Brian Lagerstrom is the kind of cooking YouTuber who takes a dish that normally demands a deli slicer, a 24-hour braise, and a Chicago zip code — and figures out how to pull it off in a home kitchen without cutting corners on flavor. His channel has quietly become one of the most reliable destinations for serious technique delivered without pretension, and this Italian Beef video is a prime example of why.
Chicago Italian Beef is a legendary sandwich: thin-shaved, slow-braised beef piled onto a crusty Italian roll, soaked in a deeply seasoned jus, and topped with spicy giardiniera or sweet roasted peppers. The traditional version calls for specialized equipment and takes the better part of a day. Lagerstrom's Instant Pot approach strips away the complexity without sacrificing the low-and-slow magic that makes this sandwich so craveable.
What Makes This Recipe Worth Your Sunday
The key to Chicago Italian Beef is the jus — a rich, herby, garlicky braising liquid that the beef both cooks in and gets dunked into at serving. In Lagerstrom's version, the Instant Pot does the heavy lifting: pressure cooking breaks down a tough chuck roast in a fraction of the time, yielding incredibly tender, pull-apart beef that still slices cleanly once chilled. The result is a sandwich that tastes like it came from a decades-old beef stand on the West Side.
What really sets this video apart is Lagerstrom's attention to the details that home cooks usually overlook. He doesn't just throw beef in a pot and call it done — he builds the jus thoughtfully, rests the beef before slicing, and even provides a recipe for the roll so you can make the whole sandwich from scratch.
Key Technique Highlights
- Sear before you seal. Browning the chuck roast on all sides before closing the Instant Pot lid adds a layer of caramelized depth to the jus that you simply cannot get from a cold start. Don't skip this step.
- Chill for cleaner slices. Once the beef is cooked through, letting it cool in the braising liquid — then refrigerating — firms up the meat so it can be sliced thin rather than shredded. It's the difference between authentic Italian Beef and a sloppy joe.
- Build your jus with intention. The spice blend matters: dried oregano, crushed red pepper, a generous hit of garlic. These go into the liquid early so pressure cooking blooms them fully into the broth.
- Dip the bread. Authentic Chicago style means the roll gets dunked in the jus until thoroughly saturated. The soggy bread is a feature, not a bug.
- Make the giardiniera. Lagerstrom walks through a quick homemade giardiniera that elevates the whole sandwich. The briny, spicy crunch against the tender, juicy beef is exactly what you're going for.
Watch It Happen
Lagerstrom's walkthrough is clear, confident, and genuinely fun to follow. Whether you're a first-time Instant Pot user or a seasoned pressure cooker, his explanation of each step — from building the jus to the final dip — makes the whole process feel approachable.
The Cookware Connection
After your Italian Beef finishes in the Instant Pot, retrieving a large chuck roast from a pool of hot jus can be awkward. That's exactly where Artisan Cookware Co.'s Stackable Insert Pans come in — nestle the roast in an insert pan before pressure cooking and you can lift the whole thing out cleanly once done, without splashing or tipping. The stainless steel construction handles braising liquid beautifully, and the inserts fit perfectly in 6QT and 8QT Instant Pots.
Your Chicago Moment Awaits
You don't need to fly to Chicago to taste one of America's greatest sandwiches. With Brian Lagerstrom's guidance and your Instant Pot, you've got everything you need. Fire it up, build that jus, and don't be shy about the dip.
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