Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches Recipe

Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches are a classic American beef dinner. A large rump roast gets slow-cooked in beer and French onion soup until it’s tender enough to shred onto buttery toasted rolls.

If you do nothing else, cook this on the low setting for the full eight hours. That’s the difference between a tough piece of meat that’s a chore to chew and beef that pulls apart when you just look at it. I tried to speed this up once by using the high setting for four hours, and the roast ended up tight and rubbery instead of falling into shreds. The low heat gives the fat and connective tissue time to melt into the broth, which is where all that deep flavor comes from.

The beer is doing more work than you’d think here. Without it, the dipping liquid tastes a bit flat and salty from the canned soups alone. It doesn’t make the meat taste like a pub, but it adds a sharp tang that helps cut through the heavy fat of the beef. I usually go for a standard lager or a light ale so the hops don’t overpower the onion flavor. It’s my favorite way to feed a crowd without having to stand over a stove all afternoon.

Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches Ingredients

For the Roast:

• 1 (4-pound/1.8kg) rump roast, trimmed of excess fat
• 1 (12oz/355ml) can or bottle of beer (lager or ale works best)
• 1 (10.5oz/298g) can condensed French onion soup
• 1 (10.5oz/298g) can beef broth

For the Sandwiches:

• 9 French bread rolls, split
• 2 tablespoons (28g) butter, softened
• 9 slices provolone cheese (optional)

How To Make Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

• 1. Prep the slow cooker: Trim any thick, waxy pieces of fat off the outside of the rump roast and put the meat into the bottom of a large slow cooker. You don’t need to sear the beef first, but make sure it’s sitting flat so the liquid can cover as much of it as possible.
• 2. Add liquids and cook: Pour the beer, the can of French onion soup, and the beef broth right over the top of the roast. Put the lid on and set the machine to the LOW setting for 7 to 8 hours until the meat is soft enough to break with a spoon.
• 3. Prepare the sandwiches: Heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) about twenty minutes before you’re ready to eat. Open up the rolls, lay them out on a large baking sheet, and spread a thin layer of the softened butter over the cut sides before warming them in the oven for 10 minutes.
• 4. Assemble and serve: Lift the roast out of the cooker and onto a cutting board to thinly slice it or shred it using two large forks. Pile the beef onto the toasted bread, add a slice of cheese if you’re using it, and serve each sandwich with a small bowl of the hot broth from the pot for dipping.

Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve before you put it into the dipping bowls. This gets rid of the soggy onion bits and any small chunks of fat so you have a smooth, dark broth that coats the bread without making it feel greasy.

Recipe Tips

• Choose the right cut: While this recipe calls for rump roast, you can use a chuck roast if the store is out of rump. Chuck has a bit more fat marbled through it, which means your dipping liquid will be richer, though you might need to skim a little oil off the top of the broth before serving.
• Don’t skip the butter: Spreading butter on the rolls before they go into the oven does more than just add flavor. It creates a slight barrier on the bread that keeps it from turning into a soggy mess the second you dunk it into the hot onion broth.
• Strain the dipping liquid: The onions from the soup can get very soft and slimy after eight hours in the pot. If you want a professional look, pour the broth through a strainer into a glass jug so your guests get a clear, clean liquid for their sandwiches.
• Watch the salt: Since both the French onion soup and the beef broth are condensed, the salt can really build up as it cooks. If you’re sensitive to salt, look for the low-sodium versions of the broth so you can control the seasoning yourself at the very end.
• Keep the rolls crusty: Look for rolls that have a firm, slightly hard crust on the outside. Soft, fluffy dinner rolls will fall apart and disappear when they hit the liquid, but a sturdy French roll or a mini baguette will hold its shape perfectly.
• Plan for leftovers: This beef actually tastes even better the next day after it has sat in the juices overnight. If you aren’t feeding nine people at once, store the shredded meat submerged in the broth to keep it from drying out in the fridge.

What To Serve With Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches Recipe

A pile of crunchy kettle chips or some salty potato wedges are the classic choice here. Since the sandwich is very soft and juice-heavy, you really need something with a loud crunch to make the meal feel complete.

If you want something a bit lighter, a simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette or some cold coleslaw works well. The acidity in a vinegar-based side dish helps clear your palate between those heavy, beefy bites of gravy-soaked bread.

Storing & Reheating Tips

• Fridge: Put the shredded beef and the broth together in one airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to four days. Storing them together is the only way to make sure the meat stays moist and doesn’t turn into leather when you try to eat it later.
• Freeze: You can freeze the cooked beef and broth in a freezer-safe bag for up to three months. Just make sure the meat is fully covered by the liquid so it doesn’t get freezer burn, and let it thaw in the fridge overnight before you try to heat it.
• Reheat: The best way to warm this up is in a small pot on the stove over medium heat until the broth is simmering. You can use a microwave for a minute or two if you’re in a rush, but it tends to make the beef a bit rubbery compared to the stovetop method.

Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 sandwich with broth):

• Calories: 540 kcal
• Protein: 42g
• Fat: 22g
• Carbohydrates: 44g
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 1180mg

FAQs

Can I make Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches without beer?

Yes, you can just swap the beer for an extra 12 ounces of beef broth or even some non-alcoholic ginger ale. If you use more broth, add a splash of Worcestershire sauce to help bring back that deep, fermented flavor the beer usually gives the meat.

What is the best bread for these Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches Recipe?

You want a sturdy French roll or a hoagie bun that has a bit of a chew to it. Avoid anything labeled as “brioche” or “soft white rolls” because they don’t have enough structure to survive being dipped in the hot liquid.

Can I cook the roast on the high setting if I am in a hurry?

No, I wouldn’t recommend it because a rump roast is a lean muscle that needs time to relax. Cooking it on high usually results in meat that’s dry and stringy, which makes it very hard to shred nicely for the rolls.

How do I stop the beef from getting dry?

The secret is to leave the meat in the slow cooker liquid right up until the moment you’re ready to put it on the bread. If you shred it and leave it sitting on a plate, the steam will escape and the beef will turn tough within minutes.

Should I sear the meat before putting it in the slow cooker?

You don’t have to for this specific recipe because the French onion soup provides plenty of browned onion flavor. Skipping the sear saves you a dirty pan and doesn’t hurt the final result at all since the meat is fully submerged while it cooks.

Try More Pioneer Woman Recipes:

• Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
• Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker Swiss Steak Recipe
• Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker Pinto Beans Recipe