Have I mentioned that my husband Ryan and I are a one-car family? When we were first married, it was out of necessity, as we were paying loans and living on one income. Although we’re out of debt and now working for the same company, we still haven’t bought a second car. While it is occasionally inconvenient, the pros still outweigh the cons and I’m proud to think how much gas, insurance, and maintenance money we’ve saved over the past three and a half years! Because Ryan is in class two nights a week, we typically work late and then he drives me part of the way home. He then heads to class in the car and I hop on my bike to finish my commute. Save for dealing with the crazy rush hour drivers, I actually enjoy this break in my day before I head home to work on my own homework or blog posts!
Our travel arrangement has definitely made cooking dinner a little bit more interesting. We typically stick to leftovers on these nights to prevent too many stops for fast food. This French Dip recipe came in handy when I had no leftovers for Ryan to take. I stuck the roast in the slow cooker before we went to bed and by morning it was ready to be shredded! Even better, it made enough to feed us (and my brother!) for a few days!
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Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
- Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8+ 1x
Description
Class french dip sandwiches, made in the slow cooker!
Ingredients
- 1 (3 1/2 - 4 lb / 1.6-1.8 kg) boneless chuck roast, trimmed
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) soy sauce
- 1 beef bouillon cube (or substitute beef broth instead of water--I used a combo of broth and water)
- 1 bay leaf
- 3-4 peppercorns
- 1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- French rolls, split
- cheese, if desired (we used swiss)
Instructions
- Place trimmed roast in slow cooker. In a separate bowl, mix soy sauce and next five ingredients. Pour over roast. Add water to slow cooker until roast is nearly covered.
- Cook, covered, on low for 7 hours or until very tender. Remove roast and shred with a fork.
- Place roast in rolls and top with cheese if desired. Serve with reserved broth for dipping.
Notes
- from Southern Living Magazine
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 7 hours
- Category: Sandwich
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 490
The meat itself is on the drier side—it is best served with the leftover broth (au jus) for dipping, and we topped our sandwiches with Swiss cheese. My brother said the leftovers he took to lunch one day were his best lunch all week! Regardless of how many cars you have, I know your schedule is likely just as busy…and you can’t beat a meal like this one that does all of the cooking for you! 
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Boozy French Toast
- Salade Niçoise: Classic French Tuna Salad
- Soft and Fluffy Sourdough Sandwich Loaf
- Tartiflette au Reblochon: The French Alpine Potato Gratin
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I start this in the slow cooker the night before?
Yes — the author puts the roast in the slow cooker before bed and wakes up to meat that’s ready to shred. The recipe calls for cooking on low for 7 hours, or until the 3 1/2 to 4 lb chuck roast is very tender.
What goes in the braising liquid?
The roast is covered with a mixture of 1/2 cup soy sauce, one beef bouillon cube (or a combination of beef broth and water), one bay leaf, 3-4 peppercorns, 1 tsp dried rosemary (crushed), 1 tsp dried thyme, and 1 tsp garlic powder. The liquid left in the slow cooker after cooking becomes the au jus for dipping.
Is the meat dry on its own, or does it need the dipping broth?
The author notes that the shredded meat itself is on the drier side, so she recommends serving it with the reserved slow-cooker broth (au jus) for dipping. The family adds Swiss cheese on the sandwiches as well, which helps balance the texture.
