PORTILLO’S ITALIAN BEEF (Copycat)

• beef fat↗1⁄4 lb

  trimmings

• water↗4 cups
• knorr beef bouillon cubes↗2

  (double-size cubes, or use 4 standard size)

• Kitchen Bouquet↗1 1⁄2 teaspoons

  browning & seasoning sauce

• lemon juice↗1 teaspoon
• dried oregano↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• salt↗1⁄4 teaspoon
• ground black pepper↗1⁄4 teaspoon
• garlic powder↗1⁄8 teaspoon
• ground cayenne pepper↗1⁄8 teaspoon
• msg1 pinch
• hard french bread sandwich buns↗4
• roast beef, London broil or 1 lb italian style roast beef1 lb

  sliced very thin

• marconi hot giardiniera or cooked sweet pepper↗

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. 2

   Render the beef fat by chopping it into small bits (about the size of peas) with a food processor. Be sure the fat is very cold--it will chop better. If you don't have a food processor, you can chop the fat by hand. Use a sharp knife and cut it as small as you can. Heat up the fat in a sauté pan over medium heat until the bits are browned. Strain the solids from the fat and measure 1/4 cup of fat for the gravy.

3. 3

   Make the beef gravy by combining all of the ingredients, including the beef fat, in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture begins to boil reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then turn the heat to low.

4. 4

   Make the sandwiches by heating up the rolls in the hot oven for 3 minutes.

5. 5

   For each sandwich, drop 1/4 pound of sliced beef (separate the slices) into the gravy for 2 minutes. Make sure the gravy isn't boiling. It should be around 180 degrees F. After the beef has soaked in the gravy, use tongs to arrange the beef on a warmed sandwich roll and top with your choice of hot giardiniera or sweet peppers. Or both. Spoon on some extra gravy just before serving.