American Wagyu French Dip Recipe
Indulge in our mouthwatering American Wagyu French Dip Sandwich, featuring Prime Grade Wagyu Beef from Snake River Farms topped with melted Swiss cheese, mayo, and a dash of black pepper. Served with a side of hot Au Jus sauce for dipping.
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Ingredients
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Wagyu French Dip Sandwiches
Au Jus (dipping sauce)
Method
Wagyu French Dip Sandwiches
- 1
Prepare the beef
If your Wagyu is not pre-sliced, place the chilled beef in the freezer for 20–30 minutes until slightly firm to allow very thin slicing. Slice against the grain into paper-thin slices (about 1/16 inch). Season the slices lightly on both sides with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
- 2
Sear the Wagyu
Heat a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until smoking just begins. Add 1 tablespoon beef drippings (or 1 tbsp unsalted butter). Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the slices quickly—about 20–30 seconds per side—just to brown the edges and render some fat. Transfer seared slices to a warm plate and cover loosely with foil. Repeat with remaining beef, adding remaining drippings as needed. Keep meat juicy; do not overcook.
- 3
Toast the rolls
Preheat oven broiler on high. Brush each hoagie roll cut-side with melted butter (melt 2 tbs butter) and place cut-side up on a baking sheet. Toast under the broiler 1–2 minutes until golden — watch closely to prevent burning.
- 4
Assemble and melt cheese
Open each toasted roll, spread about 2 tablespoons mayonnaise evenly on the bottom half of each roll. Divide the seared Wagyu evenly among the 4 rolls (about 6 oz per sandwich). Top the warm beef with two slices of Swiss cheese each. Place assembled sandwiches on a baking sheet and return to the oven (or under the broiler) for 1–2 minutes, just until cheese melts and begins to bubble. Remove and sprinkle a light pinch of remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper over each sandwich to finish.
- 5
Serve
Transfer sandwiches to serving plates. Serve immediately with hot au jus on the side for dipping.
Au Jus (dipping sauce)
- 6
Sauté aromatics
In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon beef drippings (or 1 tbsp butter). Add the minced shallot and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 2–3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 7
Deglaze and simmer
Add the dry red wine or sherry to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes. Add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes to concentrate the flavors.
- 8
Finish and strain
Remove from heat. Fish out and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Taste and season with additional salt or soy sauce if needed. For a clearer, smoother jus, strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl, pressing on solids to extract flavor.
- 9
Optional: Thicken jus
If you prefer a slightly thicker jus for clinging to the sandwich, make a slurry by whisking 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp cold water until smooth. Return strained jus to low heat, whisk in the slurry and simmer 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened. Do not over-thicken; the jus should remain pourable for dipping.
- 10
Keep warm
Keep the au jus warm in a small pot or thermos until ready to serve alongside the sandwiches.