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

1. Slice the onion into ~1/4-inch rounds. Keeping the rounds intact, place them in the bottom of the crockpot.
2. Add beef broth, water, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and garlic to the crockpot.
3. Salt and pepper both sides of the roast and place on top of the onions.
4. Cook on low 8 hours until beef is fall-apart tender.
5. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and shred using two forks. Reserve au jus.
6. Remove the onions from crockpot and add to shredded beef.
7. 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.
8. Pile the beef onto the bottom of the rolls and top with cheese.
9. Return to the oven just until cheese is melted. Top with sandwich halves and serve with small bowls of au jus from the crockpot.