Drip Beef, Two Ways
Drip Beef. To me, the name means Scumptious. Hearty.
Drip Beef. To me, the name means Crowd pleasing. Yummy.
Drip Beef. To me, the name means Hyacinth.
Well, so many things mean Hyacinth to me—not just this flavorful, slow-cooked shredded beef slapped on a buttered bun and dipped in the cooking juices…though the significance of such beauty should never be underestimated. But Hyacinth is so much more than Drip Beef. How can I adequately describe her? Sweetness and Light. Goodness and Kindness. Selflessness and Generosity. Cracks up at her own jokes if she has two sips of wine.
You’d love Hyacinth if you met her.
Anyway, Hyacinth’s family is really big on Drip Beef. They eat it at their family gatherings. And since I happen to think Drip Beef the perfect Superbowl food, I adapted her recipes to share with you this week. Because here’s the thing: Drip Beef couldn’t be easier to make. You literally spend five minutes (maximum) slopping some ingredients together in a pot or a slow cooker. Then you cook it for six or so hours, until the meat is positively falling apart. Then you shred the meat and let it sit in the juices until you’re ready to serve it up on toasted, buttered deli rolls to a hungry roomful of rabid football fans. What could possibly be better?
Here’s a bonus, though: you can make the meat the day before, then pop it in the fridge overnight. This is actually my preferred method for two reasons: one, you don’t have to worry about it on game day. Two, the next day when you pull the pot out of the fridge, you can easily remove the hardened fat that’s risen to the top of the pan. Then you just reheat it on the stovetop and go for it! And I actually think the meat winds up being even more flavorful and tender that way.
Here are two different approaches:
The First Cast of Characters: chuck roast, beef consomme, pepperoncinis, water, Italian seasoning, and salt. 
I received this as a gift recently. It’s awesome. But you can use any combination Italian seasoning—Hyacinth’s recipe uses a Good Seasons Italian Dressing packet! 
Throw the chuck roast into a pot.
Then pour in the can of consomme. Beef broth can also be used.
Note: You can read all about the difference between beef broth and consomme in this post.
But I’ll just go ahead and tell you the most important difference as it relates to this dish. Now, listen up, because this is vital:
I had beef consomme in my pantry. I did not have beef broth in my pantry. So I used beef consomme. The end.
Now, add in about 15 or so pepperoncinis, along with half the juice of a 16 ounce jar. 
Dump in 3 or 4 tablespoons of Italian seasoning. Depending on whether or not the seasoning contains salt, you’ll need to add a little of that, too.
Stir around the liquid and seasonings a bit. And that’s it!
Now cover the pot and stick it into a 275 degree oven for 5 to 6 hours. Don’t even worry about checking on it; just let the magic happen. You can also use a slow cooker if that’s your preference, or (as we’ll see in the next recipe) you can simmer it on the stove. Versatility galore!
Next, let’s get the other one started. This is a little more basic, a little less risky (it doesn’t contain spicy peppers), and produces quite a bit more liquid than the first.
The Second Cast of Characters: chuck roast, onion, garlic, cooking sherry, soy sauce, and water. And butter. And salt.
Amen.
Heat a big dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Slice up an onion. Thick slices, not too thin.
Melt a half a stick of butter…
Throw in the onions and stir them around…
Cook them for a couple of minutes.
Next, just throw the chuck roast right on top.
Pour in the soy sauce.
The sherry…
And the water. Throw in a little salt, too. 
Finally, throw in a few peeled cloves of garlic. 
Put on the lid, then stick it on the stovetop over simmering heat. Let it go for about 6 hours without giving it so much of a thought.**FAST FORWARD: SIX HOURS**
By the time the meat was done, it was dark in my kitchen and I don’t know how to use my flash so please forgive the lighting…but yum. Here’s what the first one looks like when it’s done.
And just look at those beautifully curious green goblins in there.
Make sure the meat’s nice and tender (if not, return it to the oven for 30 minutes or so), then use two forks to pull the meat apart.
Keep going until it’s totally shredded—no big chunks at all. Now just cover it and keep warm until you’re ready to serve it…or stick it in the fridge overnight.
Here’s the other pot. As you can see, there’s a lot more liquid in this one.
Shred this meat up too, then cover the pot and keep warm until serving.
Really, though, the beauty of this meat is that it can be made the day before, then refrigerated overnight.
