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a plain plate holding one closed French-roll sandwich cut in half with thin roast-ribeye slices inside and a small plain cup of clear dark beef jus beside it, without cheese, gravy coating or garnish
Rachel Kim

Classic French Dip with Au Jus

Roast the beef as a whole piece and slice it thinly after resting, because a classic French dip should still feel like roast beef rather than pot roast pulled into strings. The ribeye gives you useful drippings for the jus, but skim the fat before adding the wine and broth or the dipping cup will taste greasy. There’s no cheese here to hide the meat. Toast the roll lightly on its cut faces and keep the jus thin enough to soak into one bite at a time. I’d rather have a modest cup of concentrated beef flavor than a large bowl of broth that tastes mostly of salt.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 boneless ribeye roast 2 lb
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 3 cups low-sodium beef stock divided
  • 2 shallots finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 1 small thyme sprig
  • 4 French sandwich rolls about 6 inches long
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter softened

Method
 

  1. Heat oven to 425°F. Rub roast with oil, salt and pepper and sear in an ovenproof heavy skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each broad side.
  2. Add 1/2 cup of the measured stock around the beef and move the uncovered skillet to the oven. Roast for 35 to 50 minutes until the center reaches 145°F, checking early and adding a small amount from the reserved stock if the pan threatens to dry.
  3. Transfer beef to a board and rest for 10 minutes. Pour the pan liquid into a heatproof cup, skim excess fat and leave 1 tablespoon of the fat in the skillet.
  4. Cook shallots in the reserved fat over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add wine, scrape up the browned bits and simmer for 2 minutes, then add skimmed pan juices, remaining measured stock and thyme.
  5. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the jus tastes concentrated, then strain and skim again if needed. Aim for about 2 cups for dipping, reducing a little longer if the flavor is weak.
  6. Split rolls, butter the cut faces and toast under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes. Slice rested beef very thinly across the grain and divide among the rolls.
  7. Close the sandwiches and serve one per person with about 1/2 cup hot jus in a small dipping cup. Dip each bite just before eating rather than soaking the whole sandwich in advance.