Easy French Dip Sandwiches with Au Jus

a hand lifting a beef french dip sandwich out of a bowl of jus

4.60 from 96 votes

Easy French Dip Sandwiches with Au Jus

These French dip sandwiches are pure comfort: chuck roast braised with garlic, onions, and beef stock until tender, making its own rich au jus. Pile the beef onto crusty hoagie rolls with melted provolone or Swiss cheese, then dunk every bite into that savory dipping sauce.

Prep Time15

Cook Time3

Total Time3 10

Course: Sandwiches

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 720kcal

Author: Eden Westbrook

Equipment

9x13 baking dish
safety mandoline
mesh sieve
baking sheet

Ingredients

5 medium yellow onions thinly sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
½ teaspoon granulated sugar or brown sugar
3 lbs chuck roast excess fat trimmed
2 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoon black pepper freshly ground
6 cloves garlic minced
3 tablespoon butter
4 cups low sodium beef stock
6 hoagie rolls
12 slices provolone cheese or swiss

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325ºF (165ºC).
In a 9x13 baking dish or large dutch oven, layer the onion slices on the bottom of the dish. Season with the sugar, salt, and black pepper and toss to coat onion slices in seasoning.
5 medium yellow onions, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
In a small bowl, use a fork to mix the butter, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper with the pressed garlic to make a garlic paste. Use the rest of the salt and pepper to season the meat generously on each side, then rub the garlic paste over each side of the roast. Place the seasoned chuck on top of the seasoned onion slices in your baking dish or dutch oven.
3 lbs chuck roast, 2 tablespoon kosher salt, 2 tablespoon black pepper, 6 cloves garlic, 3 tablespoon butter
Pour in beef broth then put it into the oven, covered with aluminum foil or with oven-safe lid, for 2 hours. Remove the lid and cook for another hour until chuck roast is tender and barely holding together.
4 cups low sodium beef stock
Pull the roast out; slice and shred the meat on a cutting board. Use a fine mesh sieve to strain the onions from the jus; save both the au jus and onions separately.
In the sandwich rolls, layer slices of cheese, onions, and meat. Place on baking sheets and put into the oven on a low broil. Melt the cheese for a few minutes, then remove from oven.
6 hoagie rolls, 12 slices provolone cheese
Serve the french dip sandwiches with the jus in small bowls on the side to dip into.

Notes

Ingredient Swaps

- No chuck roast? A classic french dip sandwich uses thinly sliced roast beef instead of shredded chuck, so try my perfectly tender eye of round roast beef recipe for the perfect swap, or even some leftover rib roast after the holidays!

- No beef stock? Use chicken stock with a splash of Worcestershire or soy sauce for that umami-rich depth.

- Out of onions? Shallots or leeks will add a similar sweetness.

Make Ahead + Storage Info

Make-ahead beef: Cook the pot roast fully, slice or shred, and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Rewarm slices in the hot jus for a minute or two at most.

Keep-warm for parties: Hold sandwiches on a sheet pan in the oven at 200°F loosely tented for 20–30 min; keep the jus simmering or in a slow cooker on “Warm.”

Prevent sogginess: toast the rolls; cheese on both sides is a great moisture barrier.

Leftovers: store beef and jus separately up to 3 days. Rewarm beef briefly in hot jus.

Nutrition