Equipment
Ingredients
Sandwich Components
- 1 baguette, cut into 4 equal portions and split horizontally
- 400 g deli roast beef, thinly sliced
- 8 provolone cheese, sliced
Quick Au Jus
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic, minced
- 750 ml beef broth
- 15 ml worcestershire sauce
- 15 ml soy sauce
- 2 fresh thyme, whole sprigs
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 587 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbohydrates
- 56 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 2474 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 12 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 95 mg
- Potassium
- 1089 mg
- Calcium
- 385 mg
- Iron
- 3.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 96 mg
- Phosphorus
- 650 mg
- Zinc
- 5.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 150 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.60 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.66 mg
- Niacin
- 11.2 mg
- Folate
- 117 mcg
- Water
- 355 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to the broil setting, which is typically around 260 C or 500 F.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the thinly sliced onions. Cook until they are deeply softened and beginning to caramelize.
Add the minced garlic and fresh thyme sprigs to the onions. Stir continuously until the garlic becomes highly aromatic.
Pour the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and black pepper into the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer to allow the flavors to meld.
Place the split baguette portions cut-side up on a baking sheet. Layer two slices of provolone cheese onto the top half of each bread portion.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned, and the edges of the bread are thoroughly toasted.
Reduce the heat under the au jus to the lowest setting. Using tongs, pick up portions of the deli roast beef and dunk them directly into the hot au jus just until warmed through.
Transfer the warmed beef portions directly from the au jus onto the toasted bottom halves of the baguettes. Top with the cheese-covered upper halves.
Ladle the remaining au jus into individual small bowls or ramekins. Serve immediately alongside the sandwiches for dipping.
Chef's Notes
- Request your deli roast beef to be sliced thinly but not completely shaved. Shaved meat can turn to mush when submerged in the hot broth, whereas thin slices retain a satisfying chew.
- Do not skip toasting the bread. The Maillard reaction on the surface of the bread not only provides essential flavor but acts as structural armor against the rich, wet au jus.
- Store-bought beef broth can often lack depth. The addition of soy sauce and Worcestershire provides necessary glutamates that mimic the complexity of genuine slow-roasted beef drippings.
- If you want to elevate this simple recipe further, deglaze the caramelized onions with a splash of dry red wine before adding the beef broth.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store the au jus and the meat separately from the bread.
Freezer: 1 month — Au jus and meat can be frozen; bread and cheese should not be assembled prior to freezing.
Reheating: Reheat the au jus on the stove until simmering, then briefly dip the meat to warm it. Toast fresh bread and assemble.
Troubleshooting
The sandwich bread disintegrates immediately upon dipping into the au jus.
Cause: The bread used was too soft, or it was not toasted enough to create a moisture barrier.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once assembled. Use a knife and fork to eat the remaining sandwich.
Prevention: Always use a crusty bread like a French baguette or a firm hoagie roll, and ensure the cut sides are thoroughly toasted before assembling.
The au jus tastes too salty or overpowering.
Cause: Standard or high-sodium beef broth was used in combination with soy sauce, or the liquid was reduced for too long.
Fix: Dilute the au jus with a small amount of water or unsalted stock to balance the salinity.
Prevention: Always use low-sodium broth when adding soy sauce and Worcestershire. Avoid hard boiling the broth.
Cultural Context
Despite the moniker, the French Dip sandwich is entirely an American invention. It originated in Los Angeles in the early 20th century, where two historic rival establishments, Cole's and Philippe the Original, both fiercely claim to have invented the iconic dish by pairing thinly sliced roast beef on a French roll with savory beef juice.
