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American

French Dip Sandwiches

Chuck roast braises in beef broth with onion until it is fork-tender, then the slices go onto toasted rolls with the cooking juices. The sandwich tastes beefy and salty, and the jus is made for dipping.

Prep
20 min
Cook
3 hr
Total
3 hr 20 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium
Jump to recipe
Sliced roast beef on a toasted roll beside a small bowl of dark au jus

Why you’ll love it

  • A long moist braise melts the connective tissue in chuck.
  • Onion and garlic season the jus while the beef cooks.
  • Slicing thin makes a tough-looking roast eat tender.
  • Toasted rolls hold together when they are dipped.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Heat the oven to 325°F. Pat the chuck roast dry and season it with the salt and pepper.

  2. 2

    Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. If the oil smokes, turn the heat off and let the pot cool slightly before continuing. Brown the roast on all sides, about 8 minutes. Move it to a plate.

  3. 3

    Cook the onion for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme, then return the roast.

  4. 4

    Cover and bake until the beef is fork-tender and about 200°F in the center, about 3 hours.

  5. 5

    Rest the roast 10 minutes, then slice it thin against the grain. Skim the jus.

  6. 6

    Toast the hoagie rolls, add the provolone and beef, and serve with the hot jus for dipping.

Pro tips

  • Do not rush the braise; chuck is not tender until the connective tissue gives.
  • Slice across the grain or the sandwich will be stringy.
  • Taste the jus before salting; the broth may already be salty.

Easy substitutions

provolone cheese
Swiss cheese
hoagie rolls
crusty baguette lengths
dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate the beef and jus together in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Simmer the sliced beef in the jus until hot, and toast fresh rolls.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
510
Protein
42 g
Carbs
36 g
Fat
22 g
Fiber
2 g

Moderate · Oven · High Protein

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients