Slow Roasted French Dip Sandwiches made with dijon and brown sugar rubbed chuck roast braised in  stout with onions, garlic and herbed bouquet cooked in the crockpot. Thinly sliced seared beef with pan gravy, melted gouda and caramelized onions pilled into a sandwich bun smeared with spicy aioli and served with a side of au jus. 

These sandwiches are truly mouthwatering. They are seriously amazing and packed with flavor. The beef is tender and best when thinly sliced for sandwiches. Most of the work is done in the crockpot where the beef sits in a delicious braising liquid that deepens the flavors of the roast. The beer, beef broth, rub, herbs and spices are all key components to a slow braise to end up with a roast that’s moist and fall off the bone. Now you can sear the roast to speed up the cooking and it will also help the seasoning and all the flavors soak into the roast. But it’s a lot of work to sear and prep and make more dishes. It’s okay to just add the roast directly into the the crockpot. Set the cook time to 6 hours and ensure the roast is fully covered in liquid to keep it moist. When the roast is done it should be tender and not necessarily fall off the bone but it shouldn’t be chewy or tough. Take the roast out and cut off a piece to make sure. If it is in fact chewy, it will need to cook longer. As long as the roast is easy to chew when you check it- it’s okay at this point. We’re using it for sandwiches and it will get an extra sear on the griddle so don’t worry. 

We actually made two pieces of chuck roast in the crockpot so that we would have lots and lots of leftovers and lunches for more sandwiches. It was amazing and worth it! No complaints. This is probably one of my favourites, I love the combination of seasoned beef with caramelized onions and au jus. The au jus is the cherry on top and the best part for me. All that beefy flavor in the crockpot that’s been slow roasting is great for dipping the sandwiches and fries! Fries are the ultimate vessel and balance for a savoury sandwich like this one. Crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside- they soak up the liquid beautifully. We paired our sandwiches with some crispy smashed baby potatoes. I love them so much but they do take a while to prepare. A quicker option is some frozen fries and throw them in the air-fryer for about 12 minutes- they come out crispy and golden and it’s less hassle. 

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Slow Roasted French Dip Sandwiches

Tender slow cooked roast beef with stout topped with caramelized onions, melted smoky gouda cheese and spicy aioli with a side of au jus.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time6 minutes mins

Additional Time15 minutes mins

Total Time36 minutes mins

Course: Burgers & Sandwiches

Servings: 8

Author: the communal feast

Ingredients

• 4 lb chuck roast
• 4 yellow onions
• salt and pepper
• dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 TBS butter
• 1 can dark beer such as stout
• 2 2/3 cups beef broth
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• herb bouquet fresh oregano, rosemary, thyme leaves
• 1 TBS cornstarch
• 1/3 cup water
• 2-3 slices of gouda per sandwich
• spicy aioli
• sandwich rolls hoagie or sub buns
• Garnish: fresh chopped chives pepperoncini's

Instructions

• In a medium sized sautee pan, heat 1 TBS of butter and add 1 onion thinly sliced. Sautee until translucent and tenderized cooking on medium-low for 10 minutes. Transfer the onions to the bottom of the crockpot.
• For the roast, season all sides with salt, pepper, brown sugar and dijon mustard. Place in crockpot, add the garlic cloves, broth and beer finish with bay leaves and herb bouquet. For the herb bouquet you can either time a few strands of each with some kitchen twine or gently place them on top of the roast. Set to low for 6 hours.
• Caramelized onions: with the remaining 3 onions, cut into thin slices and caramelize on low in butter until softened and golden for about 45 minutes stirring frequently. Set the onions aside and refrigerate until time to assemble the sandwiches. Onions can be re-heated.
• Once the roast has finished cooking, remove the bay leaves and herbs. Thinly slice the roast (shaved is preferred) and discard any un wanted fat.
• Scoop 1 cup of the braising liquid from the crockpot and transfer to a saucepot. Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch with some cold water. This will act as a thickener and pour into the liquid. Heat on low until thickened and turns i gravy.
• To prepare the sandwiches we cooked them on a griddle or flat top but a large cast iron pan is fine. Add a handful or 2 slices of roast onto the griddle (enough to fill your sandwich) sear for 1-2 minutes. Top with some of that homemade gravy (about 2 TBS) continue to cook for another minute. Place 2-3 slices of gouda overtop (enough to fully cover the meat) add the caramelized onions overtop and cook until the cheese is melted.
• Spread a good amount of spicy aioli on both sides of the bun, Add the roast sandwich filling to the bun and serve with a side of au jus from the braising liquid in the crockpot.
• Enjoy!