Surprisingly, cooking a roast can be very intimidating. One would think that as the standard Sunday dinner fare, it would be a simple “anyone can do it” sort of thing, but cooking a roast requires some basic information and a little bit of know-how. They’re rather easy to ruin.

There are many different kinds of roasts, depending on the cut. The kind of roast will determine the cooking method, whether it be low-and-slow roasting, braising, searing and cooking quickly, or even grilling. Yes, you can grill a roast to great results.

A nicer cut of roast will do well to be seared in a very hot pan and then transferred to the oven to roast at a low temperature for a longer period of time. I do not advocate cooking a nice roast to well-done under any circumstances, but to each his or her own on that, I guess.

A cheaper roast is usually best done low and slow, preferably in liquid, which is what we call braising. It can be done on the stovetop, in the oven, or in a slow cooker. I love a slow cooker for its efficiency and convenience, so that is what I usually choose when I have a lower-quality cut of beef to turn into a beautiful meal.

Always cut beef against the grain, and for the less-expensive cuts, thinner is better. This means, to me, that a slow-cooked roast is perfection for a nice, hot sandwich, and who doesn’t love a good roast beef sandwich?

Italian Beef Hoagies

3 lb roast — chuck, Pike’s Peak, etc.
1 box beef or chicken broth — either is OK
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons dried basil
5 cloves garlic, whole
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
6 large strips of jarred roasted red peppers
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Fresh basil
Mayonnaise
Butter (for toasting the bun)
6 hoagie rolls

Coat the roast on both sides with kosher salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil over high heat in a skillet and sear all sides until well-browned.

Into the slow cooker, pour the box of broth, and place the roast in. Add the basil, garlic, fennel and the extra salt and some extra pepper

Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.

Butter the buns and toast over medium heat in a skillet until lightly browned. This textural element is important.

Assemble your sandwiches. Slice the beef thinly against the grain (an electric knife is excellent for this). Pile it onto the roll generously, and top with mozzarella, a slice of roasted red pepper, a few fresh basil leaves, and a light smear of mayo on the top bun.

If you like, serve a bit of the cooking liquid on the side, for dipping.