Savor the tender, melt-in-your-mouth goodness of our Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwich, served with a rich au jus for the perfect dip. Paired with Crispy Homemade Potato Chips and a refreshing French Bistro Salad, this flavorful trio creates the ultimate lunch that is as effortless as it is satisfying.
Jump to:
- 🥩 The Ingredients
- 📝 Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- 🔥 Tips and Tricks for a Perfect French Dip
- 👩🏼🍳 How To Slow Cook the Meat for French Beef Dip
- 🧑🏾🍳 How to Make Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
- 🍽️ How to Serve
- 🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
- 🥪 Other Amazing Sandwich Recipes
- Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
🥩 The Ingredients
A succulent cut of beef is slow-simmered in a rich, herb-infused broth until tender, then served on toasted rolls with a layer of perfectly melted cheese. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
📝 Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Chuck Roast: This cut is ideal for slow cooking because it becomes incredibly tender; however, you can substitute it with a rump roast or brisket if needed.
- Beef Stock: Use a high-quality or low-sodium stock to ensure a rich, flavorful au jus that isn’t overly salty.
- Herbs de Provence: This blend adds a classic French floral note. If you don’t have it on hand, a mix of dried thyme, rosemary, and oregano works well.
- Hoagie Buns: Look for sturdy, crusty rolls that can hold up to being dipped in the broth. French baguettes or ciabatta rolls are excellent alternatives.
- Provolone Cheese: Offers a mild, creamy melt. For a bit more tang or nuttiness, try substituting with Swiss, Gruyère, or Havarti.
Refer to the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
🔥 Tips and Tricks for a Perfect French Dip
- Sear for Flavor: Don’t skip browning the roast in olive oil before adding it to the slow cooker. This creates a caramelized crust that adds deep, savory complexity to both the meat and the au jus.
- Toast the Buns: To prevent the bread from getting soggy when dipped, lightly toast your hoagie buns with the Provolone under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly and the edges are golden.
- Strain the Jus: For a professional presentation, strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into small ramekins. This removes the bits of onion and herbs, leaving you with a smooth, clear dipping sauce.
- Slice Against the Grain: For the most tender bite, let the roast rest for about 10–15 minutes after cooking, then slice it thinly against the grain rather than shredding it.
- Low and Slow: While you can cook this on high, using the low setting for 8 hours results in a much more tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
👩🏼🍳 How To Slow Cook the Meat for French Beef Dip
- Step 1: Season the beef with salt and pepper, and then sear it in oil in a large cast-iron skillet until browned all over.
- Step 2: In a bowl or measuring cup, combine the beef stock, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, and a pinch of salt.
- Step 3: Place the onions at the bottom of the slow cooker and top with the seared roast and garlic.
- Step 4: Pour the beef stock mixture over the meat.
- Step 5: Cook on LOW for 9 hours and then carefully remove the beef.
- Step 6: Use a large, sharp knife to slice the beef into thin strips.
🧑🏾🍳 How to Make Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
- Step 1: Open up the buns and toast them until lightly browned.
- Step 2: Form the beef into piles approximately the length of the buns, top them with the Provolone slices, and place them under the broiler until the cheese is melty.
- Step 3: Strain the liquid into a heatproof bowl or measuring cup. Divide into small serving bowls for each guest.
- Step 4: Place the heated meat on the toasted buns and serve at once alongside the au jus!
Expert Tip
For a more refined dipping sauce, pour the cooking liquid into a fat separator before serving. While a little rendered fat adds wonderful depth and richness to the au jus, removing the heavy excess ensures a silky, clean finish that won’t feel overly greasy on the palate.
🍽️ How to Serve
- Assemble the Sandwiches: Pile the tender, sliced beef high onto toasted hoagie buns and top with melted Provolone cheese. For the best experience, melt the cheese under the broiler for a minute until it’s bubbly and golden.
- Individual Dipping Bowls: Portion the warm, strained au jus into small individual ramekins. Serving it alongside each plate ensures everyone has plenty of savory broth for dipping every single bite.
- Add the Crunch: Place a generous handful of your Crispy Homemade Potato Chips or Sweet Potato Cross-Hatch Chips directly on the plate. Their salty, golden crunch is the perfect companion to the tender sandwich.
- Balance with Greens: Serve the Crisp French Bistro Salad on the side. The bright, acidic vinaigrette and fresh greens provide a necessary palate cleanser that cuts through the richness of the beef and cheese.
- Garnish and Enjoy: For a professional touch, sprinkle a little fresh parsley over the au jus or the sandwich before serving immediately, while everything is hot and fresh.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
Chuck roast is the preferred choice because its marbled fat breaks down during the long cooking process, resulting in incredibly tender meat that is easy to slice or shred.
Yes! You can sear the meat using the sauté function, then cook on high pressure for about 60 to 80 minutes with a natural pressure release to achieve a similarly tender result in less time.
