French Dip Sandwiches: The Ultimate Guide to Deliciousness

Sear the Roast: Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the roast from the pot and set aside.

Sauté the Aromatics: Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Deglaze the Pot: Pour in the dry red wine (if using) and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine simmer for a minute or two to reduce slightly.

Add the Remaining Ingredients: Pour in the beef broth, water, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. Add the dried thyme, dried rosemary, black pepper, salt, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.

Return the Roast to the Pot: Place the seared roast back into the pot, ensuring it's mostly submerged in the liquid. Add more beef broth or water if needed to cover.

Bring to a Simmer: Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot tightly, and let it simmer gently for 3-4 hours, or until the roast is fork-tender. Check the roast periodically to ensure the liquid hasn't evaporated too much; add more beef broth or water if needed.

Check for Tenderness: The roast is ready when it easily pulls apart with a fork. If it's still tough, continue cooking for another 30-60 minutes.

Remove the Roast: Carefully remove the roast from the pot and place it on a cutting board. Let it rest for at least 15-20 minutes before shredding.

Strain the Cooking Liquid: While the roast is resting, strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan. Discard the solids.

Thicken the Au Jus (Optional): If you prefer a slightly thicker au jus, bring the strained liquid to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to form a slurry. Slowly drizzle the cornstarch slurry into the simmering liquid, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Continue simmering and whisking until the au jus thickens to your desired consistency, about 1-2 minutes.

Season to Taste: Taste the au jus and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Shred the Roast: Using two forks, shred the rested chuck roast into bite-sized pieces. Discard any large pieces of fat or gristle.

Toast the Rolls: Slice the hoagie rolls or French rolls in half lengthwise. Spread the softened butter on the cut sides of the rolls. Place the rolls, butter-side up, on a baking sheet and broil in the oven for 1-2 minutes, or until lightly toasted and golden brown. Watch them carefully to prevent burning.

Add the Cheese: Place slices of provolone cheese on the bottom halves of the toasted rolls.

Pile on the Roast: Generously pile the shredded roast beef onto the cheese-covered rolls.

Melt the Cheese (Optional): If you want the cheese to be extra melty, you can place the assembled sandwiches back under the broiler for a minute or two, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve Immediately: Serve the French dip sandwiches immediately with small bowls of the warm au jus for dipping.