Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwich
Updated April 06, 2021
Quick Summary
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Pin ItWhen I dip, you dip, we dip! These Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches are a classic!
My boys love dipping their beef sandwiches into the homemade au jus, a fun and delicious meal! And the best part? The sandwiches are so easy to make because the slow cooker does most of the work.
The beef cooks for hours in a flavorful sauce and the end results are amazing! The beef is perfectly tender and juicy. Serve on a toasted buttery bun with melted provolone cheese and you have the ultimate sandwich. Oh, and we can’t forget the au jus. The au jus is served on the side and makes the sandwiches feel just a little bit fancy.
I love a slow cooker meal that turns out perfectly every time!
What Type of Meat for a French Dip Sandwich?
I recommend using beef chuck roast. Look for a 3-4 pound cut of meat. If you aren’t sure what to look for, chat with the butcher at the counter. I’ve always found them to be helpful and willing to find the perfect cut of meat.
Make sure to trim off any excess fat before getting started.
How to Make French Dip Sandwich
Again, I love that this recipe is made in the slow cooker because that means EASY and cooking the beef slowly makes it super tender and melt-in-your-mouth juicy!
- Season the roast with salt and black pepper. In a large cast iron skillet or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Sear the roast on all sides, about 3 minutes per side.
- Combine the beef broth, beef consommé, onion, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, bay leaf, salt, and pepper into the slow cooker. You should be able to find beef consommé by the broth at the grocery store, but if you can’t find it, use extra beef broth.
- Add the roast and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, or until the beef is tender. Time will vary depending on the size of your roast and your slow cooker. I recommend checking early to be safe.
- Transfer the roast to a large cutting board. Don’t discard the sauce, you will use it for dipping the sandwiches. Let the roast rest for 10 minutes. Use a sharp knife to thinly slice the beef. You can also shred the beef with two forks.
- Butter the rolls and add a few slices of meat to the bottom halves of the rolls and top with the provolone cheese slices.
- Broil until the cheese is melted and bread is slightly golden brown. This will only take a couple of minutes so don’t walk away. Keep your eye on them.
- To serve, place the sandwiches on a plate. Ladle the au jus sauce from the slow cooker into small bowls. Serve alongside the sandwiches and dip away!
Side Suggestions
I love that French Dip Sandwiches can feel both casual and elevated at the same time. They work just as well for a weeknight as they do for a night with company! Keep your sides simple and let the sandwiches shine.
- Baked Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges
- Easy Green Salad
- Favorite Fruit Salad
- Easy Pasta Salad
- Green Bean Salad
- Easy Cucumber Salad
- Potato Chips
How to Store
Store any leftover beef and au jus sauce in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I like to pour some of the au jus over the beef to keep it moist and flavorful. You can store the rest of the sauce in a separate container. Reheat and make a sandwich for lunch or dinner. Leftovers are the best!
More Sandwich Recipes
- Rainbow Veggie Sandwiches
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
- Brie, Fig, and Apple Grilled Cheese
- Cucumber and Avocado Sandwich
- Egg Salad Sandwich
- Cobb Salad Sandwich
French Dip Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 3 to 4 lb beef chuck roast, trimmed
- 29 oz beef broth
- 10.5 oz can beef consommé
- 1/2 large yellow or white onion, cut into chunks
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Softened butter, for buttering the rolls
- 8 hoagie rolls or French rolls
- 8 slices provolone cheese
Instructions
- Season the roast with kosher salt and black pepper on all sides. In a large cast iron skillet or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. When the oil is shimmering add the roast and cook until evenly browned and deeply seared on all sides, about 3 minutes per side.
- Combine the beef broth, beef consommé, onion, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, bay leaf, salt, and pepper into the slow cooker.
- Add the roast and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, or until the beef is tender. Time will vary depending on the size of your roast and your slow cooker. I recommend checking early to be safe.
- Transfer the roast to a large cutting board. Don’t discard the sauce, you will use it for dipping the sandwiches.
- Let the roast rest for 10 minutes. Use a sharp knife to thinly slice the beef. You can also shred the beef with two forks.
- Preheat the broiler. Butter the top side of the rolls. Add a few slices of meat to the bottom halves of the rolls and top with the provolone cheese slices.
- Broil just until the cheese is melted and bread is slightly golden brown. This will only take a couple of minutes so don’t walk away. Keep your eye on them.
- To serve, place the sandwiches on a plate. Ladle the au jus sauce from the slow cooker into small bowls. Serve alongside the sandwiches. Dip the sandwiches into the sauce!
