French Dip Sandwich

Ingredients

• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)olive oil
• 907 g (2 pounds)chuck roast or beef brisket
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)salt, for seasoning
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)cracked pepper, for seasoning
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon)garlic powder
• 2onions, sliced
• 10 ml (2 teaspoons)garlic, minced
• 1 canFrench onion soup
• 1 canbeef consommé
• 240 ml (1 cup)beef stock or broth, or Guinness beer for extra flavour
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)Worcestershire sauce
• 6hoagie rolls
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)butter
• 6 slicesprovolone cheese

Instructions

1. 1

   Slow cooker method

   Follow this method for the slow cooker version.

2. 2

   Season the beef

   Season the roast with the salt, pepper and garlic powder.

3. 3

   Sear and sauté

   Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Brown the roast on all sides, then transfer it to a plate. Sauté the onions until soft, scraping up the browned bits left in the pan, then add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.

4. 4

   Slow cook the roast

   Put the roast in a 5.7-litre (6-quart) slow cooker. Add the cooked onions, soup, consommé, stock and Worcestershire sauce. Cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours, until the meat is fork-tender.

5. 5

   Prepare the rolls

   During the final 10 minutes of cooking, preheat the oven to 180°C. Arrange the rolls on a large baking tray.

6. 6

   Rest and strain

   Remove the roast and leave it to rest for 10 minutes, then slice it or shred it with forks. Strain the cooking liquid into a jug to serve as the au jus.

7. 7

   Fill and toast

   Spread butter on the rolls and fill them with the meat and cheese. Toast in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese just starts to melt.

8. 8

   Serve with jus

   Serve the sandwiches with small bowls of au jus for dipping.

9. 9

   Instant Pot method

   Follow this method for the Instant Pot version.

10. 10

    Season the beef

    Season the roast with the salt, pepper and garlic powder.

11. 11

    Sear the roast

    Set the Instant Pot to sauté and heat the oil. Brown the roast on all sides, then transfer it to a plate.

12. 12

    Add the liquids

    Sauté the onions and garlic until soft. Pour in the soup, consommé, stock or broth and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the roast to the pot.

13. 13

    Pressure cook

    Seal the lid and cook on the manual setting at high pressure for 60 minutes.

14. 14

    Release and shred

    Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick-release the remaining pressure. Remove the roast and slice it or shred it with forks. Strain the cooking liquid into a jug to serve as the au jus.

15. 15

    Fill the rolls

    Spread butter on the rolls and fill them with the meat and cheese.

16. 16

    Toast the sandwiches

    Toast the sandwiches in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese starts to melt.

What is a French dip sandwich?

Despite the name, this is an American sandwich, usually made with roast beef in a long roll and served with its cooking juices for dipping. The name points to the dipping, not to a French origin.

This version builds a savoury jus from the roast, onions, soup, consommé and stock. Slow cooking or pressure cooking makes the beef tender enough to slice or pull apart.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 642 calories, 42g protein, 42g carbs, 34g fat.

The rolls provide most of the carbohydrates, while the beef contributes protein and the oil, butter and cheese supply much of the fat. Serve with salad or vegetables alongside if you want a more balanced plate.

Choosing the beef

Chuck roast: this cut suits long, moist cooking and becomes tender when cooked until fork-soft.

Brisket: it is offered as an alternative; use the same tenderness cue rather than relying only on the clock.

Build flavour before cooking

Browning: sear the seasoned roast on all sides before it goes into the slow cooker. The browned bits left in the pan add flavour to the onions and, in the Instant Pot method, are scraped into the cooking liquid.

Aromatics: soften the sliced onions before adding the garlic, which needs only about 30 seconds in the pan. The soup, consommé and stock then make the liquid for both cooking the beef and dipping.

Getting the texture right

Tenderness: the roast is ready when a fork goes into it easily. If it still feels firm, it needs more cooking rather than a forceful attempt to shred it.

Slicing or shredding: rest the cooked beef for 10 minutes before slicing, or pull it apart with forks. Straining the liquid gives you a jug of jus to serve alongside.

Slow cooker and Instant Pot timing

Slow cooker: choose low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours, allowing enough time for the beef to become fork-tender.

Instant Pot: cook at high pressure for 60 minutes, then leave it for a 10-minute natural release before quick-releasing the remaining pressure.

Toast and serve

Butter the rolls, add the beef and provolone, then toast them at 180°C for 5 minutes, until the cheese begins to melt. For the slow cooker method, the oven is preheated during the final 10 minutes of cooking.

Serve each sandwich with a small bowl of strained jus. A crisp salad or simply prepared vegetables make a fresh counterpoint to the rich filling.

Recipe notes & tips

• Pat the roast dry before seasoning to help it brown in the pan.
• Scrape up the browned bits when sautéing the onions so they are not left behind in the pan.
• Keep the slow cooker lid on during cooking to avoid losing heat.
• Check that the beef is fork-tender before taking it out of the cooker.
• Strain the cooking liquid into a jug so it is easy to serve for dipping.
• Toast the filled rolls only until the cheese starts to melt, so the bread does not dry out.

Variations

• Use brisket: swap it for the chuck roast and cook until fork-tender.
• Add Guinness: use it in place of the beef stock for a deeper flavour.
• Make it extra cheesy: add another slice of provolone to each roll.
• Shred the beef: pull the rested meat apart with forks for a softer filling.
• Serve open-faced: arrange the meat and cheese on split rolls before toasting.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the sear: the roast misses out on browned flavour, so brown it on all sides first.
• Crowding the pan: the roast may not brown evenly, so sear it in batches if needed.
• Adding garlic too early: it can overcook while the onions soften, so add it afterwards and cook for about 30 seconds.
• Cooking by time alone: the beef may still be firm, so check that it is fork-tender before serving.
• Over-toasting the rolls: they can become dry, so take them out as soon as the cheese begins to melt.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover beef and jus in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat the beef gently with some jus until hot, then assemble and toast the rolls just before serving.

Frequently asked questions