Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches

in Beef, Crockpot, Sandwich & Wraps

I’m not a big crockpot person. In our house, it essentially serves three roles:

1. Maker of pulled pork sandwiches
2. Maker of French dip sandwiches
3. Taker-upper of pantry space

We love French dip sandwiches – fall-apart tender meat slow-cooked in a flavorful jus, served on a toasty roll with melty cheese. It sounds like it should be a lot of work but it’s not. And with a 10 month old leaving a path of destruction in her wake, I love when something so delicious takes just minutes to make. Because I can use all that extra time to pick up the living room floor for the 16th time that day.

I usually make a loaf of bread or pick up a pack of ciabatta rolls from the store. Chewier breads hold up better to dunking in the jus.

French Dip Sandwiches au Jus

Tender, fall-apart French Dip Sandwiches made easy in your crockpot.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 3/4 cup beef broth/stock (a small Campbell
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tbsp creole mustard
  • 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • ~3lb chuck roast
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 6-8 sandwich rolls, split
  • 6-8 slices of provolone or swiss cheese

Instructions

  1. Slice the onion into ~1/4-inch rounds. Keeping the rounds intact, place them in the bottom of the crockpot.
  2. Add beef broth, water, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and garlic to the crockpot (I just drop a dollup of mustard in the liquid between two onion rounds - it all events out in the end).
  3. Salt and pepper both sides of the roast and place on top of the onions.
  4. Cook on low 6-7 hours until beef is fall-apart tender.
  5. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and shred using two forks.
  6. Remove the onions and set aside. I strain the juice into a large "defatter" measuring cup and get rid of the oil that collects on top.
  7. Return the roast, juice, and onions to the crockpot for up to an hour before serving (I usually switch it to "Keep Warm" so it doesn't continue cooking).
  8. Heat the broiler. Place the split sandwich rolls on a lined baking sheet and toast for 1 minute or just until the bread begins to brown.
  9. Remove the tops from the pan. Scoop the beef onto the bottom of the rolls and top with cheese.
  10. Return to the oven just until cheese is melted. Top with sandwich halves and serve with small bowls of jus.

Notes

Yields: 6-8 servings

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride

Estimated time: 8 hours

33 comments… add one
  • My husband would go nuts for this sandwich – and I had to laugh at “taker upper of pantry space” and foodie baby’s path of destruction – both are true for us as well 🙂

  • Jason

    I’ve been wanting to make these for ages. Merry Christmas to you and the hubby, all your readers, and especially the crazy ones who kept me company entering for the mixer. :-p

  • My boyfriend would think he died and went to heaven if I made this!! Thanks for the recipe 🙂

  • When I see recipes like this I’m reminded why I’m no longer a vegetarian. This looks fabulous. Unfortunately, I made the bright decision to store my crockpot in the oven, and I ended up “baking” it accidentally (forgot it was in there when I preheated the oven). Definitely bookmarking this for when I eventually get a new one!

  • This is a favorite in our house, I’ll definitely have to give your recipe a try :)!

  • Brandi

    Made these tonight. They were super yummy. I didn’t have creole mustard, so I used spicy brown and I seared off the meat before putting it in the pot. Lila was drinking the broth!!! Thanks for the recipe!

  • Emily

    Mine turned out horribly – I blame my “crockpot” – the meat was not anywhere near what you could call tender. 🙁 The au jus was deeelish though! Will definitely try again, with real equipment this time.

    • Bummer! I’m sure you’ll get better results next time. We make it weekly and it’s soft enough that even my kiddo and her 1/2 a tooth can handle 🙂

    • JC

      @Emily,
      Did you use chuck roast? Using the wrong cut of beef in pot roasts and similar dishes (like this) can certainly spoil the meal. Chuck is a great choice since it is ideal for crockpot cooking and is cheap, at least compared to other cuts. If you bought chuck and it did not work, then yeah, blame the crockpot :).

      • Emily

        @JC, (&Shawna)

        Yep, used a chuck roast, though not quite 3 lbs. My “crock pot” is really a roasting-type-dish on a candle-warmer-like device. My roommate and I had a real crockpot once before, but it was SOOO big, so we went down a size…but the heating element is only on the bottom, which is not working. Getting a smaller crock soon though!

  • Stephanie

    The husband gave this 2 thumbs up last night and said this was one we could repeat regularly. We really enjoyed it!

  • Taylor

    I made these sandwiches this week and they were to die for! I didn’t have time to make bread so I used “philly style” hoagie buns. Thanks for the recipe! I love french dip sandwiches–had no idea they’d be so easy!

  • Catherine

    Hmm…you mention water in the list of ingredients, but not in the directions….?

    • Thanks for the catch – it goes in the crock with the other liquids.

  • Ali

    Impressed guests with these, thank you!!!! Meat was fall-apart tender….lovely.

  • Kimberley

    I am going to make these tomorrow – will report back the results. My hubby will love these for sure!

  • A Huge Fan

    This is by far the most delicious meal I’ve ever made in my crockpot. Any advice for serving this as an hors d’oeuvre for a French themed cocktail party? Envisioning stainless steel ramekins for dipping the amazing au jus. Would sandwiches last if assembled & cooked beforehand & kept in the warming drawer for an hour or would that get too soggy? I’m stumped! Thanks for this amazing recipe!

  • Madlyn

    Oh my goodness! These are a “culinary delight”. Cannot put into words how good this is!

  • This looks absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to try it. 🙂

  • Lisa

    I made this last night and my three-year-old snarfed it down like soup! Thanks for the recipe, it was great! I especially liked that it didn’t call for any packets or cans and also that it wasn’t as salty as so many French Dips seem to be.

  • Melanie P

    Making this Today!!!! Will let you know how it taste!

  • Alyson Weiser

    We make this once every couple of weeks, following this recipe exactly. The grown ups love it and the picky picky kiddo has so much fun “dunking” his sandwich that he eats it without complaint (this is a very high compliment!). 🙂

    • Yay! It was one of the first “real meat” things that our kiddo ate. And she inhaled it. Still loves it to this day 🙂

  • Melissa

    Does it have to be a 3lb roast? Can I get a 1lb roast and would I just cook it less or the same?

    • It will probably be ready an hour or so sooner – when it falls apart when you jab-and-twist with a fork, it’s done.

  • belle

    What is a good substitute for creole mustard?

  • This is one of our favorite meals! I make it frequently, especially during the colder months. It’s really starting to cool off here so I made this recipe for the first time in a while and was reminded just how easy and yummy it is! I frequently use a 14 oz can of low-sodium beef broth because I more often have that on hand than the recommended Campbell’s and I replace the 1/2 cup of water with red wine, because… wine. I also use stone ground or brown mustard in place of the creole because that’s what I have. It always turns out super delicious!

    If I have a lot of leftovers I sometimes will sometimes separate the meat from the au jus, make a roux, use the au jus to make a gravy, add the meat back in and serve it over noodles. Makes a great leftover remix meal.

    Thanks for another great recipe!

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