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Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches with melt-in-your-mouth shredded beef slow-cooked in onion and beef broth. Sear first for deep flavor, then broil provolone until bubbly before serving with warm au jus for dipping.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 7 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chuck roast
  • 3 lb beef chuck roast
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
black pepper
  • 1 tsp black pepper
garlic powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
onion powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
yellow onion
  • 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
garlic
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
beef broth
  • 4 cup low-sodium beef broth
Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
bay leaf
  • 1 bay leaf
hoagie rolls
  • 8 hoagie rolls
provolone cheese
  • 8 provolone cheese slices
fresh parsley
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Season and sear the beef
  1. Season the chuck roast with the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried thyme.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the roast for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned.
  3. Transfer the roast to a 6-quart slow cooker and add the sliced onion and minced garlic around the meat.
Slow cook for shredded tenderness
  1. Pour in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard, then add the bay leaf.
  2. Cover and cook on LOW for 8–9 hours or HIGH for 5–6 hours until the beef is fork-tender, then keep the lid on to maintain heat.
Shred, build, and broil sandwiches
  1. Remove the roast, shred it using two forks, and discard excess fat while returning the shredded beef to the cooking juices.
  2. Split the hoagie rolls and fill them generously with the shredded beef, then top each with a slice of provolone cheese.
  3. Broil for 2–3 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly, watching closely so it doesn’t burn.
Serve with au jus
  1. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately with warm au jus from the slow cooker for dipping.

Notes

For maximum tenderness, shred only after the beef is clearly fork-tender and keep it in the cooking juices so the filling stays moist. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 4 days; reheat in the juices until hot. Freezing is yes—freeze beef filling separately up to 2 months and assemble fresh rolls later. For a lower-sodium option, choose low-sodium broth and Worcestershire/soy with reduced sodium (or omit the soy sauce and add a small splash of extra broth to keep flavor balanced).