Mini Steak French Dips Recipe

Prepare garlic butter

In a small bowl combine softened unsalted butter, minced garlic and chopped parsley. Mix until fully incorporated and season to taste with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Prepare rolls

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Slice each mini roll halfway through horizontally so they open slightly but remain attached. Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of the garlic butter evenly on the inside of each roll (reserve remaining butter for finishing or extra use). Place rolls on a baking sheet, open-faced, and bake 6–8 minutes until butter is melted and edges are lightly golden. Remove and keep warm.

Add cheese

Top the bottom halves of the warm rolls with about 1 to 1 1/4 tablespoons of shredded or sliced gruyere each (totaling about 1.5 cups across all). If you prefer the cheese melted more, return filled bottoms to the oven for 1–2 minutes until cheese begins to melt.

Season steaks

Pat the New York strip steak dry with paper towels. Rub the steak on both sides with olive oil, then season evenly with kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Let rest at room temperature 15 minutes while you start the au jus (this helps even cooking).

Cook steak

Heat a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over high heat until very hot. Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Place the steak in the pan and sear without moving 3–4 minutes until a deep brown crust forms. Flip and sear the other side 3–4 minutes for medium-rare (internal temp ~130–135°F / 54–57°C). Adjust time for desired doneness. During the last minute add a small knob of butter if desired and spoon over steak to baste.

Rest and slice

Transfer steak to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Rest 8–10 minutes. Slice thinly across the grain into 1/8–1/4-inch thick slices sized to fit the mini rolls (about 24–30 slices depending on steak size). Keep warm.

Assemble mini steak dips

Pile 3–4 slices of sliced steak onto the gruyere-topped bottom halves of each roll. Place the top half of the roll over the steak. Serve each mini sandwich with a small ramekin of hot red wine au jus for dipping.

Sauté shallot and deglaze

In the same skillet used to cook the steak (leave fond and any browned bits), wipe out excess fat leaving about 1 tablespoon. Over medium heat add the minced shallot and sauté until translucent, about 1–2 minutes. Add the dry red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Increase heat to medium-high and reduce the wine by about half (3–4 minutes).

Simmer with stock

Add beef demi-glace or beef stock and the thyme sprigs. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce until slightly thickened and flavorful, about 8–10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Remove thyme sprigs.

Finish au jus

Off the heat, whisk in the cold butter cubes one piece at a time to give the jus a glossy finish. Keep the jus warm in a small saucepan or serve immediately in individual dipping ramekins alongside the mini sandwiches.