CrockPot French Dip Sandwiches
One of my favorite meals to order in a restaurant is a French Dip sandwich. This easy recipe recreates the moist tender roast beef you get in a French Dip sandwich at home, in your very own crockpot slow cooker.
If you are gluten free, you are in luck -- this recipe is completely free from gluten and is a great way to have this restaurant classic safely in your own home!
originally posted July 4, 2008. Photo and recipe updated 2015 via deposit photos @fudio
Day 186.
Happy Fourth of July! If you are looking for some easy and delicious recipes for a backyard barbecue, try these:
corn on the cob
beans and weenies
barbecued ribs
sweet and spicy chicken wings
chili
frito candy
Or, you can make French Dip Sandwiches.
These sandwiches are completely and totally American, because they call for
The Two American Ingredients: beer and red meat.
But this isn't just any ordinary beer---it's gluten free!
I finally tracked down some Redbridge beer at a local Beverages and More. Redbridge's website has a zipcode tracker, but none of the locations were close enough.
A quick email later, and Lindsay from Anheuser-Busch confirmed that both our Beverages and More and Whole Foods carry the line.
Awesome.
The Ingredients.
serves 6
2 pounds thin pieces of steak meat (fajita meat works well for this!)
1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups beef broth
1 (12-ounce) bottle of beer (I use a gluten free beer)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup cooking sherry
1 yellow onion, cut in rings
3 cloves smashed and chopped garlic
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
The Directions.
Put the butter into the bottom of the crockpot and turn on.
Add the meat, garlic, and onions, and swirl around in the butter.
Pour in the broth, beer, and cooking sherry.
Add pepper and Worcestershire sauce.
Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours.
If your meat is still in large chunks, remove it carefully, and slice.
Return the meat back to the broth.Serve on rolls.
Since we are gluten free, I used a gluten free hoagie roll, sliced, but if you aren't gluten free I'd choose a sourdough french roll.
Dip the sandwich into the broth before each bite for a nice juicy flavor and consistency.
The Verdict.
These were so much fun and tasted marvelous!
And Very American.
Thanks to my reader, Jenny, for this idea!
Jenny also has a good tip about slow-cooking in hot climates. We're lucky here in that it never gets terribly hot, but we used to live where summertime temperatures were well over 100 degrees daily.
Jenny shares her tips: "I set the crockpot on an outdoor table and cook outside, I have an outlet right by my sliding glass door, so I cook on our patio, and I can keep an eye on it, then my kitchen doesn't heat up... You can also set it on a workbench in the garage.
Just some useful things I personally do for the summer crock potting!"
What a great thing! Long live the crockpot!!
If you are gluten free, you are in luck -- this recipe is completely free from gluten and is a great way to have this restaurant classic safely in your own home!
originally posted July 4, 2008. Photo and recipe updated 2015 via deposit photos @fudio
Day 186.
Happy Fourth of July! If you are looking for some easy and delicious recipes for a backyard barbecue, try these:
corn on the cob
beans and weenies
barbecued ribs
sweet and spicy chicken wings
chili
Or, you can make French Dip Sandwiches.
These sandwiches are completely and totally American, because they call for
The Two American Ingredients: beer and red meat.
But this isn't just any ordinary beer---it's gluten free!
I finally tracked down some Redbridge beer at a local Beverages and More. Redbridge's website has a zipcode tracker, but none of the locations were close enough.
A quick email later, and Lindsay from Anheuser-Busch confirmed that both our Beverages and More and Whole Foods carry the line.
Awesome.
The Ingredients.
serves 6
2 pounds thin pieces of steak meat (fajita meat works well for this!)
1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups beef broth
1 (12-ounce) bottle of beer (I use a gluten free beer)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup cooking sherry
1 yellow onion, cut in rings
3 cloves smashed and chopped garlic
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
The Directions.
Put the butter into the bottom of the crockpot and turn on.
Add the meat, garlic, and onions, and swirl around in the butter.
Pour in the broth, beer, and cooking sherry.
Add pepper and Worcestershire sauce.
Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours.
If your meat is still in large chunks, remove it carefully, and slice.
Return the meat back to the broth.Serve on rolls.
Since we are gluten free, I used a gluten free hoagie roll, sliced, but if you aren't gluten free I'd choose a sourdough french roll.
Dip the sandwich into the broth before each bite for a nice juicy flavor and consistency.
The Verdict.
