French Dip Sandwich | The Modern Proper (2024)

December 20, 2023

Get some good, crusty bread, thinly-sliced beef, Gruyère cheese, melt it all happily together and viola! You’ve got yourself a legit French dip, ready for a dunk in luscious au jus broth.

We’d Like To Introduce You To The Best French Dip Sandwich Recipe, Ever.

Our French dip recipe, that is. Yeah, it’s a mighty bold claim. But we’re passionate about this toasty, melty, beefy sandwich, and when we went to make our own version, we were not messing around. It had to be classic, loaded with steak, dripping with au jus, and just oozing with gorgeous cheese. In other words, it had to be absolutely messy, meaty perfection. And that’s what we’ve created! Cook one up, and taste for yourself.

What Is a French Dip?

Beyond the obvious—a really delicious steak sandwich—the French dip has a rather interesting and disputed origin. Firstly, the French dip is not French at all, but was created in Los Angeles sometime in the very early 20th century. Other than that though, the origin is hotly contested! Who knew a sandwich could stir up such intense debate, but two L.A. restaurants—Phillipe’s and Cole’s—each claim to be the original home of the French dip and it’s not at all clear who is the true inventor of this delicious sandwich. If you want to read up on it, Thrillist has a pretty intense dive into the origin story. But if you’re like us, you don’t really care who invented it—you’re just like “hey, pass the au jus”.

What Is the Best Cut of Beef to Use for French Dip Sandwiches?

People use all sorts of different cuts for making French dips. Phillipe’s—one of the two originators of the sandwich—uses beef top round roast. Some recipes just call for “roast beef’. However, we’re big fans of steak, and we’re generally inclined to take things over the top whenever possible. So yeah. We’re calling for either skirt steak or flank steak here. What’s the difference? Well here’s a little primer:

• Skirt steak: cut from the diaphragm muscles of a cow, skirt steak is lean (but not as lean as flank steak) and inclined to be a tiny bit tough. But it has an intensely beefy flavor that we really love.
• Flank steak: cut from the abdominal area of a cow, flank steak is a lean, mean, flavor machine. We like it a little better than skirt steak, but they’re both good and sometimes skirt steak is cheaper so don’t sweat it—honestly either cut of beef works beautifully in this French dip recipe!

What Is French Dip Sauce Made Of?

The classic meaty “jus” that comes alongside a French dip for, well, dipping, is perhaps the sandwiches’ most defining characteristic. It sets it apart. Plus, it’s just FUN to dip your sandwich. But what is homemade au jus sauce made from? Au jus sauce is pretty much just seasoned beef broth, and, specifically, our au jus is made from beef broth seasoned with:

• Thyme
• Salt
• Sherry
• Worcestershire sauce
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder

How to Make French Dip Sandwiches

Our recipe makes not one, not two but FOUR French dip sandwiches! Sandwiches for the whole family—yahoo! They’re super simple, too. Here’s how easy it is to make a French dip:

1. Grill (or sear) your steak to a perfect medium rare.
2. Slice the steak against the grain as thin as possible.
3. Make the au jus sauce—simmer the broth and seasonings until they’re melded.
4. Butter the baguettes and sprinkle them with granulated garlic.
5. Dip the steak pieces in the au just before laying them in the prepped bread.
6. Top the steak with cheese!
7. Broil until melty.
8. Serve with a side of that delicious beefy jus.

More Toasty, Melty Sandwich Recipes To Try

• Perfect Grilled Cheese
• Santa Fe Grilled Chicken Sandwich
• Patty Melt
• Croque Madame

Tools You’ll Need

• Saucepan
• Grill or sauté pan
• Ramekins or cocotte dishes
• Whisk
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board

When I Dip You Dip We Dip

Sorry. Couldn’t help it. Please forgive us. Anyway, if you make this French dip, let us know how you like it! Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!