French Dip Sandwiches Au Jus

I’ve been enjoying many fall recipes, as you can tell from my recent posts.  They’ve mostly featured fall spices and pumpkin.  I can’t seem to get enough of the flavors.  However, fall is also that time of year dust off your slow cooker and make some soups, stews, chilis and in this case, hot sandwiches.  Mine has been tucked away and neglected for most of the summer, so I finally put it to good use for this recipe.

This sandwich is so good!  The meat cooks low and slow which makes it extra flavorful and fall apart tender.  It’s also a no fuss meal.  Just throw a few ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and come home to a delicious and ready to eat meal.  Or, if you’re anything like me and don’t leave yourself a minute to spare in the morning, just put together everything but the meat the night before.  It couldn’t be more simple!  It’s always a great feeling to come home from a long day at work, walk in the house and smell dinner that’s already made!

French Dip Sandwiches Au Jus {print recipe}
1 medium yellow onion
3/4 cup beef stock
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-pound chuck roast
generous amount of salt {1/2 to 1 tablespoon}
generous amount of pepper {1/2 to 1 tablespoon}
4 to 6 sandwich rolls, split
4 to 6 slices of provolone cheese

Slice the onion into 1/4-inch rounds.  Keeping the rounds intact, place them in the bottom of a crockpot.  Add beef broth, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, mustard, and garlic to the crockpot.  Depending on preference, cut out some of the fat from the roast if you like. {This is what I do because I like to get rid of as much fat as possible.  It’s still juicy and tender in the end.}  Salt and pepper both sides of the meat and place on top of the onions.  Cook on low 6 to 7 hours until beef is tender and falls apart.

Transfer the roast to a bowl to let cool.  Remove the onions and set aside.  Also, let the juice cool to the point that the fat starts to harden.  Remove excess fat from the roast and skim the cooled fat from the juice {again, you can skip this step if you prefer}.  Shred the meat using two forks.  Return the roast, juice, and onions to the crockpot for up to an hour before serving or switch it to “Keep Warm” so it doesn’t continue cooking.

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.  Remove the tops of the bread from the pan.  Scoop 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 jus.

Recipe is slightly adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride.