My mom requests this every year for her special day. The meat falls apart and that au jus is absolutely incredible. Just 3 ingredients
Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient French Dip Sandwiches
These Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient French Dip Sandwiches rely on a simple, slow-braising method to turn beef chuck roast into exceptionally tender, flavorful meat. The combination of onion soup mix and beef broth creates a deeply savory cooking liquid as the roast slowly cooks and its connective tissue breaks down. Once the beef is shredded, it soaks up the rich au jus, making every bite juicy and packed with flavor.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Beef chuck roast | 3/4 lb |
| Dry onion soup mix | 2 packets (1 oz each) |
| Low-sodium beef broth | 3 cups |
Directions
Step 1: Season the roast
Place the beef chuck roast inside a 5–7-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the roast, gently pressing the seasoning onto the surface.
Tip: Keep the fattier side facing upward. During the long cooking process, the rendered fat naturally moves downward over the meat, helping keep the roast moist and providing a self-basting effect that reduces the chance of the surface drying out.
Step 2: Add the broth
Slowly pour the beef broth around the sides of the roast rather than directly over the top. This helps keep the onion seasoning in place while creating the flavorful braising liquid.
Tip: Leaving the seasoning on the surface allows the onion pieces to develop additional depth as they cook in the warm, enclosed environment. This contributes to a richer toasted-onion character than if all of the seasoning were immediately mixed into the broth.
Step 3: Cook until exceptionally tender
Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8–10 hours or on HIGH for 4–5 hours.
The roast is ready when it is extremely tender and easily falls apart under the pressure of a fork. If the meat still feels firm or springy, continue cooking until the connective tissue has broken down sufficiently.
Step 4: Shred and return to the au jus
Transfer the cooked beef to a plate or cutting board and pull it apart using two forks. Return the shredded beef to the cooking liquid in the slow cooker.
Tip: Allowing the shredded meat to sit in the au jus for another 10–15 minutes gives the increased surface area of the beef plenty of opportunity to absorb the savory onion and beef flavors. This keeps the filling moist and flavorful without simply making it wet.
Step 5: Build the sandwiches
Pile the shredded beef onto your preferred sandwich rolls. Ladle the remaining au jus into small bowls and serve alongside the sandwiches for dipping.
Tip: For a cleaner dipping sauce, skim some of the excess fat from the surface of the au jus with a spoon before serving. This leaves behind a savory broth that adds moisture and flavor without making the bread excessively greasy.
