Slow Cooker Pepperoncini Beef aka Drip Beef

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Melt in your mouth slow cooker pepperoncini beef, also called Drip Beef or Italian Beef, couldn't be easier to make with just a few simple ingredients but packs in so much flavor.

216 CAL 4g CARBS 5g FAT 36g PROTEIN
10 Comments

This tender, fall part pepperoncini beef, sometimes called Italian Beef or Drop Beef, made in the crockpot with a few simple ingredients is easy to prepare and couldn't be more delicious. Serve it with some cauliflower mashed potatoes or stuffed into sandwiches for a tasty meal the whole family will love.

This beef is really special. I first saw it over on The Pioneer Woman’s website and have made it multiple times for game days, get-togethers, and as a base for various meals throughout the week.

The idea is so simple  - slow cooker beef with pepperoncinis, onions, and a touch of Italian seasoning and the outcome tastes better than anything you could imagine. 

It’s terrific on sandwiches, over rice, and turned into a quick beef stew or stuffed in peppers. You get the idea. I think it would taste good in just about anything.

I have to share my all-time favorite way to serve it. Start with whole grain rolls and add the shredded beef and some sliced or whole pepperoncini.  Then if you like spice, add some sliced jalapenos. Cover everything with provolone cheese and pop it under the broiler to melt the cheese. There is nothing better. 

Pepperoncini Italian beef in a bowl with pepperoncinis and onions with rolls on the side.

How to Make Italian Pepperoncini Beef

Start with any lean cut of stewing style beef. This could be an eye round, top round roast, lean beef stewing meat, or even a trimmed piece of beef chuck. Basically anything that becomes tender after it cooks for a long time. If desired, you can start by searing the beef to add some extra flavor, although this step isn't necessary. 

Add the beef to the slow cooker and sprinkle the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper over top. Add the onions, pepperoncinis and liquid, and beef broth. Stir to combine as needed. You could also add garlic, a few tablespoons of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce, or some sliced bell peppers. 

Cook on low for 8 hours or until the beef is fork tender. Then shred the beef using two forks and let it hang out in the liquid for 20-30 minutes so the shredded beef can soak up the liquid. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. 

At that point, the options are pretty endless. Many people like to serve this as a sandwich on a toasted roll with melted cheese. This is popular in Chicago and usually called Italian Beef. 

Ways to Serve Drip Beef

There are so many different options when thinking about how to serve this tender shredded beef. Here are some that should be high on the list. 

  • You'll want to make sandwiches with this tender beef. Start by toasting a hearty roll (use low calorie for a lighter option) and then layer in the shredded beef, some sliced pepperoncinis, and a layer of cheese. We like to use provolone. Serve it with some of the cooking liquid, like an au jus, to dip. 
  • Since the cooking liquid has so much flavor, consider serving this with something that can soak all that up liked mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower, creamy polenta, or rice.
  • For a lower carb option, serve this with some spaghetti squash or cauliflower rice. 
  • If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, consider tossing the leftovers with some cooked rice and canned diced tomatoes to make simple stuffed peppers topped with melted cheese.

Recipe Tips

Although this recipe is pretty straight forward with just a few ingredients, like anything else there are lots of ways you can switch it up to add your own spin. 

  • When it comes to protein, this recipe can be made with almost any type of stewing style beef, chicken thighs, pork, and even chicken breasts. It would also work with tri-tip, just follow the cooking time from these Slow Cooker Tri Tip Tacos.
  • If you love garlic, consider adding a few whole cloves or minced cloves of garlic to the mix. Garlic powder or dehydrated garlic also works.
  • If you like things spicy, you could replace half of the pepperoncini with pickled jalapenos
  • For extra flavor, consider adding in a couple of sliced bell peppers.
  • If you don't have beef broth, you can swap in chicken broth or vegetable broth. Water would even work in a pinch, you would just likely need some extra seasoning. 

Shredded beef with pepperoncinis made in the slow cooker and served on a sandwich roll with melted cheese.

