French Dip

French Dip sandwiches made with tender (slow cooked) roast beef topped with melted cheese on a toasted hoagie and served with au jus. 

After a busy weekend, I’m back in meal planning mode! I turn to my crockpot at least once a week for easy slow cooker meals like slow cooker pork chops and slow cooker lasagna.

I love the simplicity and flavor of these Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches. They couldn’t be easier to throw together and the result is the most tender roast beef, melted provolone cheese and a toasted hoagie served with au jus that’s all made in the slow cooker!

Ingredients:

Bread:  Good quality bread is key! Hoagies, sub rolls, baguette’s or any type of crusty bread will be great.  Avoid soft rolls or bread as they will soak up the liquid quickly and get very soggy, causing the sandwich to fall apart.

Beef:  Chuck roast, rump roast or other cheaper cuts of beef that cook well in the slow cooker. Trim any large excess pieces of fat from your roast. Allow the roast to come to room temperature a bit before searing it. I take mine out of the fridge for 15 minutes beforehand.

Cheese: Swiss or provolone is what I recommend but choose your favorite!

Au Jus: As the meat cooks int he slow cooker with the spices and liquid, a natural au jus dipping sauce will be made. Ladle the sauce from the bottom of the pot into small bowls for dipping the sandwiches.

How to Make French Dip Sandwiches:

1. Prep the roast:  Season all sides of the chuck roast with salt and pepper, oregano, and thyme. Sear the roast in a very hot skillet with a little bit of oil until browned on all sides.

2. Cook on low: Add meat to slow cooker and pour all “slow cooker” ingredients on top. Cook on LOW for 4 hours and then remove meat to a cutting board. Thinly slice the meat and then return it to the slow cooker and continue to cook on LOW for one more hour.

3. Strain Au jus: When ready to serve, remove the roast to a bowl. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer and reserve it for dipping the sandwiches in.

4. Assemble and serve: Preheat oven to Broil. Slice rolls in half and lightly butter one side. Add a few slices of meat to the other side and two slices of cheese on top. Place in oven on High Broil until the cheese melted and bread is golden. Serve with reserved au jus.

Serve French Dip with:

• A Salad: Cucumber Avocado Salad or Classic Wedge Salad would both taste great.
• Coleslaw
• Potato Salad
• Veggies and dip

Additional Variations:

• Make it healthier: serve on a whole wheat bun and leave off the cheese.
• Make it “Philly style”: add caramelized onions and bell peppers
• Add some heat: jalapeños, yellow pepper, diced chilies, or crushed red pepper.

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French Dip Sandwiches

French Dip sandwiches made with tender (slow cooked) roast beef topped with melted provolone cheese on a toasted hoagie and served with au jus sauce. 

4.91 from 10 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, French

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 hours 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 779kcal

Author: Lauren Allen

Video

Ingredients

• ▢ 3.5 pounds chuck roast
• ▢ salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 packet Onion Soup Mix (dry), or homemade
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic , minced
• ▢ 2 1/3 cups low-sodium beef broth
• ▢ 1 cup Coke (not diet)
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

For serving:

• ▢ 16 slices Swiss or provolone cheese or your favorite kind
• ▢ 8 hoagies or sub rolls

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Season all sides of the chuck roast with salt and pepper, oregano, and thyme.
• Add olive oil to a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add meat to the pan and sear on high heat for 30 seconds or so on all sides, just until lightly browned.
• Place meat in the slow cooker and sprinkle with French onion soup mix and garlic. Pour broth, coke, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce on top.
• Cook on LOW for 4 hours and then remove meat to a cutting board. Thinly slice the meat and then return it to the slow cooker and continue to cook on LOW for one more hour.
• When ready to serve, preheat oven to High broil. Slice rolls in half and lightly butter the top side. Add a few slices of meat to the bottom halves and top with two slices of cheese.
• Broil for a few minutes, just until the cheese its melted and bread is golden. Ladle the au jus sauce from the slow cooker into small bowls for dipping. Enjoy.

Notes

Variations:

• Make it healthier: serve on a whole wheat bun and leave off the cheese.
• Make it "Philly style": add caramelized onions and bell peppers
• Add some heat: jalapeños, yellow pepper, diced chilies, or crushed red pepper.

Ideas to Serve with French Dip Sandwiches:

• A Salad: Cucumber Avocado Salad or Classic Wedge Salad would both taste great.
• Coleslaw
• Fries
• Potato Salad
• Veggies and dip
• Chips

Nutrition

Calories: 779kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 59g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 175mg | Sodium: 1879mg | Potassium: 841mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 520IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 481mg | Iron: 15.6mg

Did you make this recipe?Tag @TastesBetterFromScratch on Instagram #TastesBetterFromScratch!

I originally shared this recipe September 2016. Updated April 2020 with process photos and instructions.

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