The French Dip. I think that it is, quite possibly, the best sandwich ever. Crusty bread, thinly sliced beef, melted cheese, beefy broth. It’s a meal I’ll turn to often when I want to pull something together quickly. If I have leftover roast beef, that’s great. Or, a good quality roast beef from the deli counter is another feasible option. It’s instances like this in which I wish I had a deli slicer at home. I’ve seen them for around $100, but I don’t know – they seem…cheap. I use a good slicing knife, but it’s hard to get super thin slices. I’ll  get a few good ones, but then my wrists start to get tired and the slices get thicker. No matter, still delicious. A great way to use up your leftover roast beef from Christmas dinner.

I like to use Campbell’s canned beef broth for my dipping jus. If I have any pan drippings left over from the beef, I’ll add them to the broth as well. Also, while I’m generally not a fan of seasoning packets – McCormick does make a really good beef jus mix. I’ve used that in a pinch as well.  Serve alongside some crispy oven fries (that are also delicious dipped in au jus – just sayin’), this is a delicious, easy to put together meal.

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French Dip Sandwiches

1 small onion, sliced and separated into rings
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14 oz) can beef broth
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 lb thinly sliced roast beef
1/4 lb sliced provolone cheese
4 french rolls, split

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat butter in small saucepan over medium-high heat until melted. Add onion and garlic, and saute until softened. Add in beef broth,rosemary, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the sliced beef to the broth and let simmer for 3 minutes.

Arrange the meat on the rolls and top each roll with 2 slices of provolone. Toast the sandwiches in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese just begins to melt. Serve the sandwiches with small bowls of the warm broth for dipping.