Slow cooker french dip sandwiches are a warm, tender and juicy weeknight meal. Grab a toasted hoagie roll, fill it with tender, pull-apart chuck roast and top with a slice of provolone cheese! To complete the meal, serve alongside oven-roasted green beans and of course, au jus!
In this season of life I’m working outside of the home 5 days a week. So, you can imagine that I look for the easiest and most efficient ways to get a good meal on the table! One of the best ways to do this, especially during fall and winter, is to utilize my crockpot. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to make this meal. Not only does it taste amazing, but it’s also incredibly convenient for me!
Basically, it takes a few minutes of prep in the morning before heading out the door and then I can let it roast all day! When I return from a long day of work I’m confident that a juicy, tender chuck roast will be waiting for me. Then, it just takes a few minutes to assemble the sandwiches before I have a husband-approved meal on the table.
Where did French Dip Sandwiches originate?
Have you heard the many myths of the french dip sandwich? Some say a cook accidentally dropped a sandwich into a pan of meat drippings while others claim an unhappy customer requested his sandwich to be dipped in the juices. Another popular tale is that an angry chef dunked the sandwich into meat juices after a customer complained the bread was stale!
Clearly, the exact origins of french dip sandwiches are unknown. However, we can all agree that no matter how this sandwich came to be, it’s certainly a hit!
Tools you may need
Cast iron skillet
Garlic press
Chopping Knife-I received CutCo Knives as a wedding gift and they have seriously changed my life!
Ingredients to make French Dip Sandwiches
Chuck Roast (A rump roast will also work)
Yellow Onion
Garlic Cloves
Beef Broth
Worcestershire Sauce
Dijon Mustard
Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Bay Leaves
Hoagie Rolls
Provolone Cheese
Mayo
How to make slow cooker French Dip Sandwiches
First, you’ll want to prep the meat. Begin by trimming the excess fat from the chuck roast. Next, heat up a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add butter or olive oil. While that’s getting hot, pat the roast dry with a paper towel and generously season both sides with salt and pepper. Don’t be afraid to go heavy, especially if your roast is on the bigger side.
Once the butter is hot, add the chuck roast to the skillet. The goal is to sear the roast on both sides, just so it’s lightly browned. This will take about 1-2 minutes per side. After you’ve browned both sides, removed from the skillet and place into your crockpot.
In a separate bowl, whisk together beef broth, dijon and Worcestershire sauce. Add to the crockpot. Additionally, add all other ingredients, except the hoagies and provolone, to the crockpot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, until the meat is very tender. Or, cook on high for 4-6 hours.
How to serve the French Dip Sandwiches
Serving the sandwiches is the best part! To begin, place oiled/ buttered hoagie rolls under the broiler until slightly golden brown. Remove from oven.
Then, smear both sides of the roll with mayo; we don’t want a dry sandwich! I like also like to add a little more Dijon for some spice. Pile the meat and a slice or two of provolone cheese on top! Put the sandwich back under the broiler until the cheese is melted and the top bun is crispy.
To a small bowl add some of the juices from the crockpot and serve “au jus!” Personally, I love pairing these sandwiches with some garlic buttered green beans. Any kind of roasted or steamed veggies would be wonderful. Or, for more of a comfort-food style, serve them with french fries, mac n’ cheese or crispy potato wedges!
Recipe Tips
- The softer your bread, the soggier it will be if you choose to dip the sandwich in juices. So, it’s important to toast your bread! Or, choose a heavier bread like Ciabatta rolls instead. A baguette will also work.
- Melt the cheese! Nobody likes a hot sandwich with a slice of cold cheese. That’s utterly disappointing. Trust me, taking the few extra minutes to melt your cheese will completely make this sandwich.
- Don’t skip searing the chuck roast. While you certainly can get away without doing this, I highly suggest you don’t. Searing the chuck roast allows the flavors to really soak into the meat which adds additional flavor to the sandwich.
What to serve with French Dip Sandwiches
Yes, this sandwich on its own could be a whole meal. But, it’s fun to add a little something to it. Here’s some of my favorite sides that would go perfectly with these french dip sandwiches!
Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
If you try this recipe and love it, we’d love for you to give it 5 stars and let us know in the comments below! Thank you!!
Check out our other delicious fall recipes!
Sausage and Potato Soup In A Pumpkin
Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup With Fresh Kale
Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Tender, juicy meat is piled onto a toasted hoagie roll and topped with melty provolone cheese to make this a delicious and easy weeknight meal! Serve alongside garlic butter green beans and au jus!
Ingredients
- 2-3 lb chuck roast
- 1 yellow onion
- butter for searing
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp worcestershire
- freshly ground black pepper
- salt
For Serving
- mayo (optional)
- 6-8 hoagie rolls
- 6-8 slices provolone cheese (optional)
Instructions
- First, prep the meat by trimming away excess fat.
- Place a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat on the stove and add butter. While that's heating up, pat the chuck roast dry with a paper towel and generously season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Sear the chuck roast on both sides until slightly browned. This should take about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and add chuck roast to the crockpot.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together beef broth, dijon and Worcestershire sauce until combined. Quarter the onion and add to the crockpot as well along with garlic and bay leaves. Pour the broth mixture over top.
- Cook on high for 8-10 hours, until the meat is very tender and pulls apart easily. You could also cook on low for 4-6 hours. Shred the meat into pieces once it's done.
- Butter your hoagie roll and toast under the broiler until slightly golden brown. Remove from the broiler and smother with mayo, add the shredded meat and top with a slice of provolone cheese. Place back under the broiler until the cheese is fully melted.
- To serve au jus ("with juice"), ladle the meat juice from the crockpot into a small bowl. Dip your sandwich in for a delicious juicy flavor. Serve alongside butter garlic green beans and enjoy!
Notes
For an extra flavor-filled sandwich, make sure you sear the chuck roast before adding it to the crock pot.
Leftover chuck roast will stay good in the fridge for up to 5 days. It can also be frozen. Meat juices and broth can be frozen as well in a non-glass container.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1355Total Fat: 88gSaturated Fat: 38gTrans Fat: 4gUnsaturated Fat: 44gCholesterol: 420mgSodium: 1273mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 127g
Nutrition facts are automatically calculated. Therefore, they are not to be used as an accurate calculation depending on the specific ingredients you use.
This is going on my list! Looks amazing!
Thank you! 🙂