• Liberally season your 2-3 pound beef chuck roast with salt and pepper.
• In a large measuring cup, combine 3 cups beef broth and ¼ cup worcestershire sauce and set aside.
• In a large cast iron skillet or dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat and sear roast on all sides before transfering meat to your slow cooker.
• Reduce the heat to medium, and in the same skillet you browned the meat in, add 2 yellow sliced onions and cook for 5 minutes, adding more oil if they seem dry. Add 3 cloves garlic (or frozen cubes) and cook for an additional minute while stirring. Add a few tablespoons of the beef broth mixture to the onions while continuing to stir and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
• Transfer the onion mixture and all accumulated juices into the slow cooker (with the meat) and pour in the remaining broth mixture. Cook in your slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours, or until the meat is tender.
• Remove the meat to a cutting board and shred it with 2 forks or thinly slice it (against the grain), set aside.
• Place a strainer over a large bowl and carefully pour the juices from the slow cooker through the strainer and into the bowl (this is your au jus). Set aside the onions that remain in the strainer.
• Transfer the meat and the onions back into the slow cooker. Pour a little au jus over the meat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve the remaining au jus for sandwich dipping. If you'd like more au jus, you can stir in a little beef broth to make it stretch farther.
• Build the sandwiches on a sheet tray. Fill 6 split rolls with meat and onions and top with the 8-12 slices cheese of your choice. Transfer filled sandwiches to an oven preheated to 375°F or under the broiler watching closely until the cheese is melted. Serve topped with pepperoncini peppers with the au jus on the side for dipping.

INSTANT POT METHOD

• Sear the roast on the saute function of your Instant Pot. Remove the beef then saute the onions and garlic until soft and fragrant.
• Return the beef to the onion mixture in the Instant Pot, add in the remaining broth mixture. Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes, followed by a 20 minute natural release. Remove the meat to a cutting board and shred or thinly slice (against the grain), set aside.
• Place a strainer over a large bowl and carefully pour the juices from the Instant Pot through the strainer and into the bowl (this is your au jus). Set aside the onions that remain in the strainer.
• Transfer the meat and the onions back into the Instant Pot. Pour over a little bit of au jus to moisten the meat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve the remaining au jus for dipping. If you'd like more au jus, you can stir in a little beef broth to make it stretch farther.
• Build the sandwiches on a sheet tray. Fill the split rolls with meat and onions and top with the cheese of your choice. Transfer filled sandwiches to an oven preheated to 375°F or under the broiler watching closely until the cheese is melted. Serve topped with pepperoncini peppers with the au jus on the side for dipping.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

• Serve this alongside my favorite simple arugula salad.

SWAP SUGGESTIONS

• Protein: Swap chuck or rump roast with a sirloin roast and boneless bottom round (for a leaner option).
• Vegetarian: Swap the beef for three Portobello mushroom caps. (about ½ lb.) Thinly slice (¼” thick) and saute them with the sliced onions in a large skillet with a big pat of butter. Swap the beef broth for veggie broth and add ¼ cup soy sauce to the ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce. Deglaze with the broth mixture and simmer until reduced by half. Build the sandwiches the same with the mushrooms and onions in place of the beef.

WEEKEND PREP / MAKE AHEAD

• This recipe can be fully prepared up until the sandwich assembly. Store the beef and onions separate from the strained au jus sauce in airtight containers in the refrigerator.