Keep the sliced beef and the broth in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three days. Storing the meat submerged in a little bit of the liquid will help keep it from drying out during reheating.
Absolutely. You can cook the roast a day in advance and refrigerate it. Slicing the meat while it is cold is actually much easier; simply reheat the slices in the flavorful broth on the stovetop when you are ready to serve.
Sturdy, crusty rolls like hoagies, French baguettes, or ciabatta are ideal. They have enough structure to soak up the savory dipping liquid without becoming overly soggy or falling apart.
🥪 Other Amazing Sandwich Recipes
Ready to make the best beef sandwich in town? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Video
Equipment
- Large cast iron skillet or any sturdy skillet or pan
- 1 4-6 Quart Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 3 lb chuck roast
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups beef stock or broth
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence or dried thyme
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 6 hoagie buns
- 6 slices Provolone cheese
Instructions
- Liberally sprinkle the roast with salt and pepper all over.3 lb chuck roast, Salt and pepper
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large cast-iron skillet (or any large sturdy skillet). Add the roast and sear until browned all over, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and place on a plate or cutting board.2 tablespoon olive oil
- In a medium bowl, stir together the beef stock, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dried herbs, and a healthy pinch of salt.2 cups beef stock, ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
- Place the onions in the bottom of your slow cooker. Top the onions with the seared roast. Sprinkle the minced garlic over the roast. Carefully pour the broth mixture around the roast. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 9 hours, or on HIGH for 4½ hours.1 medium onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Remove the roast from the slow cooker and let rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes.
- Use a large sharp knife to slice the roast (against the grain, if possible) into thin strips.
- Turn your broiler on HIGH and place the baking rack 6 inches below the heating elements.
- Open the buns and place them on a baking sheet. Toast the buns under the broiler until toasty and lightly browned. Keep an eye on them, don't let them burn! Remove from oven and place on a platter (or individual plates).6 hoagie buns
- Form the sliced roast into 6 piles approximately the length of the hoagie buns. Cut each slice of cheese in half and place on top of each pile of beef.6 slices Provolone cheese
- Use a spatula to place the meat piles on a baking sheet and then place the sheet under the broiler until the cheese has melted, only a couple of minutes (Keep an eye on them!).
- Meanwhile, strain the liquid from the slow cooker through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl. If desired, divide the sauce (au jus) into 6 small dipping bowls.
- Place the heated meat onto the toasted buns and serve immediately with the au jus.
Kristin George says
This was DIVINE! I made your fire roasted tomato basil soup (It was bomb) and I had to try more recipes from y’all. My son, fiancé, and dog (yes my dog ate some and she went nuts for it) LOVED this meal!!!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Kristin! Wow!!! That all sounds heavenly! We are thrilled you are enjoying our recipes!! Thanks for sharing and for the fantastic review! That means so much to us! Please stay in touch and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Kris & Wesley
Donna says
Forgot to add my rating.
Sorry, Donna
Kris Longwell says
Thank you, Donna! That means the world to us!!!
Donna says
Very good. My first time making French Dip sandwiches from a roast. Much more economical and much better tasting. My husband loved them and so did I. I would have had crusty rolls but your suggestion had me use soft mini sub rolls and that was definitely the right choice. Thank you and I will be looking at your other recipes now.
Kris Longwell says
Hi Donna! Yay! We are so so happy you made the French dip sandwiches and enjoyed them! Please stay in touch and stay tuned…so much more fun and food on the way! Best, Kris & Wesley
Caesar says
I love the way you guys add the quantities of the ingredients to the step by step instructions. It makes it so much easier to work with that information in one place. Oh yeah, and I LOVE all of your recipes.
Kris Longwell says
Hi Caesar! Thank you so so much! We are thrilled you are enjoying our recipes! Please stay in touch and stay tuned! So much more fun and food on the way!!!
Gotta EAT says
ohhhhhh JUS! HA! I could watch you guys saying those two words over and over again!!…. Actually, I did, Lol. I cannot get enough of you two!! Just Love You Guys!! It got me so motivated to cook – plus, I was salivating like a mad dog – that I raided the fridge for some MEAT. I found 2 pounds of fresh, grass fed beef stew meat and followed your recipe. I put it in a 325 degree oven ( no slow cooker – what’s wrong with me?!), and I CANNOT WAIT for dinner now!! XXOO
Kris Longwell says
Woo hoo!!! We can’t even begin to tell you how happy this makes us!! How did the meat turn out? xoxo
Gotta EAT says
Uber, Deeeeelish! No Leftovers!! Thank You!! Making it again TODAY!! XXOO
Kris Longwell says
FANTASTIC!!!!! So glad you enjoyed them, and as always…thanks so much for letting us know and for the awesome review!!! You ROCK!!!