French Dip Sandwiches
French dip sandwiches are one of my favorite types of sandwiches–it’s not fancy, but it’s perfect for me. I roasted my first roast beef recently and decided to make French dips with the leftover meat. It was the best French dip recipe I have ever made. The reason you ask? It’s because of the caramelized onions and homemade au jus. The combination of soft bread, tender meat, caramelized onions, and slightly salty au jus just made this sandwich over the top. These French dip sandwiches paired nicely with a deviled egg pasta salad and a kale Caesar salad.
French Dip Sandwiches
Au jus:
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1 small shallot, sliced thinly
- 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 -4 cups of beef broth
- 3 tsp bouillon crystals
- ½ tsp thyme
- Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Sandwiches:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, sliced thick
- Sea salt, to taste
- Roast beef, sliced as thinly as possible
- Hoagie buns
How to Make French Dip Sandwiches:
Prepare the au jus by heating the olive oil in a small saucepan, then add shallot once it’s hot. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, then add garlic. Cook for 60 seconds, stirring frequently.
Add broth, bouillon crystals, thyme, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
Simmer for at least 15 minutes for flavors to combine. Taste and re-season if needed.
Meanwhile, prepare the slightly caramelized onions by heating the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 20 minutes, stirring often, until golden brown and caramelized. Season with salt, remove from heat, and set aside. Side Note: Add a little water to the large skillet if it and the onions become dry.
Toast the buns under the broiler in your oven.
Prepare the French dip sandwiches by placing the roast beef into the au jus, then remove after 20 seconds.
Let the juices drip back into the au jus pan, then place on the hoagie.
Add a spoonful of onions and top with the other bun.
Serve with warm au jus. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Au jus:
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1 small shallot sliced thinly
- 1-2 cloves of garlic minced
- 3 - 4 cups of beef broth
- 3 tsp bouillon crystals
- ½ tsp thyme
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Sandwiches:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 large onion sliced thick
- Sea salt to taste
- Roast beef sliced as thinly as possible
- 4 Hoagie buns
Instructions
- Prepare the au jus by heating the olive oil in a small saucepan, then add shallot once it's hot. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, then add garlic. Cook for 60 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Add broth, bouillon crystals, thyme, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
- Simmer for at least 15 minutes for flavors to combine. Taste and re-season if needed.
- Meanwhile, prepare the slightly caramelized onions by heating the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 20 minutes, stirring often, until golden brown and caramelized. Season with salt, remove from heat, and set aside. Side Note: Add a little water to the large skillet if it and the onions become dry.
- Toast the buns under the broiler in your oven.
- Prepare the French dip sandwiches by placing the roast beef into the au jus, then remove after 20 seconds.
- Let the juices drip back into the au jus pan, then place on the hoagie.
- Add a spoonful of onions and top with the other bun.
- Serve with warm au jus. Enjoy!
A big thank you to Natasha at Tastorama for the Brillante Weblog Premio-2008 Award. I love Tastorama because Natasha has great recipes and beautiful pictures. Be sure to check out her blog through the link above.
Ok, this is 100% going on my list of dinners this week. It’s been far too long since I’ve had a French Dip. Your pictures are great, so tempting!
I could totally go for one of these right now! They look sooo good! Good call and cooking!
This looks to die for. It’s 10am and I’m already getting hungry just looking at it 🙂
What I love about your cooking is that you also go for maximum flavor and as little butter as possible.
Somehow it’s more satisfying to eat that way.
The beef sandwich looks really great. I haven’t come across French Dip before b ut sounds really interesting to try – thank you!
French Dip sandwiches always remind me of Fall. I love mine with the bread toasted extra crunchy to soak up all of the au jus. Your sandwich looks very good at 6:30 in the morning!
Haha I love your last line. That’s pretty much all we needed to know 🙂 Oh, and caramelized onions? Yes, oh yes…
I worked at a restaurant that served an awesome french dip. Had so many of them when I worked there that I haven’t had one in a few years. We are having these sometime this week…thanks for reminding me what I have been missing….
i LOVE french dip sandwhiches too, this looks delicious!
Great sandwich!
I skipped breakfast so I could eat this sandwich right now!
Looks really great!
These are my dad’s favorite! He loves to dunk:)
thanks. now i know what i am making for lunch on my day off today!
French Dip!!! You won’t believe this, but when I read your roast beef post a few days ago, I thought about this very sandwich! When I was dating my husband, we would meet for lunch and I would always order a French Dip (hubbyman would always order a pattymelt). To this day, whenever I see a French Dip, I’m transported back to that special time. I love what you did with the onions, too.
I love the carmelized onions, great idea!
There’s nothing like a good French Dip. I choose to have mine without onions, but to each her own! Your pictures are great, as always; do you want to come take my pictures while the ravenous beasts are growling at me?
Yum! I love these, too, but just don’t make them often enough…
au jus is fun to say and fun to use, and french dips are fabulous. this is the first time i’ve seen one on a food blog–terrific! 🙂
Caramelized onions are the best! This sandwich looks so comforting. You’re inspiring me to grill one, maybe with some gruyere (kind of like french onion soup!). You’re getting all the credit! 😉
Excellent looking sandwich, Pam, and I love the onions.
This is my favorite thing to do with left over roast beef! Delish!
This looks totally YUMMO! I am sitting here very hungry wondering what to have for dinner and this would really hit the spot.
I absolutely adore reading all of your inventive and tasty recipes. Being a cook myself (my foodie blog isn’t up yet, LOL), I really appreciate the tips. I love seeing what different people create in their kitchens.
Looks super yummy! Got a question… Any suggestions on where I can purchase bouillon crystals? Also, if I am unable to locate the crystals, may I substitute it with cubes?
Hi Mea,
I use Herb Ox Beef Granules and they work great. You can find them at any
major grocery store and they are kept near the soups, stocks, and bullion
cubes. Bouillon cubes would work fine too.
Cheers,
Pam
Wow, quick response. Thanks Pam! 🙂
Kind Regards,
Mea