Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

Everything you love about French dip sandwiches but made easy by using the slow cooker. Tuck melt in your mout shredded beef and onions into crusty rolls, top with cheese and dip in the flavorful au Jus!

I tend to shy away from a lot of slow cooker recipes.

Usually they contain cream of blah-de-blah soup or packets of this-or-that. Until the light bulb went off that crock-pot-cooking didn’t have to be that way for me. And when Real Simple asked me to do a slow cooker recipe for their Simply Stated section, I took my regular old recipe for French dip sandwiches and scratchified it.

So, as promised here is the step-by-step to the most fabulous of fabulous slow cooker French dip sandwiches.

To Make This Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches You Will Need:

• olive oil
• beef chuck roast
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• yellow onions
• garlic cloves
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• low-sodium beef broth
• dry red wine
• beer
• soy sauce
• all-natural beef concentrate
• water
• hoagie rolls

Start off by adding 2 tablespoons of extra light olive oil in a large 10 or 12-inch pan. Get the pan nice and hot over medium-high heat.

I let my 5 pound roast sit on the counter for about a half hour or so beforehand to take some of the chill off. Then I season the chuck roast with a generous amount of kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.

When the pan is good to go, drop in the roast.

Sear both sides for about 3-4 minutes and don’t turn it until there is a nice golden crust goin’ on.

Turn off the heat and add in a half cup of dry red wine. With a wooden spatula, scrape up the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and remove off of the burner.

If you’re not into wine then use a half cup of beef broth.

Peel and slice up 2 large yellow onions.

Then smash and peel 4 cloves of garlic.

Into the slow cooker add the roast, onions and garlic cloves.

And then pour in 4 cups beef broth.

Then pour in 1 bottle of beer.

Pour 1/2 cup dry red wine into the pan and scrape any browned bits up with a wooden spatula, before adding to the slow cooker. More broth can be substituted for the wine.

And then 1 tablespoon soy sauce, this may just be the secret ingredient.

Then add in the 4 packets of all natural beef concentrate. My grocery store has these on the shelf right next to the bullion. But if you can’t find any then just use 4 teaspoons of bullion granules.

Lastly, pour in 1-1/2 cups water.

Stir to incorporate.

Set your slow cooker on high and forget it. Well, for 4 hours at least. Alternatively, cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.

When the time comes to unveil the goods; the meat will be tender and the onions soft and perfectly cooked.

Carefully remove the beef and place on a carving board. Use a couple of forks to shred the beef and place it back into the slow cooker with the onions and broth.

Preheat your broiler.

Tuck the shredded beef and onions on a sliced hoagie. Top with a slice of swiss and melt under the broiler. Watch carefully to avoid burning.

I was chasing day light, I had to quickly shoot these final shots.

Lastly, pour a little of the broth aka au jus and dunk your French dip sandwich before every bite. These French dip sandwiches are so good. Promise.

Enjoy! And if you give this Slow Cooker French Dip recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!

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Yield: 10 servings

Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches

Everything you love about French dip sandwiches but made easy by using the slow cooker. Tuck melt in your mout shredded beef and onions into crusty rolls, top with cheese and dip in the flavorful au Jus!

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 4 hours hrs

Additional Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 4 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 pound boneless beef chuck roast
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry red wine, may be substituted with beef broth
• 2 large yellow onions, halved and sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 12 ounces beer
• 4 packets all-natural beef concentrate, or four teaspoons bullion granules
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1½ water
• 8 crusty hoagie rolls
• 16 slices swiss cheese

Instructions 

• Pull out the roast thirty minutes before searing, to bring it up in temperature a bit.
• Heat the two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Season both sides of the roast with salt and pepper.
• Once the pan is hot sear each side of the roast for 3-4 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and deglaze the pan with the half cup of red wine, scraping the browned bits up with a wooden spoon. Beef stock may be substituted.
• To a large 5-quart slow cooker; add the seared roast, onions, garlic, wine reduction, broth, water, beer, beef concentrate and soy sauce. Secure the lid and set the temp to high for 4 hours or low for 7-8 hours.
• Once cooked, carefully remove the roast to a carving board and shred with a couple of forks.
• Remove and discard any large garlic pieces before returning the shredded roast back into the crock pot.
• Preheat your broiler.
• Tuck the shredded beef and onions on a sliced hoagie. Top with a slice of swiss and melt under the broiler. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
• Spoon some of the au jus in little bowls to dunk the sandwiches.

Serving: 1g, Calories: 720kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 58g, Fat: 38g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 17g, Trans Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 182mg, Sodium: 751mg, Potassium: 1028mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 256IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 270mg, Iron: 13mg

Author: Laurie McNamara

Course: Mains & Entrees

Cuisine: American