French Dip Sandwich

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Dutch oven or heavy roasting pan with lid
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Sharp carving knife
• •Fine-mesh strainer
• •Small ramekins or bowls for jus

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare and season the beef

   Remove the roast from the refrigerator one hour before cooking. Pat it aggressively dry with paper towels. Combine the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried thyme in a small bowl. Rub the entire surface of the beef with oil, then season generously with the spice mixture. Press the seasoning into the meat. It should look like a bark waiting to happen.

2. 2

   Sear the roast

   Preheat your oven to 275°F. Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy roasting pan over high heat until nearly smoking. Add the beef and sear without moving until a deep brown crust forms, about four minutes per side. The sizzle should be aggressive. If it isn't, your pan wasn't hot enough. Lift the roast to a plate and reduce heat to medium.

   Don't crowd the pan or the beef will steam instead of sear. You want color, not gray meat.
3. 3

   Build the jus foundation

   Add butter to the pan drippings. When it foams, add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn golden and soft, eight to ten minutes. They should pick up some of the fond from the bottom of the pan. Add the smashed garlic and cook one minute more until fragrant.

4. 4

   Deglaze and add liquids

   Pour in the red wine, scraping up every caramelized bit from the pan bottom. Let it bubble and reduce by half, about three minutes. Add the beef broth, fresh thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine. Return the seared roast to the pan, nestling it into the liquid. The liquid should come about one-third of the way up the meat.

5. 5

   Roast low and slow

   Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 130°F for medium-rare, about one and a half to two hours. Check at ninety minutes. The meat should feel like it's relaxing, giving way to gentle pressure.

   For easier slicing, some prefer to cook the roast to 140°F. The meat will be slightly less pink but will slice paper-thin without shredding.
6. 6

   Rest and finish the jus

   Transfer the roast to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest at least twenty minutes. Meanwhile, strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan, pressing on the onions to extract their flavor. Discard the solids. Skim any visible fat from the surface. Bring to a simmer and taste. Adjust salt if needed. The jus should be deeply beefy with a slight sweetness from the wine and onions.

7. 7

   Prepare the rolls

   Preheat your broiler. Split the French rolls and spread the cut sides with softened butter. Place on a baking sheet cut-side up. Broil until golden and slightly crisp at the edges, one to two minutes. Watch carefully. The line between toasted and burnt is measured in seconds.

   A proper French Dip roll must have structure. Soft sandwich bread falls apart the moment it touches jus. Look for rolls with a crackling crust and chewy interior.
8. 8

   Slice the beef

   Slice the rested roast as thin as your knife skills allow, against the grain. The slices should be translucent enough to read through. Pile them loosely on a plate. Don't compress the meat into tight stacks or you'll lose that tender quality.

9. 9

   Assemble the sandwiches

   If using cheese, lay two slices of provolone on the bottom half of each roll and run briefly under the broiler until melted. Pile the thin-sliced beef generously onto the bottom halves, mounding it rather than flattening. Close with the top half of the roll, pressing gently. Ladle the warm jus into small bowls for dipping. Serve immediately.

Chef Tips

• •The roll matters as much as the beef. Seek out proper French rolls with a shattering crust. Soft hoagie rolls absorb jus and collapse. You want bread that can take a dunk and survive the return trip to your mouth.
• •Leftover beef and jus reheat beautifully. Slice beef cold from the refrigerator, warm the jus, and dunk the slices briefly before piling onto a fresh roll. The cold-sliced meat is actually easier to cut uniformly.
• •For deeper flavor, make the jus a day ahead. The fat will solidify on top for easy removal, and the flavors will marry overnight. Reheat gently before serving.
• •Some like to dip the entire sandwich, roll and all. Others prefer to dunk each bite. At Philippe's, they'll dip your roll in the jus before assembling if you ask. This is the 'double-dipped' style. Try it once. It's messy and glorious.
• •Caramelized onions are not traditional at Philippe's but appear at Cole's and many home versions. If you enjoy them, cook a separate batch until deeply browned and pile them on before the cheese.

Advance Preparation

• •The roast can be cooked and refrigerated up to three days ahead. Slice cold for easier, more uniform cuts. Reheat slices briefly in warm jus before serving.
• •Jus can be made up to four days ahead. Refrigerate and skim solidified fat before reheating.
• •For transporting to a potluck or tailgate, keep the sliced beef and jus in separate containers. Pack toasted rolls in a paper bag to maintain crispness. Assemble on site.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 sandwich (about 360g)