Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches (Printable)
Tender slow-cooked beef on crispy rolls with rich au jus for an effortless comfort classic.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Beef
01 - 3 lb beef chuck roast
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
02 - 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids & Sauces
04 - 3 cups beef broth
05 - 1/4 cup soy sauce
06 - 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
→ Spices & Seasonings
07 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
08 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1 bay leaf
→ For Serving
11 - 6 French rolls or hoagie buns
12 - 6 slices provolone or Swiss cheese (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Arrange the thinly sliced onion and minced garlic evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker.
02 - Season the chuck roast generously with black pepper and place it on top of the onion and garlic bed.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the beef broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaf. Pour the mixture over the beef.
04 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender and pulls apart easily.
05 - Transfer the beef to a cutting board and shred using two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Remove and discard the bay leaf from the cooking liquid. Strain the liquid into small serving bowls to use as au jus.
06 - Turn the oven broiler to high. Arrange the rolls on a baking sheet, pile each with shredded beef, and top with a slice of provolone or Swiss cheese. Broil for 1–2 minutes until the cheese melts and the rolls are lightly toasted.
07 - Serve the hot sandwiches immediately with individual bowls of warm au jus on the side for dipping.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The soy sauce and Worcestershire combination creates a depth of flavor that tastes like you spent all day tending a pot.
- Eight hours in the slow cooker turns an inexpensive chuck roast into something genuinely restaurant worthy.
- Broiling the sandwiches at the end gives you that irresistible melted cheese and toasted bread moment with almost no extra work.
02 -
- Do not rush the cooking time by using the high setting because the beef will not shred as tenderly and the broth will lack the same developed depth.
- Removing the bay leaf before serving is easy to forget and an unpleasant surprise for whoever finds it in their dip bowl.
03 -
- Sear the chuck roast in a hot skillet for two minutes per side before adding it to the crockpot for a deeper, more complex flavor that is worth the extra pan.
- Skim the fat from the surface of the au jus with a spoon or fat separator before serving for a cleaner, more elegant dipping broth.