Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Close-up ultra-realistic iPhone-style photo of slow cooker French dip sandwiches filled with tender shredded beef, melted provolone cheese, and caramelized onions, served with rich au jus for dipping on a white marble kitchen counter.

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

Learn how to make french dip sandwiches in the slow cooker. The meat is slow cooked with onions, garlic, and herbs. In the end, you’ve got the most tender beef and au jus. Add the meat to your favorite hoagie rolls. Top with cheese and pop it into the oven to get it all nice and toasty. Then, serve it with our homemade dipping sauce!

  • Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 7 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

Slow cooker:

3 – 3 1/2 pounds beef eye of round or rump roast

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter

2 medium onions thinly sliced (red or yellow)

7–10 cloves garlic minced

3 cups low sodium beef broth

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon dried onion flakes

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning salt-free

2 bay leaves

Sandwiches:

6–8 hoagie rolls

sliced provolone/mozzarella or shredded gruyere

Instructions

1. SEAR: Season the beef generously with a bit of salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the meat on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Place the roast in the slow cooker. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to skillet and the sliced onions. Cook the onions for 5-7 minutes or until they start to soften.

2. SLOW COOKER: Add the onions to the slow cooker along with the remaining slow cooker ingredients, cover and let cook on low for 6-8 hours. Sometime during those 6-8 hours, just give it a quick flip. When the beef is cooked, remove from the broth to a cutting board and shred or slice the meat against the grain. Add the beef back into the slow cooker for just a few minutes so it soaks up some of the juices (with the slow cooker off).

3. SANDWICHES: Position a rack near the center of the oven and preheat to 400ºF. Peel back the hoagie rolls. Pile on the meat, top with sliced cheese. Cover the rolls and bake until the cheese melts (about 6-10 minutes). While the sandwiches are baking, strain the cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer. Serve the au jus (cooking liquid) alongside the sandwiches for dipping!

Notes

The liquid may not cover the roast entirely in the slow cooker, and that’s okay. Just flip it halfway through.

You can cook it on high, but cooking low and slow results in much more tender beef.

Leftover meat and au jus can be frozen in air-tight containers separately so the meat doesn’t fall apart.

Straining the au jus creates a beautifully smooth dipping sauce.

  • Author: Angelina
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Slow Cooker
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 sandwich
  • Calories: 520
  • Sugar: 3g
  • Sodium: 940mg
  • Fat: 22g
  • Saturated Fat: 10g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 10g
  • Trans Fat: 0.5g
  • Carbohydrates: 44g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 36g
  • Cholesterol: 95mg

Keywords: french dip sandwiches, slow cooker beef, crockpot french dip, au jus recipe, shredded beef sandwiches