French Dip

4.66 from 20 votes

This French Dip makes its own au jus. The beef slow cooks in seasoned broth with onions, garlic, and Worcestershire, and what's left in the crock at the end is the dipping sauce. Slice the beef thin, pile it on crusty rolls, and don't be stingy with the au jus.

Prep Time10

Cook Time4

Total Time4 10

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef dip, french dip, slow cooker recipes

Servings:

Calories: 652kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker

Ingredients

4 pound ribeye loin boneless or sirloin
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large onions sliced
10 cloves garlic minced
2 bay leaves
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup white wine
3 cups beef broth low sodium
8 crusty rolls or French baguette
8 slices swiss cheese optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Tie the beef with kitchen twine if needed. Combine the 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, and 1 tablespoon dried oregano in a small bowl and rub the mixture generously over the beef on all sides.
Heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until a deep brown crust forms.
Add the 2 sliced onions, 10 cloves minced garlic, 2 bay leaves, ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup white wine, and 3 cups beef broth to the slow cooker and stir. Nestle in the beef and spoon some of the liquid over it.
Splash a little of the broth into the hot searing skillet and scrape up the browned bits, then add that to the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours or LOW for 4 to 6 hours, until an instant read thermometer reads 130 to 135°F for medium rare or 145°F for medium.
Transfer the beef to a cutting board, tent with foil, and rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Strain the liquid from the slow cooker through a fine mesh strainer, reserving both the liquid and the onions. Discard the bay leaves. Let the liquid settle for a minute, then spoon the fat off the top. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Slice the beef as thin as possible, against the grain.
Toast the cut sides of the rolls under the broiler. Pile on the beef, add the reserved onions and a slice of Swiss cheese if using, then return to the broiler for a minute or two until the cheese melts.
Serve immediately with the au jus in individual bowls for dipping.

Video

Notes

The cut matters. This recipe cooks the beef to medium rare and slices it thin, so use ribeye or sirloin. If you'd rather have shredded beef, use chuck roast and cook it on LOW for 6 to 8 hours until it pulls apart.
Low sodium broth. This reduces for hours and salt concentrates. Regular broth plus Worcestershire ends up far too salty.
Deglaze the skillet. Those browned bits are the best flavor in the au jus and it takes 10 seconds to rescue them.
Make extra au jus. Use 4 cups of broth instead of 3. Eight sandwiches go through it faster than you'd expect.
Skim the fat after straining. Let it settle a minute and spoon it off the surface.
Slice thin, against the grain. Thin slices are what make this a French dip rather than a roast beef sandwich.
Toast the rolls. It gives the bread some armor against the au jus.
Ran out of au jus? Add another cup of hot beef broth and a splash of Worcestershire to what's left in the crock.

Originally published May 2019.

Nutrition