And if you do that…
This is what it looks like the next day. All the fat has conveniently risen to the top and hardened for your convenience. Isn’t that nice of the fat?
So just take off as much as you want.
I usually leave a little bit. It’s the kinda gal I am.
Yum! Hardened fat!
Just go ahead and throw this away. It’s the right thing to do.
Now grab some deli rolls. Bakery fresh if you live in civilization; Earthgrains if you don’t.
I don’t.
Cut ‘em down the middle…
Then smear them with butter and brown them on the griddle. You want ‘em buttery, golden, and crispy. If you’re doing a huge batch and trust yourself to watch them, you can do them under the broiler.
But I don’t trust myself to watch them.
I just make a big ol’ basket of these earlier in the day, then keep ‘em covered with a towel until the game starts.
When it gets close to game time, just simmer the meat to warm it up. Here’s Pot 1. 
Here’s Pot 2. 
I had a terribly important decision to face yesterday, and that was this:
Which meat should I eat for lunch?
I had the whole world in front of me.
I chose the one with the peppers.
To serve, just heap some meat on the toasted bottom half of the roll.
Then, while you could just stick the other half of the roll on top and chow down…I like to go one step further. Mozzarella, Provolone—heck, use Cheez Whiz if you want.
I won’t tell anyone.
Stick it under the broiler to melt.
Serve up little bowls of the juice, too. It’s an absolute treasure.
Oh, yum. The best thing about this sandwich is that the meat is so moist, it seeps into the roll on the bottom and fills it with such flavor.
And the peppers. Don’t get me started on the tangy wonderfulness.
Dip it into the juice…oh, man.
Heaven on a plate.
This is the meat from Pot #2. I went ahead and took the liberty of tasting this one as well.
It’s for the art, man.
And they were both delicious. The Italian recipe is fabulous, and the peppers add a wonderful edge. The more basic recipe was delicious, too, and could be adapted with whatever herbs and spices you’d like to add.
Have a Drip Beef fest for Superbowl Sunday! Men will propose, women will moan and groan with delight, and children will gather ’round your feet with their empty plates.
Enjoy!
Here are the two printable recipes:
Recipe
Italian Drip Beef
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Difficulty:
- Easy
- Servings:
- 10
Ingredients
- 1 whole Beef Chuck Roast, 2.5 To 4 Pounds
- 1 can Beef Consomme Or Beef Broth
- 3 Tablespoons (heaping) Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 cup Water
- 1/2 jar (16 Oz) Pepperoncini Peppers, With Juice
- Buttered, Toasted Deli Rolls
Preparation Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a heavy pot or dutch oven. Stir lightly to combine seasoning with the liquid.
Cover and bake in a 275 degree oven* for 5 to 6 hours, or until meat is fork-tender and falling apart. **If meat is not yet tender, return to oven for 30 minute intervals till it's tender!**
Remove from oven. With two forks, completely shred all meat, leaving no large chunks behind. Serve immediately, or keep warm over a simmer on the stove.
May make the day before, then store in the refrigerator. Remove the hardened fat from the top before reheating.
Serve on buttered, toasted rolls. Top with cheese and melt under the broiler if desired. Serve with juices from the pot.
Recipe
Basic Drip Beef
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Difficulty:
- Easy
- Servings:
- 10
Ingredients
- 1 whole 2.5 To 4 Pound Chuck Roast
- 1/4 cup Butter
- 1 whole Large Onion, Sliced Thick
- 3 cloves Garlic, Peeled
- 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
- 1 cup Sherry (cooking Sherry Is Fine)
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 4 cups Water
- Toasted, Buttered Deli Rolls
- Rosemary, Thyme, Other Spices (optional)
Preparation Instructions
Heat butter in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Saute the onions for a couple of minutes, or until starting to get brown.
Set chuck roast on top of the onions. Add all remaining ingredients. Cover pot and simmer (very low heat) on the stove for 6 hours, or until beef is fork-tender and falling apart. **If meat is not yet tender, return to oven for 30 minute intervals till it's tender!** Shred meat with two forks until all large chunks are gone. Serve immediately or continue to simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
*Mixture can be refrigerated overnight. Remove hardened fat from top of pan before reheating.
Serve on top of toasted, buttered deli rolls. Top with cheese and place under the broiler if desired.
