion – sliced
• I (14 oz.) bag frozen bell pepper mix – defrosted
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 (14oz.) can beef broth

 

For sandwiches – Sandwich rolls, mozzarella cheese, pesto, tomato

 

Here’s How:

 

Set your crock pot on LOW. Preheat a skillet on the stove top with one tablespoon of olive oil.

 

 

Remove casing from the sausage and cook in the skillet, breaking it into crumbles so it can flavor everything it touches.

 

Set aside, leaving as much rendered fat in the skillet as possible.

 

Season beef roast liberally with salt, pepper and 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder. I probably used more than a tablespoon of garlic, you know me.

 

 

Brown all sides of the roast in the skillet. This is going to add amazing amounts of good flavor to the whole mash-up. Set aside.

 

 

Add the sliced onion and peppers to the pan drippings and sauté until just beginning to soften. Add Italian seasoning, the remaining garlic powder and sugar.

 

 

Return the sausage crumbles back to the pan, add the tomato sauce along with a splash of beef broth, then stir, making sure to scrape all the yummy brown bits off the bottom of the pan.

 

 

Place half the sausage and pepper mixture in the crock pot, place the beef roast on top then dump the rest of the mixture over the roast.

 

 

Pour the remaining beef broth in the crock pot. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or until the roast is fall apart tender.

 

 

When it’s done, you’ve got to let the meat rest for 30 minutes or you’ll lose all your juices when you cut into it. Depending on the cut of beef you used, either shred or thinly slice the meat. Put it back in the crock pot to warm up and get nice and juicy before you serve.

 

To assemble the sandwich, preheat broiler.

 

Slice rolls lengthwise. Scoop a generous portion of the beefy sausage mixture on the bottom slice. Cover with sliced mozzarella and place under the broiler until it’s all melty and gooey.

 

Top with sliced fresh tomato, a drizzle of pesto and the top half of the roll then squish it down.

 

 

You know French dip? Meet Italian Dip.

There’s liquid you shouldn’t waste in the crock pot so serve a little bowl alongside for dipping.
Juicy, drippy, messy, deliciousness! Just bring a whole roll of paper towels to the couch. Possibly a tarp. 

 

 

 

You may also like – Quick and Easy Sloppy Joes  Quick and Easy Meatloaf Muffins