French Dip Sandwiches
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Easy French dip sandwiches are so easy to make, and the whole family loves them. They consist of toasted hoagie rolls loaded with tender roast beef and served with a small dish of au jus sauce for dipping.
Why we love this easy recipe so much
I love making this delicious French dip sandwich for my family on a busy night. When we all go our separate ways, this makes the perfect weeknight dinner. I can make it earlier in the day and keep it warm in the Instant Pot or Crock Pot. It is one of those easy meals I can adapt easily to everyone’s tastes. Some of us like to layer slices of cheese on top, others prefer it without cheese. Sometimes, I will saute peppers and onions so we can turn this scrumptious hot sandwich into a Philly cheesesteak, layering the french roll with beef, peppers and onion and melty cheese on top. This slow cooker recipe has so much flavor it is by far the best french dip sandwich recipe. It only took about fifteen years of perfecting it!
Gather these ingredients
How to make beef dip sandwiches
1.Generously salt and pepper on both sides of the chuck roast. Turn the Instant Pot on to saute. Brown each side of the chuck roast. Remove the roast from the pot and set it on a plate.
2.Add the garlic and allow it to soften, sauteeing for 1 minute, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the beef consomme. Fill the can with water and add this to the pot as well.
3.Now add the remaining ingredients (with the exception of the hoagie buns). Place the chuck roast back in the pot on top of all the ingredients. Move the roast around so all the ingredients are mixed and surrounding the meat.
4.Place the cover on the Instant Pot. Seal the steamer. Cook on the stew /meat mode, high, for 90 minutes. See tips and variations for alternate methods for cooking this easy recipe.
Remove the roast from the pan with tongs and transfer it to a cutting board. Strain the juices through a fine mesh strainer into a 3-quart saucepan. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.
5.Slice or shred the flavorful beef and return it to the pot. Pour 1/2 cup of juice over the meat. Place the Instant Pot or slow cooker on keep warm mode.
** This step is optional: If you have a separator measuring cup, pour the juice in, allow the fats to settle on the top, and then pour off the fats. If you do not have a separator cup, place the pan of meat juices /au ju in the refrigerator or freezer. Allow 10-15 minutes for fat to rise to the top, and then skim off the fat. Return the pan to the stovetop and bring the dipping sauce back to temperature.
6.Toast hoagie buns, French bread, or whatever type of rolls you’ve chosen. Pile meat high, adding a slice of provolone on top. Ladle warm au jus into a small ramekin for dipping.
Tips & Variations
- Leftovers: If you have leftovers, a great way to repurpose them is to make quesadillas or tacos. Pulled beef is delicious on top of sheet-pan nachos or mac-n-cheese. This meat has so much flavor; there are endless possibilities! Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
- Cooking method: I have given two methods for cooking this recipe in the recipe card below; instant Pot and crock pot. You can also use a Dutch oven. Use the exact same steps as the instant pot method. Cover pot with aluminum foil, place lid on top of foil. Place in a 325 degree f oven for 4 hours.
- Substitutions: Beef broth can be used instead of beef consume. If you can’t find a chuck roast a rump roast, top or bottom round roast is the next best cut of meat for this French Dip Recipe.
- Serve with: I usually serve this with oven baked french fries, or a roasted potatoes, then I add a salad for some color. This also makes a great pot luck recipe, because it can really be served with just about any side dish.
Some might call this Mississippi Pot Roast, it’s always been “French Dip Sandwich” to us. We like to shred up the beef, pile it high on hoagie buns and dip it in the extra juice! One of the best comfort foods. I hope your family enjoys it as much as ours. Please remember to share, pin, and give me a star rating below in the recipe card! Thank you it’s seriously appreciated, Sheila
French Dip Sandwich
Equipment
- slow cooker or insta pot
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 pound chuck roast string removed, and fat trimmed off
- salt & pepper sprinkle roast with salt and pepper on both sides before browning
- 10 ounce can beef consommé
- 5 whole pepperocinni peppers
- 1/4 cup pepperocini pepper juice
- 4 whole cloves garlic smashed or chopped
- 1 tbsp better than bouillon beef base or 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp dill weed
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 12 Hoagie Buns or French Baguette cut into sandwich sized pieces
Instructions
Instant Pot
- Salt and pepper both sides of roast. Turn instant pot on saute mode. Brown each side of chuck roast. Remove roast from pot to a plate. Add in garlic and allow to cook for 1 minute, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a spatula.
- Add all the remaining ingredients. Place chuck roast back in pot on top of all the ingredients, fill consume can with water and pour that in. Move roast around so all the ingredients are mixed and are surrounding the meat.
- Place cover on instant pot. Seal steamer. Click on the stew /meat mode, high, for 90 minutes.
- Allow time for steam to release. Remove lid, and remove meat with tongs to a bowl. Meat will be falling apart, so you might want to use a slotted spoon. Pull meat apart with forks, leaving some larger chunks, and removing any fatty chunks. After juices are removed from instant pot you can return meat to instant pot.
- Strain juices through a sieve into a 3 quart sauce pan. Taste and adjust salt and pepper level to your liking. Pour 1/2 cup of juice over meat.
- ** This step is optional. ** If you have a separator measuring cup pour juice in and allow fats to settle on the top and pour off fats. If you do not have a separator cup then place pan of meat juices /au ju in refrigerator or freezer. Allow 10-15 minutes for fat to rise to the top, and then skim off the fat. Return pan to stove top and bring ju back to temperature.
- Toast hoagie buns, french bread, or whatever type of rolls you've chosen. Pile meat high add a slice of provolone on top. Ladle juice into small ramekin for dippinng.
Slow Cooker
- Salt and pepper both sides of roast. Add 1 tablespoon of olive to large skillet or frying pan, brown each side of chuck roast. Remove roast and place it in your slow cooker.
- Add garlic to pan with can of beef consume, scrap up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and then pour garlic and consume over chuck roast in the slow cooker.
- Add remaining ingredients (with exception of the bread) to the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 6 hours.
- Follow the same last 3 steps as instant pot cooking method to finish off sandwiches.
This is a brilliant idea and I love that you want to share a meal with someone who’s having a tough time. You’re a good woman.
Now eating that meat on a sandwich is the only way to go. 🙂
I just love you and this concept. I want to be you when I grow up. I am blessed to know YOU!
Awe shucks!