Easy French Dip Sandwiches

I love french dip sandwiches! I know I say I love everything, but I obviously do if I'm writing about it. Jay is not a roast beef fan (weirdo, I know) but he loves these sandwiches. The best part is they're easy you don't have to cook a roast, and the au jus is delicious even without the pan drippings.  Maybe this is a bit of a "cheater" version but it's just as tasty and takes a fraction of the time.














Start by adding 1 tbsp of olive oil to a small sauce pan. Add a minced shallot and 1-2 cloves of garlic. If you don't have any shallots you can defiantly use 1/4 of an onion, and just add a but more garlic. A shallot is mild onion with a bit of a garlicky flavour. Saute the garlic and shallot until soft and fragrant. Add 1 tsp of dried (or fresh) rosemary, give it a stir together then add 1 1/2 cups of beef broth and about 5 dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer.

We're going to need to add a bit of beef bouillon, I really like this stuff.  Add about 2 tsp and season with salt and pepper. Make sure you taste your au jus at this point and adjust the seasonings as needed. Leave it to simmer over low while we prepare the sandwiches.







Set your oven to 375° and slice your buns. I really like using Bocata or Chiabatta buns because I like when you dip them in the au jus they soak it up, but don't become soggy. Place your buns on a baking sheet and brush them with olive oil and toast in the oven until ... well they're toasted.

If horseradish is your thing make a horseradish mayo! Add 1/2 cup of mayonnaise to a bowl and add 1-2 tbsp of horseradish, mix and season with salt and pepper. I love horseradish so I go full 2 tbsp. Jay on the other hand strongly dislikes horseradish so I just simply put mayo on his.  

Now if you prefer your au jus to be smooth strain it. I like it this way but you can leave the onions and garlic in if you would like. Grab some deli roast beef either shaved or sliced thinly (I'm using about a pound) and dunk it into the hot au jus. Leave it for a moment to soak up a bit of the au jus, then add to a frying pan and heat over medium heat until you can just start to smell the beef cooking. 


Once your buns are toasted to your liking remove them from the oven, but keep the oven on. Transfer the tops of the buns to the plates and put the beef on the bottom halves and top with a slice of provolone cheese. Swiss would also be an acceptable substitute.  Pop that back in the oven just to melt the cheese.  





On the tops of the buns add the horseradish mayo and lightly sprinkle on some Italian dressing & dip dry mix. You can usually find it in the salad dressing isle. Once your cheese is melted, put your sandwiches together and serve with a dish of the au jus. Enjoy.
Here is the full printable version of my Easy French Dip Sandwiches.