Can this be made in the Instant Pot?

This recipe can easily be made in the Instant Pot instead. Start by cutting the beef into smaller chunks and searing it using the Saute function. Then add the remaining ingredients and cook on manual for 45 minutes. Let it naturally release and then shred the beef using two forks. Let it sit in the juices on warm for at least 15 minutes before serving.

More Slow Cooker Beef Recipes

The Recipe
Slow cooker pepperoncini beef in a slow cooker with shredded beef and jarred pepperoncinis.

Slow Cooker Pepperoncini Beef aka Drip Beef

216 CAL 4g CARBS 5g FAT 36g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 5 Min
COOK TIME: 8 Hours
TOTAL TIME: 8 Hours, 5 Min
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 2 lb lean beef eye round roast
  • 8 oz pepperoncini with juice, jarred
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1/2 tsp salt

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Instructions

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1

Add the beef to the slow cooker. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Pepperoncini liquid and beef broth can have a significant amount of salt, so don't oversalt. You can always add more after cooking.

Lean beef in a slow cooker with salt and pepper.
2

Add the diced onions, pepperoncinis and liquid, beef broth, and Italian seasoning.

Beef in a slow cooker with pepperoncinis, onions, Italian seasoning, and beef broth.
3

Cook the beef on low for 8 hours until the beef is fork tender and shreds easily. Shred the beef with two forks. Taste and season as needed.

Cooked pepperoncini beef in a slow cooker with onions.

Equipment

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Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 2/3 cup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 216
Calories from Fat 48
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 5g
8%
Saturated Fat 2g
9%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 91mg
30%
Sodium 880mg
38%
Total Carbohydrate 4g
2%
Dietary Fiber 1g
4%
Sugars 1g
Protein 36g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
10 Comments
On Slow Cooker Pepperoncini Beef aka Drip Beef
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Lori Putnam
August 28, 2023 - 14:00
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5
Incredibly hard to find pepperoncini OR banana peppers in all our local grocery stores. And we are in a Detroit suburb, where we have SO many international cuisine restaurants, so this was unreal. I finally found, tossed in the whole 12 oz jar for 3.5 lbs of roast, kept the Italian seasoning, beef broth, onions the same, and skipped the salt/pepper. Took 9-10 hours on low, and the meat is fabulously tender, albeit just a wee bit too spicy for our palates...probably due to me dumping in the extra 4 ounces of peppers and juice. :) We would make this again!
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Molly B
August 13, 2022 - 13:35
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5
Excellent! We serve this over mashed potatoes (instant!) and my husband and three sons absolutely love this meal! Thank you for sharing!
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Karen Keathley
January 16, 2022 - 10:42
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5
This is so delicious my family loves it. I like it better than Italian beef sandwiches and it’s so easy. Making it today for dinner
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Jane Weaver
May 29, 2018 - 08:53
Is it very spicy? My husband cannot eat hot/spicy.....so need to check, please, and hope to hear, cause it sounds wonderful to me!
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Vickey
May 27, 2023 - 09:23
Just use mild peppers
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Dee
April 16, 2021 - 17:37
I found it to be rather spicy. I used a jar of diced peppers but not all the juice. Eating it with a potato salad helped the heat.
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Lori Theiss
May 31, 2018 - 09:01
I don’t find it spicy at all. I don’t put the peppers on my sandwich but my guys all do. The pepperoncini add a great flavor without much heat, in my opinion.
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Rachel Lea Floyd
March 7, 2016 - 17:12
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5
Yum, this was so good and incredibly easy. It shredded with ease and was absolutely delicious.

I used a whole yellow onion, and flipped the roast halfway through. It was perfect and my family loved it.
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Catie
September 26, 2021 - 08:44
I make this all the time but I top with Chicago style giardiniera from potbelly or I order the Marconi . I add a bit of it while cooking in slow cooker too.
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September 28, 2021 - 15:59
Yum! Love the idea of adding giardiniera.
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