Pepperoncini Beef

[This recipe was originally posted in conjunction with the Meijer Ad week of 9/2/12-9/8/12]

Two ingredients are all you need to make this delicious sandwich filling!  Serve it on a bun and top it with cheese for a quick weeknight meal, or wrap it in a tortilla for a nice change from ham-n-cheese-for-lunch-again.

Ingredients:
1 chuck roast (2-6 pounds)
1-2 jars whole pepperoncinis (undrained)
sliced Swiss or Provolone cheese
hamburger buns

Directions:
Place roast in crockpot.  Dump pepperoncinis over roast (1 jar for a 2-4 pound roast, 2 jars for a 4-6 pound roast).  Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.  Uncover.  Transfer meat to a platter and allow to cool slightly.  Remove pepperoncinis from crockpot and cut off their stems.  Dice finely and set aside.  Shred roast, using two forks (or a Kitchen-Aid mixer).  Remove all (or as much as you can) visible fat.  Stir together the shredded meat, as many pepperoncinis pieces as you'd like, and some juice from the crockpot (enough juice so the mixture isn't dry, but not so much that you have to drain a spoonful before you put it on a bun).  Serve on a hamburger bun and top with a slice of cheese.

Options and Tips:

• The amount of pepperoncinis you add back into the mixture depends on how much shredded meat you have, as well as how much you like the sweet/spicy flavor of pepperoncinis.  I add about 3/4 of the pepperoncinis back into the mixture and refrigerate the remaining pieces to be used as topping for various sandwiches.  You could also discard all of the pepperoncinis (you'd save yourself time too b/c you wouldn't have to chop them)...you'd still get good flavor from the juices without chunks of peppers in your sandwich filling.
• This sandwich filling can be made ahead and either refrigerated or frozen.  Just thaw if necessary, and reheat in the microwave.
• Try toasting your buns before topping them with the beef filling:  butter the cut sides of the buns and place them cut sides down on a baking sheet.  Bake at 450 (or broil) for 2-3 minutes, then flip over so the cut sides are up.  Place a slice of cheese on the top half of each bun, and broil another 2 minutes or until cheese is melted and buns are slightly browned.
• This sandwich filling is even good cold!  Wrap it in a tortilla, sprinkle with some shredded cheese, and top with lettuce and tomato if desired.  Or just wrap it and go!

This is a slightly-modified version of a recipe found on page 25 of Adams Christian School's 2008 Tasting Bee Cookbook.