Slow Cooker Thursday- Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches. Tender pot roast cooked low and slow and served on crusty bread with provolone cheese. A super easy make ahead meal!

Slow cookers are the best. Throw all of the ingredients together in the slow cooker and dinner is ready in 6-8 hours. How awesome is that? Best of all there’s about 5 minutes of prep time.

Slow cookers are a great way to cook pot roasts low and slow without keeping the oven on all day. The meat ends up tender, juicy and loaded with flavor.

I sear the roast in a super hot pan before placing it in the slow cooker. This gives the roast so much flavor and helps seal in the juices.  The longer the chuck roast cooks the more time it has to break down the connective tissues and become tender.

Simply sear the roast and throw the rest of the ingredients into a slow cooker. Cook for 6-8 hours. Take out the roast and train off any fat off the broth and serve alongside the sandwiches. Top each sandwich with 2 slices of provolone (my family likes to use mozzarella cheese) cheese and place under a broiler until the cheese is melted.

I recommend using a sturdy bread so that it holds up when you dip it into the au jus.

 Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 2½ pound chuck roast
• ½ onion, quartered
• 2 cups low sodium beef broth
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 12 slices provolone cheese
• 6 onion rolls

Instructions

1. Add olive oil to a large pot.
2. Season chuck roast with salt and pepper. Add roast to the pan and sear over high heat until the roast is browned on all sides.
3. Add the roast to the slow cooker along with the onion, beef broth and bay leaf.
4. Cover and cook on the low setting for 6-8 hours. (I have found cooking it on high for 4 hours is not enough time for the meat to become tender.)
5. Remove roast from the slow cooker and slice or use forks and shred.
6. Strain the onions from the broth (make sure to reserve liquid). Set aside to serve on top of sandwiches if desired.
7. Skim fat from broth (if any). Set aside.
8. To assemble the sandwich layer sliced or shredded beef on bread and top with two slices of provolone cheese.
9. Place sandwiches under the broiler until the cheese is melted.
10. Serve warm with a side of broth.