Everyone loves a tender, deliciously messy French Dip Sandwich!
Chuck roast is slow-cooked in beef broth and onions until perfectly melt-in-your-mouth tender. It’s set on a crusty roll and dipped in the juices for the perfect sandwich!
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Ingredients Tips for French Dip
- BREAD French Dip is best with a baguette-style French roll. I love a crusty roll with a bit of chew, plus it softens when dipped without falling apart. Any dense bread what can hold up to dipping in au jus will do.
- BEEF For this French dip recipe, the best meat is chuck or rump roast. Cook the beef low and slow and then pull it into big chunks instead of cutting. As long as it is braised (browned and cooked in liquid)‚ it will be extra tender and perfect for French dips!
- AU JUS This is the juice in the slow cooker and it is used for dipping. Add plenty of onions plus a sprig of rosemary for flavor.
- CHEESE I do not usually add cheese to this sandwich. If you want to add cheese, provolone is a great choice!
How To Make French Dip
This slow cooker recipe is as easy as 1, 2, 3!
- Season roast and brown in a large pan on all sides.
- Add all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high, until the roast is tender. If your beef is not tender, it likely needs more time.
- Remove the beef and let it rest 15 minutes before slicing or shredding.
Serve with toasted hoagie rolls or bread of your choice and dip in the juices.
How To Make Au Jus For French Dip
Technically, the ‘au jus’ is simply the liquid in the slow cooker that the chuck roast and other ingredients were cooked in.
I like to add the tiniest bit of cornstarch mixed with water to the slow cooker while the meat rests. The jus shouldn’t be thickened like gravy but a little bit of cornstarch adds a bit of body to the jus.
You should have lots of flavorful juice in the slow cooker. Once shredded or cut, you can add the beef back to the juices to keep it warm. This is a great way to serve a crowd.
Don’t forget to serve with a side of savory coleslaw or some oven baked french fries to round out this meal.
More Delicious Beef Sandwiches
- Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches – easy to make & serve!
- My Favorite Reuben Sandwich – classic Irish recipe
- Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Sandwiches – always a crowd pleaser!
- Slow Cooker Shredded Beef – great in a taco, enchilada or sandwich!
- Reuben Sandwich Sliders – great party food
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pounds chuck roast or rump roast
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 10.5 ounces condensed beef broth 1 can, low sodium
- 10.5 ounces condensed French onion soup or condensed onion soup, 1 can
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced
- 12 ounces light beer
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary optional
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 8 French rolls or 2 baguettes cut into 6-inch rolls
- ½ cup butter
Instructions
- Season roast with salt & pepper. Brown each side in a large pan over medium high heat.
- Place condensed beef broth, condensed French onion soup, onions, light beer, garlic, rosemary, and Worcestershire sauce in a slow cooker. Cook on low 8 hours or on high 4 hours or until beef is tender.
- Once roast is tender, remove from the juices and let rest 15 minutes. Shred or slice beef.
- Butter rolls and heat under a broiler until lightly toasted. Top rolls with beef and serve with jus from the slow cooker for dipping.
Video
Notes
Cheese can be added to the broiled rolls. If you don’t want to use beer, you can replace it with extra beef broth. Option: Combine 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch with an equal amount of water. Add the the juices in the slow cooker while the meat is resting. You do not want to thicken the jus but this just adds a bit of body.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Lunch, Main Course, Slow Cooker
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Have you ever tried this with a pressure cooker? If so, what times would you recommend?
I would recommend following the cook time/method in my Instant Pot Pot Roast. Let us know how it goes!
This looks so yummy and I really want to make it but I don’t ever have beer on hand. Suggestions for substitutions? Just more beef broth maybe?
Sharon, yes you can use more beef broth in replace of the beer.
Is it possible to use prepared onion soup mix and measure 10.5 oz?
Thank you!
I haven’t tried it but I do think it would work, however the packet has more than 2x the sodium vs the can so I would suggest using just half a packet. It may be a touch thinner.
It worked out perfectly! Thank you :)
This is the exact question I came here to ask! Officially making this today :)