Slow-Braised French Dip Sandwich
This slow-braised French dip sandwich is loaded with tender, juicy beef, rich homemade au jus, and classic comfort flavor in every bite. Made low and slow for maximum depth, this easy French dip recipe delivers restaurant-style results right at home.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- beef chuck roast
- salt and black pepper
- flour
- olive oil
- butter
- red wine / white wine
- garlic
- fresh rosemary
- worcestershire sauce
- yellow onion
- baguette
- provolone cheese
- chives
What cut of beef is best for French dip sandwiches?
Chuck roast is the most popular choice because it becomes tender and flavorful when slow-braised; top sirloin or rump roast also work for leaner options.
How do you make a flavorful au jus?
Use the braising liquid from the beef, enhanced with beef broth, onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and herbs, then strain and season to taste.
What kind of bread works best?
Crusty rolls like French rolls, hoagie rolls, or baguettes are ideal because they hold up well when dipped.
Can French dip sandwiches be made ahead of time?
Yes—braise the beef up to 2–3 days ahead and reheat it gently in the au jus to keep it moist.
How do you keep the sandwich from getting soggy?
Toast the bread lightly and serve the au jus on the side for dipping rather than soaking the sandwich.
Cook with me!
Slow-Braised French Dip Sandwich
Ingredients
- 3 lb. Chuck Roast sliced into large chunks
- 1/4 cup Flour
- 2 tsp. EACH: Salt & Black Pepper
- 3 tbsp. Olive Oil
- 4 Garlic Cloves thinly sliced
- 1 sprig Fresh Rosemary
- 2 tbsp. Red Wine
- 4 tbsp. Unsalted Butter divided
- 3 cups Beef Broth or beef stock
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 large Yellow Onion thinly sliced
- Fresh Chives for garnishing
- Optional 3 tbsp. White wine, for deglazing
- 1 French Baguette
- Sliced Provolone Cheese
Instructions
To Make the Tender Beef:
- Preheat oven to 300F.
- Slice the chuck roast into large chunks for easier searing. Season all sides with the salt and black pepper. Dust with flour and shake off any excess. Set aside.
- Place a dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the olive oil to warm up for 1 minute, until glistening.
- Sear the beef for 2-3 minutes untouched on two sides, until deeply golden and browned. If needed, work in two batches to prevent overcrowded the pot.
- Reduce heat to medium, then add the sliced garlic and fresh rosemary sprig.
- Add the red wine and 2 tbsp. butter to de-glaze the pot.
- If you’d rather not caramelize the onions, add the onions.
- Add the beef broth and worcestershire sauce. Make sure the beef is submerged in the beef broth.
- Cover with the dutch oven lid to slow cook in the oven for 2.5-3 hours, until very tender.
To Make the Caramelized Onions:
- In the meantime, caramelize the onions by place in a pan over medium high heat with the remaining 2 tbsp. butter. Season with salt.
- Saute for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent any burning, then add 1/4 cup water and stir until evaporated. Repeat this process until deeply caramelized, about 15-20 minutes total. De-glaze the pan with the white wine. Stir until absorbed by the onions.
To Assemble the French Dip Sandwich:
- Slice the baguette in half lengthwise. If desired, pick out 3/4ths of the bread filling to help make room for the meat to not fall out when eating.
- Drizzle with olive oil on a pan, then place in a toaster oven or the oven using the broiler to toast 1-2 minutes, until golden.
- Using a slotted spoon, add the beef onto the bottom slice of toasted baguette followed by the caramelized onions and sliced provolone. Toast for 30 seconds more, just until cheese is melted.
- Garnish with fresh chives, add the top baguette slice to sandwich, and enjoy immediately with the au jus (juice from the dutch oven) on the side for dipping!
I truly hope you all enjoy this treasured recipe that has nestled its way into our hearts here in the ABM kitchen! ’till next time… xxL
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
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Thank you for sharing this recipe
Silly question – can I freeze the leftover meat and reheat it another time? Single girl problems. Haha!
Hi Linds! Absolutely!! Just let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stovetop in a saucepan! I feel you girl!
Will leaving out the wine change the flavor drastically?
Hi Ashley! It will not dramatically make a difference! You can either omit it or replace with the beef broth
this looks amazing, looking forward to making it soon! wondering what your preference is for brand of beef broth? and what brand dutch oven you use? thanks 🙂
Hi Steffi! Any organic beef broth should taste pretty similar and produce the same outcome! I also use a 4-5 qt dutch oven from Staub!
My family and I loved this recipe! It was so tasty and easy to make. Thank you for sharing!
I made this tonight. Wow it is a keeper. Now I just need to get my bread recipe to turn out just as well.
Would you share your baguette recipe?
Working on perfecting that recipe for you all very soon!
I’m excited to try this recipe! Would you think this might be doable/adaptable to a slow cooker? If so, any tips or guidance? Thanks!!
Hi Christina! Yes, you totally could use a slow cooker on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. I would recommend still searing the beef prior as it’ll add so much flavor to the dish. And then you could just toss everything in the slow cooker and let it be hands off from there!
Thank you! This is the comment I came to look for.
My family loved this!
Really loved this recipe, though I made a few tweaks. I’d definitely recommend using a grease separator—I poured the cooking liquid into one to separate out the fat, as there was quite a bit after cooking. I used the leftovers to make my own version of beef stroganoff, and it was 10/10.
I pressure cooked the meat after 3 hours of slow cooking to make it more tender and removed the fat before using it for the sandwich but it was delicious.
All I can say is if you make this, you can’t stop making it. Its absolutely fabulous 👌
This worked exactly as written, thanks! My husband loved it!
Thank you for this recipe! I just made it tonight for my husband and our son who’s home from college on spring break and it was incredible!! I had made a large batch of sourdough earlier in the week to bake when needed so I made the baguettes out of that. I did everything else as instructed and cannot even begin to tell you how much we enjoyed this meal. Paired it with a crisp green salad and enjoyed every bite. My hubby wants this recipe on repeat now which I happily agree with! I told him I need to make this for more loved ones because it’s just so so good and it’s must be shared! 🙂
Another amazing recipe, Lauren! This was a favorite in our house!
This was so delicious! Will be making it again! Thank you!