Hey y’all!
I’m back with our first recipe since I had to take a long break: slow cooker french dips with au jus. Over the next couple weeks there will be one new recipe per week, and slowly growing back to our awesome 3 new recipes a week, as we get acclimated to this new life of ours. But, let’s move on to bigger and happier things like these homemade slow cooker French dip au jus.
This recipe is super easy (like Crab Rangoon Dip) to make and it’s all done in your slow cooker. You just add the ingredients in and set it to forget it until you’re ready to eat. 😉
You start by seasoning a beef chuck roast with salt and pepper and setting it aside for about 20 min. This allows all the juices to start flowing through the meat, and it will give your meat time to come to room temp. It’s a neat kitchen trick! I use it on steaks also. Soooooo good.
You then sear the roast on all four sides to give it a nice crust and place it in the slow cooker. Boom. Now, you turn the roast into something heavenly by using ingredients to make your own au jus. Pretty simple ingredients too, man. I keep my kitchen stocked with all of them. 😉
What Is the Best Cut of Beef to Use for French Dip Sandwiches?
The best cut of beef to use for French dip sandwiches is typically a beef chuck roast. This cut is well-suited for slow cooking, which is essential for achieving the tender, flavorful slices needed for a delicious French dip sandwich. Here are a few reasons why beef chuck roast is an excellent choice:
- Flavor: Chuck roast has a rich, beefy flavor that intensifies with slow cooking. The marbling of fat within the cut helps to keep the meat moist and flavorful.
- Tenderness: When cooked low and slow, chuck roast becomes incredibly tender, making it easy to slice thinly and perfect for a sandwich.
- Affordability: Compared to other cuts like ribeye or tenderloin, chuck roast is more affordable, making it a cost-effective choice for feeding a crowd.
While chuck roast is the most common choice, other cuts can also be used effectively for French dip sandwiches:
- Top Sirloin Roast: This cut is leaner than chuck roast but still tender when cooked properly. It has a good beef flavor and can be a great alternative.
- Rump Roast: Another leaner option, rump roast can also become tender when slow-cooked. It has a robust flavor and slices well for sandwiches.
- Bottom Round Roast: This cut is typically tougher, but it becomes tender and flavorful with slow cooking. It’s a good choice if you prefer a leaner cut of beef.
What Is a French Dip?
A French dip, also known as a beef dip, is a hot sandwich traditionally made with thinly sliced roast beef on a French roll or baguette. The key feature of a French dip sandwich is that it is served with a side of flavorful beef broth or jus (pronounced “zhü”), which is used for dipping the sandwich. This jus is typically made from the beef drippings that accumulate while roasting the beef, often combined with additional ingredients like beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and sometimes onions or garlic to enhance the flavor.
The French dip sandwich is believed to have originated in Los Angeles, California, in the early 20th century. There are competing claims about who invented it, with two local restaurants, Philippe the Original and Cole's Pacific Electric Buffet, both claiming to be the birthplace of the French dip. Despite its name, the French dip is an American creation and is not a traditional French dish.
Whether enjoyed with cheese or without, the French dip sandwich remains a popular and beloved comfort food, celebrated for its simplicity, rich flavor, and the satisfying ritual of dipping each bite into the savory jus.
Ingredients Used to Make Slow Cooker Fench Dips with Au Jus
- Beef chuck roast
- Olive oil
- Beef stock
- Worcestershire sauce
- Soy sauce
- Italian seasoning (optional really)
- Hoagie rolls
- Provolone cheese
How To Make Slow Cooker French Dips With Au Jus
- Prep – sear the roast, and add ingredients to the slow cooker.
- Cook – this is the bomb diggity part because YOU technically aren’t doing any cooking- the slow cooker is doing it all. 😉 Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours. Remove roast and place on cutting board and slice.
- Assemble/Broil slow cooker french dip with au jus packet – Preheat oven to broil on high. Slice open a hoagie roll, place meat inside, and top each one with 2 pieces of provolone. Broil for 1-3 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve – serve with a side of the homemade au jus.
- See, that’s it. Super easy. Super delicious (especially that homemade au jus you use for dipping).
Happy dipping!
Quick Cooking Recipe
- Preparation Time: 10 minutes
- Cooking Time: 4 hours
- Inactive Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours
- Author: Jen Sharpin | So Damn Delish
- Yield: 6 hoagies
These slow cooker french dips with au jus are heavenly. Locked and loaded with flavor that simmers in the slow cooker it will have your tastebuds craving more!
Ingredients
- 3lb beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat
- 1 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups (32oz) beef stock, divided
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional)
- 6 hoagie rolls
- 12 slices provolone cheese
- salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
Prep
- Season roast generously with salt and pepper. Set aside for 20 minutes to bring to room temperature.
- Add 3 cups of beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and Italian seasoning (if using) to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear roast on all sides (about 3-5 minutes per side) to give the roast a nice crust. Remove roast and place in slow cooker.
- Turn the heat down to medium. Add 1 cup of beef stock to the pan. Bring to a slight boil. Using a wooden spoon scrape up all the brown bits from the pan. Add beef broth mixture and browned bits to slow cooker.
Cook
- Cook in slow cooker for 3-4 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low. Remove meat from slow cooker. Slice meat into thin strips.
- Fill each hoagie with the sliced meat and top each one with 2 pieces of provolone. Place on baking sheet. Broil for 1-3 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly, watching carefully not to burn.
Serve
- Place each sandwich on a plate. Use a ladle to scoop the au jus from the slow cooker and place some in a small bowl. Serve a side of au jus with each sandwich for dipping. Serve!
Notes
- We love using horseradish cream sauce on these too. You can make your own or you can easily find it at your local deli department.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
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Slow Cooker French Dips With Au Jus: Melt-in-Your-Mouth Taste
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours
- Yield: 6 hoagies 1x
Description
These slow cooker french dips with au jus are heavenly. Locked and loaded with flavor that simmers in the slow cooker it will have your tastebuds craving more!
Ingredients
- 3lb beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat
- 1 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups (32oz) beef stock, divided
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional)
- 6 hoagie rolls
- 12 slices provolone cheese
- salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
Prep
- Season roast generously with salt and pepper. Set aside for 20 minutes to bring to room temperature.
- Add 3 cups of beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and Italian seasoning (if using) to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear roast on all sides (about 3-5 minutes per side) to give the roast a nice crust. Remove roast and place in slow cooker.
- Turn the heat down to medium. Add 1 cup of beef stock to the pan. Bring to a slight boil. Using a wooden spoon scrape up all the brown bits from the pan. Add beef broth mixture and browned bits to slow cooker.
Cook
- Cook in slow cooker for 3-4 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low. Remove meat from slow cooker. Slice meat into thin strips.
- Fill each hoagie with the sliced meat and top each one with 2 pieces of provolone. Place on baking sheet. Broil for 1-3 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly, watching carefully not to burn.
Serve
- Place each sandwich on a plate. Use a ladle to scoop the au jus from the slow cooker and place some in a small bowl. Serve a side of au jus with each sandwich for dipping. Serve!
Notes
- We love using horseradish cream sauce on these too. You can make your own or you can easily find it at your local deli department.
Nutrition
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
