By: Brady Evans
I was a pretty big tomboy when I was younger. I so wanted to be a boy that I went to a birthday party at my neighbor’s house wearing only my older brother’s swim trunks. I guess I wanted to be just like my big brother. What little sister doesn’t?
I even regularly attended his boy scout meetings. In retrospect, I feel badly for him. Perhaps my parents should have forced me to stay home instead of allowing me to tag along.
I remember being at our den mother’s house one day learning how to properly construct a fire. She had us practice setting tiny teepee-like fires up in her fireplace. Then we’d light a match and watch it burn. I didn’t get to make a fire that day but I remember kneeling against the fireplace watching the older boys practice and being perfectly content. Eventually most of the scouts went home but my brother and I stuck around for dinner with the den mother and her kids.
She served the most amazing french dip sandwiches. I had never encountered such a meal before and I ate my weight of the stuff. I remember the giant lazy susan she had in the middle of her oversized dining table. Round and round it would go as I would load up on another serving of beef and bread. I assume the message of how we enjoyed this meal was relayed to my mother. Soon afterward my mother began making the french dip for our family and it was such a treat when I found out we were having it for dinner. Carbs, meat, and greasy-in-most-delicious-way au jus.
This recipe brings back all those memories. It is absolutely delicious and a rare treat at our house. I can eat it over and over again and not get sick of it (which happens when you’re cooking for two and chuck roasts come in 3+ pound packages). My husband likes to put cheese on his sandwich but I prefer not to. The choice is yours!
French Dip Sandwiches (barely adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride)
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3/4 cup beef broth/stock
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp brown mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- ~3lb chuck roast
- salt
- pepper
- 6-8 sandwich rolls, split
- 6-8 slices of provolone or white American cheese
Instructions
- Slice the onion into ~1/4-inch rounds. Keeping the rounds intact, place them in the bottom of the crockpot.
- Add beef broth, water, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and garlic to the crockpot.
- Salt and pepper both sides of the roast and place on top of the onions.
- Cook on low 8 hours until beef is fall-apart tender.
- Transfer the roast to a cutting board and shred using two forks. Reserve au jus.
- Remove the onions from crockpot and add to shredded beef.
- Heat the broiler. Place the split sandwich rolls on a lined baking sheet and toast for 1 minute or just until the bread begins to brown.
- Pile the beef onto the bottom of the rolls and top with cheese.
- Return to the oven just until cheese is melted. Top with sandwich halves and serve with small bowls of au jus from the crockpot.