Smoked Brisket French Dip Sandwich

Dripping with goodness, the juicy beef brisket on this smoked brisket French dip sandwich is slow-smoked for hours, served with smoky au jus.

Dripping with goodness, this tender, juicy beef brisket on this smoked brisket French dip sandwich is slow-smoked for hours, served on grilled rolls with melted cheese and smoky au jus.

We cannot believe smoked beef brisket served as a French dip is not really a thing, but it is now!

What is a French Dip 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.”

What is a Smoked Brisket French Dip Sandwich?

Typically some type of roast beef is used to make French dip sandwiches, but David and I had a leftover brisket point we needed to get out of the freezer. So, back in the spring, we cut off the flat portion of the whole beef brisket to test our smoked pastrami recipe.

The components of this smoked brisket French dip sandwich are:

• Smoked Beef Brisket
• Crusty Bread
• Cheese
• Au Jus

Ingredients Needed To Make The Sandwiches

The recipe card at the end of this post lists the full ingredient list with measurements.

Smoked Brisket: You’ll need about a 5-pound brisket point or flat. We use mustard to bind the beef rub to the meat.

Rolls: A French roll or Baguette is the traditional bread of choice for French Dip sandwiches. Any 6-inch hoagie roll will do.

Cheese: use any cheese you like. For this recipe, we used sliced gouda because it’s creamy and melts very well.

Smoky Au Jus: we use pan drippings from the meat, chopped celery, onions, and garlic with aromatics from bay leaves and fresh thyme. We help the drippings and canned beef broth, beer, and umami from Worcheshire sauce.

Helpful Equipment and Supplies

• water smoker or charcoal grill
• charcoal
• charcoal chimney
• cherry wood chunks
• probe thermometer and/or instant-read thermometer*
• tongs
• cast iron pan
• heavy-duty aluminum foil
• old clean towel
• 16-quart cooler 

How To Make A Smoked Brisket French Dip Sandwich 

Here’s a basic overview of how to make smoked brisket French Dip Sandwiches. The recipe card at the end of this post provides detailed instructions with times and temperatures.

Prep the Brisket For Smoking

Start with a brisket (flat or point) within the 5-pound range. Rinse it under cold running water and blot it dry with paper towels.

The brisket point can be very fatty. This fat will not render and break down. It also acts as a barrier and will not allow the beef rub or smoke to penetrate the meat. Trim as much of the excess fat off the brisket that you can.

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the beef rub; stir with a whisk to mix and remove any clumps.

Apply a light coating of yellow mustard all over the entire brisket. The mustard doesn’t affect the finished product’s taste, but rather it helps the rub adhere to the meat better. Next, apply the beef spice rub, coating the brisket on all sides.

Place the rubbed brisket on a wire rack over a lined sheet pan. Place the pan with the brisket inside the refrigerator uncovered and let it cure for at least 4 hours or as long as overnight. 

Smoking the roast immediately is ok, but sitting in the refrigerator for several hours allows the rub to penetrate the meat. The rub also forms a very nice crust.

Learn more about rubs and get more spice rub recipes HERE!

Fire Up the Grill or Smoker

Preheat the charcoal grill or smoker to between 225 to 250 degrees F. David used his Weber Performer kettle grill for this cook, set up for indirect heat. Use only half as much charcoal as usual to maintain this low temperature. (A half chimney-full.)

When the coals are ready, throw a chunk of cherry wood onto the coals, place the grate on the grill, and cover it with the lid so that it comes up to temperature.

Smoking the Brisket

Meanwhile, add the carrots, onions, celery (mirepoix), garlic, thyme, and bay leaves to the cast iron pan. Place the brisket on top of the vegetables. 

When the grill or smoker is ready, carefully place the cast iron skillet on the cooler side. Pour the beef broth around the brisket into the pan, careful NOT to pour it on the meat. The pan should hold the entire can; if not, add the broth until it comes up about 1 inch on the side of the pan.  Since there is no drip pan of broth and vegetables underneath the meat will help stabilize the temperature.

Insert the temperature probe into the thickest part of the brisket (if using a probe thermometer), cover it with the lid, and smoke the brisket. Bring the temperature up to 225 degrees F, using vents, coals, and wood to regulate the temperature. You will need to add fresh coals and wood chunks almost every hour for at least the first 4 hours. 

