Slow Cooker Venison Italian Pot Roast Sandwich

Venison sirloin tips, commonly known as the football roast, can be a bit on the tough side when cooked hot and fast. The answer? Go low and slow until the meat gets so tender that it falls apart. The vessel? Your slow cooker is the perfect way to make this tasty roast. Start it when you get up in the morning, and it will be ready for a tasty dinner that evening.

Your slow cooker will turn even the toughest venison roast into a tender, delicious meal.

This version heads to the pantry for a few staples. It uses two types of jarred peppers, some sliced onion, garlic, tomato paste, a packet of zesty spaghetti sauce seasoning, and a packet of brown gravy mix. The results? Super tender, fall-apart venison that makes an awesome sandwich filling or is great by itself as a main dish.

The recipe uses a few staples you might already have in your pantry.

Start by seasoning the venison with salt and pepper, then browning it in a skillet with a bit of oil. I like to slice the roast in half to provide more surface area for browning, which adds more flavor to the finished dish.

Season the roast well with salt and pepper before browning it in a skillet.

Once you have the venison browned well on all sides, transfer the sliced onion and the venison roast to the slow cooker.

Browning the roast adds extra flavor.

Drain the liquid from the roasted bell pepper jar and add the peppers to the slow cooker. Add the pepperoncini peppers, juice and all. The vinegar-based pickling liquid adds a nice kick to the finished roast and a bit of liquid to help with the cooking process. Sprinkle over the zesty spaghetti sauce seasoning packet, and add the tomato paste and garlic. That’s it for now. Turn to low and cook for 8 to 10 hours.

Add the venison and all remaining ingredients except the brown gravy mix to the slow cooker.

About 1 hour before you are ready to eat, use a fork to shred the venison. Sprinkle on the brown gravy packet and stir everything to blend.

Just before serving, add the brown gravy mix and stir well to blend.

Put the lid back on and let the roast cook until time for dinner.

Serve this roast straight from the pot or piled on a sandwich.

You can serve this as is, but where it really shines is in a sandwich. Slice some nice Italian bread, pile on the roast and pepper mixture, then top with your favorite cheese. I prefer fresh mozzarella or sliced provolone. The heat from the roast should melt the cheese, but a torch or a quick run under the broiler will speed the process if you wish.