Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • Salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 7 pounds beef chuck roll, sliced into 2-inch-thick portions
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil, or as needed
  • 6 to 7 stalks celery, cut into 3/4-inch dice
  • 2 yellow onions, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice
  • 2 green bell peppers, cored and cut into 3/4-inch dice
  • 2 jumbo carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice
  • 1 cup peeled garlic cloves, each clove halved lengthwise
  • 7 cups dry red wine
  • 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 13 cup chopped parsley leaves
  • 5 loaves French or Italian bread
  • Mayonnaise
  • shredded lettuce
  • sliced tomatoes
  • sliced pickles to dress sandwiches

Method

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Place flour in a large, wide bowl and season generously with salt and pepper.
  • Add beef, dust well on all sides and shake off excess.
  • Place a large, heavy Dutch oven or roasting pan with a lid over medium-high heat.
  • Add enough oil to cover the bottom and heat until shimmering.
  • Working in batches, add beef and sear well on all sides.
  • Transfer beef to a platter and set aside.
  • Add celery, onions, peppers, carrots and garlic to pan; if necessary, add more oil.
  • Saute until vegetables are tender and golden brown, about 15 minutes.
  • Add wine and 3 cups water.
  • Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan.
  • Add rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and parsley.
  • Stir well, add beef, and stir again to mix well.
  • Cover, and transfer to oven.
  • Cook until beef is very tender, about three hours.
  • Transfer beef to a deep platter and keep warm.
  • Remove and discard bay leaf.
  • Using a hand-held immersion blender or stand blender, puree vegetables and any remaining bits of meat in pan juices to make sauce.
  • Cut beef into slices.
  • Slice each bread loaf in half lengthwise and crosswise, spread one side with mayonnaise, thickly layer in meat, wet with gravy, and top with lettuce, tomatoes and pickles.