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Juicy shredded slow-cooked beef glistening with savory meat juices under overlapping slices of gooey stringy provolone cheese.

Outstanding Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

Achieve restaurant-quality flavor at home with these Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches. Featuring melt-in-your-mouth shredded beef, perfectly blistered provolone cheese, a clear, savory dark brown au jus, and a side of crispy golden baked fries.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 sandwiches
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sandwich Ingredients
  • 3 lbs Beef Chuck Roast 1.36kg. Look for good marbling.
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil 30ml. For searing the beef.
  • 1 tsp Salt 5g. For seasoning the beef.
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper 2g. For seasoning the beef.
  • 3 cups Low-Sodium Beef Broth 710ml. The base for the au jus.
  • 1/2 cup Soy Sauce 120ml. Adds deep umami flavor.
  • 1 large Yellow Onion Thinly sliced.
  • 4 cloves Garlic Minced.
  • 6 Crusty Hoagie Rolls Split for toasting.
  • 12 slices Provolone Cheese For melting and blistering over the beef.
  • 1 bag Frozen French Fries 16 oz (450g). Baked until crispy and golden-brown.

Equipment

  • 1 6-Quart (5.7L) Slow Cooker Essential for slow braising the chuck roast to shreddable perfection.
  • 1 Cast Iron Skillet Used to aggressively sear the beef and build flavor.
  • 1 Fine-mesh Sieve Critical for straining the slow cooker liquid into a clear au jus.

Method
 

Preparing the Beef
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season the chuck roast generously with salt and pepper. Sear the beef until a deep golden-brown crust forms, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer the browned roast immediately into the slow cooker insert.
  2. In the same skillet, briefly sauté the sliced onions and minced garlic for 2 minutes. Pour the beef broth and soy sauce into the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Pour this mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.
  3. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or until the beef shreds easily with two forks.
Finishing the Meal
  1. Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred it on a cutting board. Pour the remaining liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to create the clear, dark brown au jus. Skim any excess fat and pour into small white ramekins.
  2. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread the frozen french fries in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning halfway, until crispy and golden-brown.
  3. Switch your oven to the broil setting. Split the hoagie rolls and broil for 1-2 minutes until the interior is toasted. Pile the shredded beef onto the bottom halves of the rolls. Drape two overlapping slices of provolone over each portion.
  4. Return the assembled sandwiches to the broiler until the cheese is gooey, stringy, lightly blistered, and browned on top. Serve immediately alongside the au jus and crispy fries.

Notes

Never skip searing the beef; it is critical for developing the rich flavor of the au jus.
Toasting the hoagie rolls prevents them from becoming soggy before you start dipping.