American Wagyu French Dip Recipe

Season and brown the roast

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat the Wagyu roast dry with paper towels. Combine kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder and rub evenly over the entire roast. Heat a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. When shimmering, sear the roast on all sides until a deep brown crust forms, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer the pan to the oven.

Roast to temperature

Roast in the preheated oven until the internal temperature reaches 125°F (52°C) for medium-rare or 135°F (57°C) for medium, about 25–35 minutes depending on thickness. Use an instant-read thermometer for accuracy. Remove roast to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 15–20 minutes (reserve pan with drippings for the au jus).

Prepare the pepper mayo

While the roast rests, stir together the mayonnaise and cracked black pepper in a small bowl. Adjust pepper to taste. Keep chilled until assembly.

Slice the beef

Using a sharp carving knife, slice the rested Wagyu roast very thinly against the grain (about 1/8"–1/4" thick). Thin slices give the best tenderness and soak up the au jus well.

Warm the rolls and melt cheese

Split the French rolls and lightly butter cut sides with softened butter. Toast cut sides in a skillet over medium heat or under a broiler until golden and crisp. Pile sliced Wagyu onto bottom halves of each roll, dividing evenly. Top meat with two slices of Swiss cheese per sandwich. If desired, place sandwiches briefly under broiler (30–60 seconds) or cover skillet with a lid to melt the cheese—watch closely to prevent burning.

Assemble

Spread a generous layer of pepper mayo onto the top halves of the toasted rolls. Cap the sandwiches and serve immediately alongside warm au jus for dipping.

Sauté aromatics

Place the skillet or Dutch oven used for searing roast over medium heat. If there’s a lot of fat, spoon off excess leaving about 1–2 tablespoons with the browned bits (fond). Add the chopped shallot and sauté 1–2 minutes until softened and fragrant, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon.

Deglaze and simmer

Pour in the red wine (or 1 cup beef broth if not using wine) to deglaze, stirring and scraping the pan to release fond. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes. Add the reserved beef drippings (approx. 1/4 cup), the remaining beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes to concentrate flavor.

Finish and strain

Remove from heat. Stir in the cold butter to add sheen and roundness, and season with 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and additional salt to taste if needed. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan or serving bowl, discarding solids. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Serve

Ladle au jus into small dipping bowls and place alongside the assembled Wagyu French Dip sandwiches. For extra richness, spoon a small amount of hot au jus over the meat before topping with cheese, then melt as directed.