The French dip sandwich, also known as a beef dip, consists of thinly sliced roast beef served inside a french roll or baguette, accompanied by a cup of “au jus”, the meat cooking juices often replaced or enhanced with beef broth flavored with onion, garlic, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce.
Optionally, Swiss cheese can be added.
Typically, a rump roast or a chuck roast is used.
Although the sandwich is commonly served with a cup of jus or broth on the side, into which it is dipped while eating, it was not served this way when it originated.
It is an American invention, and its name seems to refer to the style of the bread rather than any French origin.
It is part of the group of steak sandwiches such as:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6 sandwiches
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 3 lbs rump roast
- 6 rolls (mini-baguette type)
- 2 onions
- 1.75 cups beef broth
- 2 cloves garlic
- to taste thyme
- 3 tsps Worcestershire sauce
Steps
Salt and pepper the roast.
In a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat, add the meat and sear on all sides until a nice brown crust forms.
Bake the roast at 350°F for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Check the internal temperature, which should be around 155°F-158°F.
Transfer the cooking juices to a pot and turn on medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme. Add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil.
Cook until slightly thickened, another 8-10 minutes.
When serving, thinly slice the meat, fill each roll with the beef.
Serve the sandwich cut diagonally with the cup of hot broth on the side.
FAQ
How did the French dip originate?
Some sources say it was first created by a cook or waiter who, while preparing a sandwich for a police officer or firefighter, accidentally dropped it in a pan full of meat juices.
Other accounts say that a customer who didn’t want some meat juices to go to waste requested that his sandwich be dipped in them.
Or they tell that a chef dipped a sandwich into a pan full of drippings after a customer complained that the bread was stale.
I discovered the French Dip sandwich thanks to the second season of “Perry Mason”, the recent TV series created by Rolin Jones, Ron Fitzgerald, starring Matthew Rhys and Juliet Rylance.