Whenever you open the lid, use clean tongs to toss around the vegetables as best as you can with the brisket on top.

Low and Slow

It’s more important to monitor the temperature of the brisket versus the amount of time. Check the temperature of the grill or smoker every hour, staying as close to 225 degrees F as possible. Resist the temptation to open the lid unless you need to add more charcoal or soaked wood chips to maintain temperature and smoke.

Knowing the temp in your grill is crucial, and you really shouldn’t trust the one on top of your grill. You should definitely purchase a digital BBQ thermometer. David uses a Thermoworks Smoke™ thermometer. This thermometer has two channels, one for the meat and one for the smoker, with remote control. Having the remote control saved him a lot of worrying about the smoker’s temperature. We highly recommend getting one. You can read more about this thermometer here and get the link to purchase one HERE.

Testing For Doneness

Smoke the brisket until a nice reddish-black “bark” (outside crust) forms. The internal temperature of the meat should be around 150 degrees F for about 4 hours. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to test for doneness in other areas of the brisket that are not close to the probe.

Wrapping the Brisket 

Although the goal meat temperature for this brisket is between 205 to 210 degrees F, don’t over-smoke the au jus and vegetables in the pan. When the brisket has a good color, remove the cast iron pan from the smoker.

Carefully remove the brisket from the pan, reserving the vegetables and all the pan drippings. Next, wrap the brisket as tightly as possible with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. 

Stoke Up The Heat

At this point, there is no need to continue to smoke the brisket with wood since it will not penetrate through the foil. With the meat covered, it also allows you to shorten the cooking time a bit by stoking up the heat!

Bring up the heat of the grill or smoker to between 275 and 300 degrees F and continue cooking the brisket.  Return the foil-wrapped brisket back to the grill or smoker.

The brisket’s internal temperature can rise up to 10 degrees once it is removed from the heat. Normally for brisket, an internal temperature of 190 degrees F is ideal for removing it from the heat because it will rise to an optimal 200 degrees F. However, for a smoked brisket French Dip sandwich, you want the meat to be as tender and juicy as possible and just about to fall apart. In addition, it will make the sandwich easier to bite into and chew.

Continue to smoke the meat until the internal temperature is between 205 to 210 degrees F.

Note: Time may vary depending on the brisket cut, how long it may stall, and even the weather you’re smoking in.

Make the Au Jus

Use a sieve and/or colander to strain the vegetables from the broth and pan drippings into a medium saucepan. Discard the vegetables. Pour in the beer Worcheshire sauce and the remaining can of beef broth. Bring the au jus to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. Give the au jus a taste and season with salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste.

If the au jus is too smoky, add more beer or beef broth to dilute it.

Keep the smoky au jus warm until needed for serving.

Holding

Holding helps tenderize by allowing some carryover cooking which helps melt tough connective tissue. In addition, the foil captures the natural au jus for use in a sauce, and holding allows the surface parts that have dried out during cooking to absorb some of the juices.

When the brisket reaches the goal temperature of 205 to 210 degrees F, remove it from the grill or smoker. Wrap the foil-wrapped brisket in a towel and place it inside a cooler for about an hour before slicing.

Build A Smoked Brisket French Dip Sandwich

Use a sharp knife to slice the brisket thinly, against the grain, about ⅛ to ¼-inch thick. For best results, slice only what you are serving—Reserve the juices inside the foil to store any unused meat with the leftover juices.

Place the hoagie roll on the hot grill and toast on both sides. Add the cheese and stack on the sliced brisket. Place the sandwich on the grill, cover it with the lid, and warm it through; for about 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove the French dip sandwich from the grill, slice the dip into the smoky au jus, and enjoy!

We’re excited to share our recipe so you can enjoy an awesome smoked sandwich too!

What To Serve With Smoked Brisket French Dip Sandwiches

• Grilled Potato Wedges
• Parmesan Smashed Potatoes
• Apple-Cabbage Slaw
• White Bean Arugula Salad
• Classic Wedge Salad With Blue Cheese Dressing