These were so much fun and tasted marvelous!
And Very American.
Thanks to my reader, Jenny, for this idea!
Jenny also has a good tip about slow-cooking in hot climates. We're lucky here in that it never gets terribly hot, but we used to live where summertime temperatures were well over 100 degrees daily.
Jenny shares her tips: "I set the crockpot on an outdoor table and cook outside, I have an outlet right by my sliding glass door, so I cook on our patio, and I can keep an eye on it, then my kitchen doesn't heat up... You can also set it on a workbench in the garage.
Just some useful things I personally do for the summer crock potting!"
What a great thing! Long live the crockpot!!
You look like the kind of person who likes to make Take Out at home. Here you go! :-)
Although I'm sure that your homemade French Onion soup is way better than a store-bought variety, I wanted to let you know that Pacific Food's French Onion Soup is GF. I've never had it myself, though.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds delicious! I will be trying this! Thanks!
ReplyDeletethanks, ~m!!! I haven't seen that brand; is it from a fancy grocery store? Whole Foods? I'll keep my eyes open for it.
ReplyDeletethanks, Cherie.
xox
steph
That is the great tip (cooking outside) - I figured you already knew it. :) Last week we were at 99 outside and I had the crock on my chest freezer on our covered patio. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing all the recipes w/ us!
www.xanga.com/crafttealady
OMG!!
ReplyDeleteI am SO happy to find your blog!!! (through a homeschool blogging friend on a homeschool message board, no less....)
I love my crockpot, but not nearly enough. I am homeschooling 5 kids and getting ready to start nursing school.
Your blog is going to be oh so helpful.
Thanks!!
Lisa
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteYour blog is awesome! Anyway, I wanted to add this tip. Just before serving the French Dip, cut your rolls in half and spread some melted butter and garlic on the insides. Then toast them for a little bit in your oven.
This looks awesome! I hope you enjoyed your 4th of July celebrations :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI've seen Pacific Food's French Onion Soup at Whole Foods. It comes in one of those boxed containers (like a huge juice box). Maybe Pacific Food's website has a store locator.
Take care,
M
I made this not too long ago in the crockpot. It was so darn good.
ReplyDeleteCan't go wrong with beef and beer. Glad you were able to find some that was gluten free.
ReplyDeleteI made this today (the original recipe) and it was great. I cut the recipe in half, sliced the beef first, and it was done in 5 hours on low (maybe 4 hours, but I forgot to check on it). Love this blog!
ReplyDeleteOhh, these sound great.
ReplyDeleteI do a quick and easy version: a roast, a bottle of beer, and a packet of onion soup mix. Cook on low all day. If I have time, I like to saute onions and peppers to serve on top.
I'm making this tomorrow. Can't wait. We love some beef and beer up in these parts.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the TV gig. That is so amazing!
Hi! I love that you combine two of my favorite things, crockpot cooking and GF recipes! How awesome! My question is how do you get that shape for the bread in the french dip recipe? I read your post about the bread in a loaf pan, but what about that cool sandwich shape? Thanks so much!
ReplyDelete:) Robin
Hi Robin, I spread parchment paper on a cookie sheet and formed the mini-loaves with my hands. It's REALLY sticky, but doable. I grab a handful at a time, plop it on the sheet, then form with my hands.
ReplyDeletewe have made bread sticks, buns for hamburgers and hotdogs, and baguettes this way, too!
-steph
I made these tonight. We loved them. My whole family loved this meal.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of using presliced meat. I'm new to your blog and boy oh boy, will I be looking for recipes come fall/winter.
ReplyDeleteI see you used Sara Lee Rolls for this. Do you have any gluten free suggestions as the "bread" we have run across is well, nasty for this. Barbara dcmeow47@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara,
ReplyDeleteI did NOT use Sarah Lee rolls--the original recipe that Jenny emailed me called for that type of bread.
I made my own gluten free bread from mix purchased from Whole Foods: the 365 brand.
xxo
steph
I am so excited about this site! It is so nice to see recipes using gf products, especially after my husband was diagnosed this past year, I could have sworn easy was a thing of the past. This site will save so much time. Thanks
ReplyDeleteI made this last night and it was yummy! Luckily the closest liquor store to me sells Redbridge so know it will be convenient to use this gluten-free beer to cook with.
ReplyDeleteMaking this right now. My house smells amazing! Can't wait to eat it.
ReplyDelete