Today I’m talking about these incredibly good Slow-Cooker French Dip Sandwiches. This sandwich could possibly be my favorite hot sandwich.
Definition: “French dip” — a sandwich made of thinly sliced or shredded roast beef on a French roll, usually served with au jus (Meaning: “with [its own] juice”).
Despite its name, this sandwich isn’t French at all. The name comes from the type of bread used to make the sandwich: a French Baguette or roll. There are two restaurants in Los Angeles that claim to be the birthplace of this sandwich: “Philippe’s” and “Cole’s”. They both opened up in 1908 and both claim to be the eatery where the French dip sandwich was first served, and they both offer explanations as to how the sandwich came to be. The birth of this simple sandwich has been one of modern history’s longest-running culinary disputes.
The legend associated with Philippe’s has two main versions: One states that a server or chef accidentally dropped a dry roast beef sandwich into a pan of meat drippings. The other version of the story states that restaurant founder Philippe “Frenchy” Mathieu himself deliberately immersed a sandwich into meat juice in order to appease a customer who complained about a stale roll.
The founding legend associated with Philippe’s rival Cole’s is that the French dip sandwich happened 10 years before Philippe’s version of the story. The concoction created at Cole’s as a favor to a patron who suffered from sore gums.
Regardless of the origin of this sandwich, the French dip has now expanded well beyond Los Angeles and is on the menu of countless restaurants throughout the U.S.
Good slow cooker recipes are few and far between, but this slow-cooker version of the French Dip Sandwich nearly melts in your mouth. Besides the fact that it was really good, I loved this recipe because it uses REAL ingredients and very few of them. This simple recipe is something that can easily be tossed together in the morning and have a flavorful delicious supper in just a few minutes when you get home.
Tender and juicy Slow-Cooker French Dip Sandwiches make for a wonderful meal. The beef is slow cooked for hours, served on toasted hoagie rolls with melted cheese and a side of warm cooking broth (au jus) for dipping. They’re delicious and dripping with goodness!
Here’s how I made them:
Season the roast with salt and pepper, set aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the roast to the pan. Sear the meat on both sides; about 3 minutes per side, or until the meat releases from the pan.
Remove the roast from the pan and place into a 6-quart slow cooker.
Add the onions into the same pan. Cook until lightly browned; about 5 minutes.
Add the broth Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder to the pan of onions and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the onion mixture over the roast in the slow cooker. Cover and set the slow cooker on low for about 8 hours.
When the beef has cooked, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the beef from the slow cooker and let it rest on a carving board. Reserve the onions and broth.
Slice the rolls in half, horizontally, and place them cut side up onto a sheet pan. Lay 2 to 3 slices of cheese onto the rolls. Bake 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Divide the beef evenly into 4 portions. Place onto the cheese topped rolls. Then top with onions and place the top of the roll onto the prepared bottoms.
Secure with a toothpick and cut at an angle in half.
Ladle some of the broth through a sieve into ramekins for dipping.
Serve immediately.
These sandwiches are so good! I hope this will be a recipe that will help you out on a busy day when you don’t have time to come home and cook.
I served these sandwiches with an Apple-Cabbage Slaw. A wonderful combination!
Slow-Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pound boneless chuck roast
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 3 small onions sliced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 4 hoagie rolls
- 6-8 slices Swiss cheese
Instructions
- Season the roast with salt and pepper, set aside.
- Heat the oil in a heavy cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the roast to the pan. Sear the meat on both sides; about 3 minutes per side, or until the meat releases from the pan.
- Remove the roast from the pan and place into a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the onions into the same pan. Cook until lightly browned; about 5 minutes.
- Add the broth Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder to the pan of onions and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the onion mixture over the roast in the slow cooker. Cover and set the slow cooker on low for about 8 hours.
- When the beef has cooked, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Remove the beef from the slow cooker and let it rest on a carving board. Reserve the onions and broth.
- Slice the rolls in half, horizontally, and place them cut side up onto a sheet pan. Lay 2 to 3 slices of cheese onto the rolls. Bake 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
- Divide the beef evenly into 4 portions. Place onto the cheese topped rolls. Then top with onions and place the top of the roll onto the prepared bottoms.
- Secure with a toothpick and cut at an angle in half.
- Ladle some of the broth through a sieve into ramekins for dipping.
- Serve immediately.
PotP says
One of my favorite hot sandwiches too. I like your slow cooker take on it. This one would be easy to adapt to the grill too, I think, if one doesn’t mind a smokey taste in their French Dip. Man you two eat good! Don’t you ever have days where you can’t in the world think of anything to eat, and end up eating a bowl of cereal or something for supper?
Anyhow, hey to David!
-PotP
The Mountain Kitchen says
I think a smoked French Dip would be awesome, probably much better than the slow cooker….
There aren’t many days that we can’t think of things to eat, but they do happen more often than you would think. Actually we think about food all the time, but a lot of laziness steps in the way…lol!
I just shared your post of that meatloaf with him. I’m sure he’s salivating. 🙂
Colleen says
Yeah!!! Looks yummy! So glad you had a crockpot success! I’m sure HRH did a wonderful job keeping an eye on it!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks! Did this one when we were at home one weekend. He’s so lazy! 😉
Julie is Hostess At Heart says
This is my kind of recipe! I love french dip sandwiches, and this is an easy flavorful sammich that I can love! Pinned!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks for pinning, Julie. Sometimes it is the simpliest of recipes that are so daggum good… mind boggling!
Debbie from MountainMama says
We have a restaurant in the next village that makes the BEST French Dip – I crave it and pretty much get it every single time I eat there!! This one is totally worth a try – I love making sandwiches like this for an easy peasy dinner. Yummmm!!!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks Debbie. Hard to beat a good French Dip!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I haven’t had a French dip sandwich in years. Great idea of using your slow cooker for the meat.
The Mountain Kitchen says
Karen, you’ll have to give this a shot. So good!
Sarah says
I’m drooling! I could go for one of these right about NOW!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Sarah they are yummy. Hope you give this a try!