French dipped sandwiches are slow-cooked, leaving you with beyond tender beef sandwiches that are undeniably delicious. They make the perfect dinner for the family or party food for a crowd.
I know a french dip sandwich is not usually something you think of when you're thinking of something gluten-free. Thankfully over the years, gluten-free bread has come a long way, and there are so many options now that making these delicious beefy sandwiches for the family is a no-brainer.
I mean, why deny yourself the deliciousness that comes from letting the roast go low and slow while you get everything else done on your to-do list? Trust me, whether you're the only one gluten-free in the family or the whole party is gluten-free., this recipe is always a hit.
Ingredients for the best-slow-cooked beef roast.
- Beef Chuck Roast - I use a roast that is about 3-4 pounds for this recipe and that tends to make 6-8 sandwiches depending on how people build them.
- Butter
- Olive Oil
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Beef Stock
- Onions
- Garlic -
- Rosemary
- Salt
- Pepper
- Gluten-free Hogie Rolls - There are several companies that make gluten-free buns. My two favorite for this recipe are the Schar buns or the Canyon Bakehouse buns. These ones are softer than ones like the Udi's buns that are typically in the frozen foods section. Use your favorite ones.
- Provalone Cheese - Optional
Let's get this slow-cooked meat ready for making sandwiches.
- Season the meat.
- Sear the roast.
- Add the onions.
- Add the remaining ingredients and let it go low and slow.
Tips for making the best french dip
Trim the meat: If you find your roast has a lot of excess fat, it's best to trim off most of the excess before searing the meat.
Sear the meat: Searing the roast helps add flavor and helps to seal in the moisture of the meat, keeping it tender. Be sure to sear all sides of the meat.
Do not throw out the juices: The juices are what make the perfect au jus sauce for dipping your sandwiches into.
Slicing the meat for making sandwiches.
You can choose to slice or shred the beef for making french dip sandwiches. I find the best results come from slicing it, but I don't wait till the end to do this. This is what I do.
- Once the roast has been cooking for about 3 ½ - 4 hours I will pull it out. The roast is tender at this point but doesn't fall apart.
- Thinly slice the roast across the grain.
- Place the sliced roast back into the pot.
- Let the slices continue to cook another 1-2 hours, until the pieces are melt in your mouth tender.
Assembling the sandwiches.
I prefer mine without cheese, but my husband is all about adding some sliced provolone cheese to make his french dip sandwich even more delicious. Either way, pile the tender beef onto your gluten-free bun and enjoy it.
Making the au jus sauce.
There isn't much you need to do here since the au jus comes together while the meat is cooking. If you prefer your au jus just a tad thicker, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of corn or arrowroot starch to the liquid once the meat is cooked.
Crockpot or Dutch Oven?
This recipe is written for making french dips in the dutch oven. However, it is really simple to convert it to cook in the crockpot.
- Season and sear the meat into a skillet with butter and olive oil.
- Add the seared meat and the remaining ingredients (minus the cheese and buns.) to a crockpot.
- Cook the roast on low for about 4 hours.
- Pull the roast out to slice the meat.
- Add the meat back to the crockpot and let it go on low for another 1-2 hours before serving.
Can you make french dip sandwiches ahead of time?
Yes! This is a recipe that I like to make ahead of time, especially if I intend to feed a crowd for a party.
- Cook the meat until it's ready to be sliced.
- Once you slice the meat let it cool along with the sauce.
- Place the meat and sauce into a container and place it in the fridge
- When you are ready to serve it simply place the meat and sauce back into the pot and let it warm back up for 1-2 hours on low and assemble as if you were cooking it from fresh.
Storing leftover roast to eat later.
I like to store the meat with the sauce in a container in the fridge to help keep moisture in the meat. The meat will keep in the fridge this way for about 4-5 days. You can rewarm the beef and sauce either back in the crockpot, in a pot on the stove, or even in the microwave for about a minute or until warmed through to your liking.
Want to freeze french dip sandwich meat?
You can do this by transferring the meat and some of the sauce to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Place it in the freezer for up to two months. Let it defrost overnight before rewarming the meat and sauce when you are ready to eat it.
What to serve with.
More slow-cooked dinners to love.
📖 Recipe
French Dip Sandwich
Ingredients
- 3-4 Pounds Chuck Beef Roast
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestersshire Sauce
- 4 Cups Beef Stock
- 2 Yellow Onions Sliced
- 3 Cloves Garlic Minced or 3 teaspoons garlic powder.
- 1 Sprig Fresh Rosemary Or 2 Teaspoons dried.
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Pepper
- 1 Package Gluten-free Hoagie Rolls I like Canyon Bakehouse.
- 6 Slices Provolone Cheese Optional for topping sandwiches.
Instructions
Make the meat.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees or prep your crockpot if you are using one.
- Season the beef roast with salt, pepper and garlic powder.3-4 Pounds Chuck Beef Roast, 2 Teaspoons Salt, 1 Teaspoon Pepper, 3 Cloves Garlic
- Heat a dutch oven or large skillet over medium-high heat with the butter and olive oil.2 Tablespoons Butter, 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- Sear the roast in the butter and olive oil on all sides.
- If you are using a crockpot transfer the meat to the crockpot after you sear it
- Add the sliced onions, beef stock, worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and rosemary to the pot with the beef roast.1 ½ Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar, 1 Tablespoon Worcestersshire Sauce, 4 Cups Beef Stock, 2 Yellow Onions, 1 Sprig Fresh Rosemary
- Place a lid on the dutch oven and transfer it to the oven or the crockpot. Let the beef cook for 4-6 hours in the oven. If you are using a crockpot let the beef roast cook for 4-6 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
Slice or shred the beef.
- If you prefer to have, the meat sliced, instead of shredding it pull the meat about 1- 11/2 hours before it's done and thinly slice the beef.
- Place the sliced beef back into the pot and continue to cook until it is tender.
- Skip this step if you want to shred the beef once it's done cooking.
Assembling the sandwiches.
- Shred the beef roast if needed.
- Pile the beef onto a gluten-free hogie roll.1 Package Gluten-free Hoagie Rolls
- Top with provolone cheese if desired.6 Slices Provolone Cheese
Dip the sandwiches.
- Reserve the liquid in the pot and place some into a shallow bowl to dip the sandwiches into and enjoy.
Notes
- Once the roast has been cooking for about 3 ½ - 4 hours I will pull it out. The roast is tender at this point but doesn't fall apart.
- Thinly slice the roast across the grain.
- Place the sliced roast back into the pot.
- Let the slices continue to cook for another 1-2 hours until the pieces are melt in your mouth tender.
Shalvi says
Tried this recipe today, and it was a hit with the family!