Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

Published August 24, 2018. Updated October 10, 2018

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French Dip Sandwiches are a regular on my dinner menu. I make them probably twice every month, once you taste them you’ll see why! Sandwiched between fresh buns is perfectly seasoned, fall apart tender beef and gooey melty cheese. Then that’s dipped in a homemade au jus dip that will leave you craving more!

French Dip Sandwich

French Dip Sandwiches

French dip is one of my go to dinners for a number of reasons. First off – the flavor of course! The flavor of the rich beef combined with the well seasoned homemade au jus is the perfect match. And did I mention, there’s cheese and buttery buns?

Other reasons I love these include the fact that they’re so easy to make, my whole family loves them, it uses ingredients I usually have on hand (I freeze the chuck roasts and buns), and it’s just a totally comforting homestyle meal that’s perfect for any day of the year.

French Dip Sandwich

Ingredients for French Dip

  • 2 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 tsp honey
  • 3 lbs chuck roast
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary and thyme
  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced (2 Tbsp)
  • 6 Crusty hoagie buns (smaller ones) or 2 crusty baguettes cut into thirds
  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 6 deli slices provolone or swiss cheese halved

Scroll below for printable recipe.

French Dip Sandwich

How To Make French Dip Sandwiches

  • In a bowl (or large liquid measuring cup used to measure broth), whisk together broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire and honey, set aside.
  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Dab both sides of roast dry with paper towels, season just lightly with salt and a fair amount of pepper.
  • Sear roast in pot until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer roast to a 5 to 7 quart slow cooker, while leaving oil in pot. Add onion to pot and saute 3 minutes, add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer.
  • Remove pot from heat, pour beef broth mixture into pot and scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Pour mixture into slow cooker over roast.
  • Submerge rosemary and thyme spring into broth on sides of roast. Cover and cook on low 8 hours.
  • Remove roast from slow cooker and transfer to a cutting board, while leaving behind onions and herbs. Shred roast with two forks. Pour broth mixture in slow cooker through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl and discard mixture in sieve.
  • Return roast to now empty slow cooker, toss with 1/3 cup of the strained broth mixture.

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

How to Toast the Buns

Note that you can skip this step and just use un-toasted buns (just be sure to add cheese immediately after adding hot beef so it has a chance to melt. Then if desired you can toast without butter to cut back on fat a little.

  • For rolls, heat oven to 350 degrees (or a countertop toaster oven works great here if you have one). Cut buns through the center, place buns cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Spread butter on each side then toast in preheated oven 8 minutes, add cheese to one of of each bun and toast 2 minutes longer.
  • Layer beef over buns and top with remaining half. Serve warm with remaining broth for dipping.

Can I Use Other Cuts of Beef?

I’ve also made this a several times with cross rib roast. It’s really good but just a little seems to be just a less tender and flavorful because cross rib doesn’t have as much marbling of fat throughout as a chuck roast does. But if cross rib is what’s on sale then feel free to use that.

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

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Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
5 from 9 votes

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

These sandwiches are a regular on my dinner rotation because they are so incredibly delicious and I can't get enough of that tender beef! They're easy to make, they're hearty and they're just good homestyle food that everyone loves. Note that 1/2 sandwich is about 1 serving.
Servings: 6 sandwiches
Prep25 minutes
Cook8 hours
Ready in: 8 hours 25 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a bowl (or large liquid measuring cup used to measure broth), whisk together broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire and honey, set aside. 
  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Dab both sides of roast dry with paper towels, season just lightly with salt and a fair amount of pepper.
  • Sear roast in pot until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer roast to a 5 to 7 quart slow cooker, while leaving oil in pot.
  • Add onion to pot and saute 3 minutes, add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer. 
  • Remove pot from heat, pour beef broth mixture into pot and scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Pour mixture into slow cooker over roast. 
  • Submerge rosemary and thyme spring into broth on sides of roast. Cover and cook on low 8 hours.
  • Remove roast from slow cooker and transfer to a cutting board, while leaving behind onions and herbs. Shred roast with two forks while removing excess fat.
  • If needed season broth and beef with a little salt, if you find it a little too salty for your liking add in a little water to broth mixture.
  • Pour broth mixture in slow cooker through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl and discard mixture in sieve.
  • Return roast to now empty slow cooker, toss with 1/3 cup of the strained broth mixture.
  • For buns, heat oven to 350 degrees (or a countertop toaster oven works great here if you have one). Cut buns through the center, place buns cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Spread butter on each side then toast in preheated oven about 7 - 8 minutes, add cheese to one of of each bun and toast until melted, about 2 minutes longer. 
  • Layer beef over rolls and top with remaining half. Serve warm with remaining broth for dipping.
  • Recipe Source: Easy Cooking Zone. Recipe updated 1/30/18.
Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Amount Per Serving
Calories 781 Calories from Fat 387
% Daily Value*
Fat 43g66%
Saturated Fat 19g119%
Cholesterol 188mg63%
Sodium 1314mg57%
Potassium 1087mg31%
Carbohydrates 39g13%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 52g104%
Vitamin A 415IU8%
Vitamin C 3.6mg4%
Calcium 243mg24%
Iron 16mg89%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.