American
Slow-Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Slow-braised chuck roast, deeply browned onions, provolone, and toasted hoagie rolls meet a clarified beefy jus for tender, savory American French dip sandwiches.
6 servings · 25 minutes prep · 580 minutes cook
Ingredients
Beef and Jus
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed of only thick exterior fat; fully thawed
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Sandwiches
- 6 soft Italian hoagie rolls, split lengthwise
- 6 slices provolone
- 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
Directions
Brown the Beef and Onions
- Confirm the chuck roast is fully thawed, then pat it dry and season with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil over medium-high and sear the roast 4–5 minutes per broad side until a dark brown crust forms.
- Transfer the beef. Add the onions and cook over medium for 8–10 minutes until golden at the edges; add the garlic for the final minute.
Braise and Clarify the Jus
- Place the onions, garlic, and beef in the slow cooker. Add the broth, Worcestershire, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on low for 8–9 hours until a fork twists easily and the center is about 200°F (93°C).
- Rest the beef 15 minutes, then pull into thick strands. Strain the cooking liquid, reserving the onions for the sandwiches, skim the liquid’s fat, and simmer in a saucepan for 8–12 minutes until savory and lightly concentrated; it must remain a pourable jus, not a syrup.
Toast and Assemble
- Spread the cut sides of the rolls with the butter and toast at 425°F (220°C) for 4–6 minutes until crisp at the edges.
- Divide the reserved onions among the rolls and fill with hot beef, top each with provolone, and return to the oven for 1–2 minutes just until melted. Serve before the toasted bread softens with individual cups of hot jus. Cool leftover beef and jus promptly in separate shallow covered containers, refrigerate within 2 hours, and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat both to 165°F (74°C) before assembling.
