The French dip sandwich is a great variation of the classic roast beef sandwich. This juicy sandwich stands out by adding an au just dip to the equation. My simple French dip sandwich recipe will have you enjoying this delightful treat whenever you want!
Ingredients
- 1# roast beef, sliced
- 4 hoagie rolls/French bread
- 1 packet of Au jus mix
- 4 slices of provolone cheese
- garlic powder
- mayo
Prep
Most of the prep for this sandwich will be done at the grocery store. Picking the right ingredients will take this sandwich from a 10 to an 11. The two key ingredients are the bread and the roast beef.
For the bread, you want to shop at a grocery store with a bakery. You want a hoagie that has a stiff crust, as this is a dip sandwich. It needs to be robust enough to hold dripping wet roast beef and then be dunked in leftover au jus.
For the roast beef, you want something cut fresh from the deli if possible. The deli in your grocery store is perfectly fine. I bought my roast beef at Publix. If you have an actual deli nearby, even better! Get the highest quality roast beef you can and the sandwich will obviously taste better.
Making A French Dip Sandwich
All right, now that we have the ingredients and prep squared away. let’s make the sandwich! The first step will be to get the au jus going. Simply follow the instructions on the au just packet.
My au just mix called for three cups of water to be mixed with the powder. This combo is then brought to a light boil and cooked for three to five minutes. Ensure you occasionally mix the jus to keep the flavor from sinking to the bottom.
The Bread
While the au jus is cooking you can get your bread ready. Give each hoagie a nice slice down the middle. Slather on a bit of mayo. Next, add the provolone cheese. I like to break my slice of cheese in half so it covers the entire roll. Lastly, give the inside of the roll a sprinkle of garlic powder.
Once the bread is ready, we are going to lightly toast it. I used my Aumate air fryer to gently melt the cheese. I set the air fryer to 350 degrees and cooked the bread for 5 minutes. This was enough to just barely melt the cheese.
Once the bread and au jus are ready, it’s time for the final steps. Take your roast beef and toss it into the jus. Gently toss the roast beef. Submerge every corner of the meat. Don’t leave the meat in too long, or it will get tough and rubbery. The meat is already cooked, we are just warming it up and letting it absorb the au jus flavor.
With the meat warmed and flavored, heap slices onto your hoagie rolls. A pound of meat should give you three to four sandwiches, depending on how stacked you want them to be. Reserve some of the au jus for dipping. Alternatively, you can dip the completed sandwich in the jus before serving.
What Goes With French Dip
My favorite side for French dip sandwiches is French fries. Fitting, no? The crispy, salty fries go great with the ultra umami flavor of the French dip.
Mac and cheese is another great option to serve with the sandwich. The creaminess of the mac and cheese offers a nice contrast to the French dip.
Even though the French dip is a sandwich, it actually makes for a decent dinner option. By incorporating au jus into the mix, it’s almost like eating a pot roast on a sandwich. You can amplify this by adding roasted vegetables as a side!
