French Dip Au Jus

Tuesday 4 November 2014

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On Sundays if I am really on the ball, I like to throw something into the crockpot before I leave for church so that dinner is ready and waiting for us when we get home.  We're usually starving by that time.  I am much less inclined to munch on something I shouldn't if dinner is ready and waiting!  I reckon I am not alone in that!

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I have to say that the French Dip is one of my favourite hot sandwiches.  I confess, I am not a real fan of  Pulled Pork.  I know that lots of people adore it.  I am also not a real fan of chicken in the slow cooker.  I know, once again . . .  lots of people adore it.   I do however like what the crock pot does to beef.

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Some of the cheaper cuts of beef lend themselves beautifully to slow cooking . . . the recipe itself calls for a sirloin tip roast, but I used a brisket.  I love the flavour of beef brisket, and this recipe renders it succulently moist and tender . . .  fork tender.

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The meat cooks for hours in a delicious au jus, which makes it beautifully flavourful and moist . . .  and also creates the sauce for dipping.   Can you say FABULOUS?

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Fork tender beef, well flavoured, shredded . . .  and piled onto a nice soft hoagie bun and then topped with a slice of Swiss cheese . . .  the heat from the meat melting the cheese down into that tender succulent beef, but that's not all . . .  dipped into that beautiful sauce and eaten . . .  Sigh.   Bliss.  Pure Bliss.  Especially when you are absolutely famished and can't wait to eat!

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*French Dip Au Jus*
Serves 12

Tender melt in your mouth beef, tucked into rolls, topped with Swiss cheese and served with the juices for dipping.   Fabulously simple.  It basically cooks itself.  

3 1/2 to 4 pound sirloin tip roast
450ml of beef broth (2 cups)
135g of soft light brown sugar (2/3 cup)
1/4 tsp seasoning salt
75ml of soy sauce (1/3 cup)
12 hoagie buns, split and toasted or not as desired
12 slices of Swiss cheese   


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Place the roast in a slow cooker.   Stir together the broth, sugar, seasoning salt and soy sauce. Pour over the roast in the slow cooker.   Cover and cool on high for 1 hour, then reduce and cook on low for 9 hours.  


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Remove the roast from the slow cooker, reserving the broth.   Shread the roast with two forks.  Place shredded meat on split hoagie buns, top with Swiss cheese and serve with reserved broth for dipping.

7 comments

  1. You have no idea how much I love a good French Dip Sandwich, it's practically the only thing I ever order when we go out to eat, but I never make them at home for some reason, you have just inspired me! Yours looks perfect!

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  2. Excuse my ignorance, but why is it called French Dip, and what's a hoagie bun?

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  3. Can't beat a good French Dip! ;-)
    xoxo

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  4. Mmmmm, mmmm, mmmm.......nothing beats a good French Dip and yours sound Delish!

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  5. Tiffany, you'll love this, it's so easy to do!! xx

    Keefieboy, a hoagie bun is like a small sub roll. I found this for you on the why it's called a French Dip:

    1918 - Although the French Dip Sandwich is not French, the inventor, Philippe Mathieu was. In 1918, Philippe owned the still existing delicatessen and sandwich shop called Philippe the Original in Los Angeles. It is considered one of Los Angeles' oldest restaurant still in business today.

    According to the story at the restaurant, Philippe was preparing a sandwich for a policeman and accidentally dropped the sliced French roll into the drippings of a roasting pan. The policeman liked the sandwich and came back the next day with some friends to order the sandwich “dipped” in the meat pan. From that day on, a new sandwich was born.

    1951 - Because of the 101 Freeway construction in 1951, Philippe’s moved to its current location on Alameda across from Union Station. Not much has changed since – the saw dust on the floors, cafeteria style dining and the hot mustard are still the same.

    Philippe’s is still in the location they were in 1951, at a machine shop with a hotel on the second floor. Today, Philippe's "French Dipped Sandwich" is the specialty of the house and consists of either roast beef, roast pork, leg of lamb, turkey or ham served on a lightly textured, freshly baked French roll which has been dipped in he natural gravy of the roasts. Swiss, American, Monterey Jack or Blue cheese may be added.

    You aren't wrong about that Val!! xoxo

    Thanks Marsha. I hope you will give this version a go. The sugar makes the cooking/dipping sauce just fabulous! YOU would think it would make it realy sweet, but it just doesn't! xxoo

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  6. Soooo,good! But I did only use half the amount of sugar. I was afraid that it would be too sweet for me and I was right!

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  7. Glad you enjoyed it Jomi! I think sometimes we need to play things like this by ear. One man's meat is another man's poison and with something like this the amount of sugar would not destroy the integrity of the dish, so if you aren't a person who likes much sweet, then it doesn't hurt to cut it back obviously! Thanks for sharing! xx

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