French Dip Version: The Slow Roasted Rib Dip Recipe

Trim and season

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels. Combine kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder; rub evenly over the entire roast. Drizzle olive oil over the meat and rub to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes while you prepare the roasting liquid.

Sear the roast

Heat a large ovenproof Dutch oven or heavy roasting pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the roast and sear 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned on all sides. Remove the roast and set aside.

Deglaze and assemble

Lower heat to medium. Add the Worcestershire sauce to the pan to deglaze, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon.

Prepare roasting liquid

To the Dutch oven (or roasting pan) add the quartered onion, crushed garlic cloves, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs. Stir in tomato paste, then pour in red wine to deglaze the pan thoroughly; simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly. Add 3 cups of beef broth (reserve 1 cup), and soy sauce. Stir to combine.

Roast slowly

Return the seared roast to the pot so it sits partially submerged in the liquid. Cover tightly with a lid or foil and transfer to the preheated oven. Roast for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and shreds easily (internal temperature ~200°F/93°C). Check once at the 2-hour mark and baste the roast with the cooking liquid if the top is exposed.

Rest and shred

Remove the roast from the oven and transfer the meat to a cutting board. Tent with foil and rest 15 minutes. Meanwhile, strain the cooking liquid into a measuring cup or bowl, pressing solids to extract as much juice as possible. Discard solids except for a few garlic cloves and some onion if you want to mince into the jus for extra flavor.

Finish au jus

Skim off excess fat from the top of the strained liquid. Pour the strained liquid into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. If you prefer a richer, slightly thickened jus for dipping, dissolve cornstarch in cold water to make a slurry and whisk into the simmering jus 1 teaspoon at a time until the jus lightly coats a spoon (about 1–2 minutes). Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining beef broth if too intense, or a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk in the cold butter at the end to add gloss and mouthfeel.

Shred and heat meat

Using two forks, shred the rested roast into long ribbons or bite-size pieces. Transfer shredded beef to the saucepan with a few ladlefuls (about 1/2 to 1 cup) of warm jus to rewarm and moisten the meat; gently toss and keep warm on low.

Prepare rolls

Split the French rolls and lightly butter the cut sides. Place cut-side down in a hot skillet or under a broiler for 1–2 minutes until lightly toasted and golden.

Assemble and melt cheese

Spread Dijon mustard sparingly on the bottom halves of the rolls if using. Pile warm shredded beef onto the bottom halves. Place two slices of Swiss cheese over the beef. Close the sandwiches and, if desired, place assembled sandwiches under a broiler or in a hot oven (400°F/200°C) for 1–3 minutes until the cheese melts and the rolls are heated through. Watch carefully to avoid burning.

Serve

Transfer sandwiches to plates. Spoon any remaining jus into small dipping bowls (about 1/3 cup per person). Garnish sandwiches with chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately with plenty of hot au jus for dipping.