Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

There is something inherently joyful about dunking a warm, crusty, cheese-covered sandwich into a hot bowl of savory broth. These Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches require only 15 minutes of prep in the morning, and you come home to a house that smells like a gourmet deli and a dinner that will have everyone begging for seconds.

Love this? You should also try our Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Zucchini Noodles!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Set It and Forget It: The slow cooker does 95% of the work. It’s the ultimate hands-off comfort food.
• The Au Jus: The cooking liquid transforms into a rich, salty, deeply savory dipping sauce that makes the sandwich legendary.
• Crowd Pleaser: Perfect for feeding a large family on a busy weeknight or serving to a hungry crowd on game day.

The Secret to the Best Shredded Beef

While you can just throw the raw chuck roast directly into the slow cooker, taking 5 extra minutes to sear the meat in a hot skillet first is the secret to building incredible flavor. The Maillard reaction (the caramelization of the proteins on the surface of the meat) adds a deep, savory complexity to both the beef and the au jus that you simply cannot get from slow cooking alone. Additionally, make sure you use a sturdy, high-quality hoagie roll or French baguette. Soft hot dog buns will completely disintegrate the moment you dip them into the hot broth!

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

Main

• 3-4 lbs Beef chuck roast
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 cups Beef broth (low sodium)
• 1/2 cup Soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 packet Dry onion soup mix (Lipton)
• 1 tsp Garlic powder
• 1 tsp Dried oregano
• 6 large Hoagie rolls or French bread
• 6 slices Provolone cheese

Method

 

Main

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear the chuck roast for 3-4 minutes per side until a dark brown crust forms. Transfer the seared roast to the slow cooker.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the beef broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dry onion soup mix, garlic powder, and dried oregano.
3. Pour the broth mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4-5 hours) until the beef is incredibly tender and falls apart easily with a fork.
5. Carefully remove the beef to a cutting board and shred it using two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker to soak up the juices for 10 minutes.
6. Preheat your oven broiler. Slice the hoagie rolls open and place them on a baking sheet. Top each roll with a generous pile of shredded beef and a slice of provolone cheese.
7. Broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly browned.
8. Ladle the remaining liquid (au jus) from the slow cooker into small bowls.
9. Serve the sandwiches immediately with the au jus for dipping!