French Dip Sandwiches
A traditional French dip: seared, slow-braised beef shredded onto crusty baguettes with caramelized onions, melted provolone and horseradish aioli, with au jus on the side for dipping.
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
Beef and au jus
- 2-3 pounds chuck roast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon oil for searing
- 4 cups beef broth low sodium; this braises the meat and becomes the au jus
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Sandwiches
- 4 crusty baguettes sandwich length, split
- 8 slices provolone cheese
Caramelized onions
- 2 large yellow onions thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- salt a pinch
Horseradish aioli
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 1 small clove garlic finely grated
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- salt a pinch
Instructions
- Make the aioli. Stir together the mayonnaise, horseradish, grated garlic, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Chill until needed.
- Season and sear. Season the chuck roast with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Sear it in the oil in a Dutch oven until deeply browned on all sides.
- Braise. Add 4 cups beef broth and 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce. Cover and braise at 325 degrees F for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the meat shreds apart easily.
- Caramelize the onions. While the roast braises, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring now and then, for 30 to 40 minutes until deep golden brown and jammy.
- Shred and make the au jus. Lift the meat out and shred it with two forks. Skim the fat from the braising liquid, then taste it and salt to taste and keep it hot. That is the au jus.
- Toast the bread. Split the baguettes and toast them lightly so the inside is crisp.
- Build and broil. Pile the shredded meat into each baguette, top with the caramelized onions, then lay the provolone on top. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Finish and serve. Spread the horseradish aioli on the bread, close the sandwiches and serve each one with a cup of hot au jus on the side.
Notes
The au jus is the braising liquid. Skim the fat, taste it and season it at the end, not the beginning, because it reduces over three hours.
Use crusty baguettes. Soft rolls fall apart the moment they hit the jus.
Make ahead: braise the roast and caramelize the onions a day early, and make the aioli up to 3 days ahead. Toast, build and broil at dinnertime.
Slow cooker: sear on the stove first, then cook on low for 8 hours with the broth and Worcestershire.
Nutrition is an estimate, calculated with low-sodium beef broth and assuming the rendered fat is skimmed. It will vary a lot with the size of your baguettes.
Nutrition
Calories: 1310kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 80g | Fat: 76g | Saturated Fat: 33g | Cholesterol: 221mg | Sodium: 2890mg | Potassium: 1245mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 763IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 516mg | Iron: 9mg