recipe Blog - Feature - French Dip

French Dip Sandwiches Recipe on the Grill

By: Andrea Alden

There is nothing more iconic than the French Dip and using your grill to take these sandwiches to the next level will elevate grilling status to whole new heights. French Dip Sandwiches on the grill are ideal for a delicious dinner when served with a salad and maybe some chips or fries. You can always make the roast ahead of time and do the final sear on the grill at the big game too. French dips are great for tailgating. Sear and slice, then heat the sandwiches on the BBQ until the cheese is melty. No one can say no to that.

Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
240 min
Yield
6+
Difficulty
Medium

French Dip Sandwiches Recipe on the Grill

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Ingredients

Method

Photos

Ingredients

3 lb. 

beef top or bottom round roast

2 cups

beef broth

½ cup

dry red wine like shiraz or merlot

2 cloves

garlic, smashed

1

bay leaf


Caramelized Onions:

3 large 

Spanish onions, thinly sliced

shallots, thinly sliced

1 clove 

garlic, minced

3 tbsp.

butter

2 to 4 tbsp.

red wine


To Serve:

6 to 8 

rolls or baguette that are crisp outside and fluffy inside

Sliced swiss cheese or aged sharp cheddar 

 

Horseradish mayo

Method

There are two ways you can go about creating the most amazing sandwich experience of your life. One is using a sous vide cooker and the other is to slow roast your meat. Whichever way you choose to make this meal, you will find yourself quite satisfied. 

  1. Trim the beef and season. Place your sous vide cooker into a pot with water and set the unit to heat to 136°F. At this time, you also want to preheat your sear station to high. 
  2. Sear the roast on all sides using your SIZZLE ZONE side burner. 
  3. Allow the meat to cool a little before placing it into a heavy-duty zip bag or sous vide bag. Add beef broth, wine, garlic, and bay leaf. Seal the bag almost entirely, then submerge the bagged roast into the water, using the water pressure to remove the air from the bag. Place plastic wrap over the water, or a tea towel, to prevent splashing and evaporation. **If you do not have a sous vide unit please refer to the notes below.
  4. Cook the roast using your sous vide cooker for 24 hours. 24 hours will give you the perfect texture. 
  5. At any point, you can caramelize the onions. This process takes between 10 and 45 minutes, depending on your preference. Melt the butter over low heat and add the onions and shallots, gently cooking them until they are a deep brown color and super soft. Just before they’re done, add the garlic. Remove the onions from the pan and deglaze it with 2 to 4 tbsp. of wine. 
  6. When the meat is done carefully remove it from the water bath, then the meat from the bag. Pour the juices and remaining liquid from deglazing the onions through a fine-mesh sieve. 
  7. Preheat your sear station side burner to high once more. You should also preheat your main grill to medium-low, around 300 to 350°F using indirect heat. You can turn the SIZZLE ZONE to low and place the au jus in a saucepan to heat now if you would like. 
  8. Sear the beef once more over high heat – you may need to pat it dry to get a good crust. Once seared, move the meat to a cutting board and slice super thin. 
  9. On a baking sheet, assemble the sandwiches. Liberally spread the horseradish mayo, add a generous helping of caramelized onions, a heap of delicious meat, and top it all with thinly sliced cheese. Bake the sandwiches until the cheese has melted. Serve your amazing French Dip sandwiches with the warm au jus and your favorite sides. 

** NOTES
If you do not have a sous vide cooker, you can slow roast your meat on the barbecue or in the oven. Prepare using steps 1 and 2. For step 3, preheat your grill to 325°F. Place your roast onto a raised rack like Napoleon’s PRO Stainless Steel Rib/Roast Rack and place a pan underneath. Fill the pan with the broth and wine, add the garlic and bay leaf. Roast using indirect heat for 3 to 4 hours, or until an internal temperature of about 135°F. Rest for at least 10 minutes once done. Continue with steps 5 through 9. 

Over the summer I visited Scotland, I know, a strange place to find the most amazing French Dip Sandwiches. Since then, I have wanted to recreate this recipe on the grill. Imagine yourself driving over hills and dales taking in the farmland and seeing the Speyside region – home to many of Scotland’s Distilleries. After taking in the Cardhu tour, our guide for the day took us to a hidden gem The Mash Tun in Aberlour. It was there that I enjoyed a beef dip as I never had before. If you find yourself there, I highly recommend the Beef Sandwich and definitely finish it off with their Sticky Toffee Pudding. However, until you take in the sights of the Speyside region of Scotland, make your own delicious, and tailgate ready, French Dip Sandwiches on the grill. What is your favorite BBQ’ed sandwich? Share your recipes, stories, and photos to our social pages like Facebook and Instagram using the hashtags #BBQsandwich and #NapoleonGrill.

Happy Grilling!

recipe Blog - French Dip - Season

Season the beef with your favorite Club House flavor

recipe Blog - French Dip - Sear1

Preheat the SIZZLE ZONE and sear the beef

recipe Blog - French Dip - bag

Transfer seared beef into a bag with stock, wine, garlic, and bay

recipe Blog - French Dip - sous vide

Preheat the water and cook sous vide for 24 hours for maximum tenderness

recipe Blog - French Dip - onions

Before the meat is ready for the second sear, caramelize those onions

recipe Blog - French Dip - Sear2

Preheat your SIZZLE ZONE and grill. Sear the meat a second time

recipe Blog - French Dip - bake

Slice the meat, assemble the sandwiches, and bake using indirect heat until the cheese is melted

recipe Blog - French Dip - serve1

Serve these delicious sandwiches

recipe Blog - French Dip - serve2

Perfect for tailgating or serving while watching the big game

AndreaAlden
Andrea Alden

I used to be the Sultana of Sizzle, but you can call me Andrea. I have always been passionate about food. Even though I was majoring in Art and Graphic Design, I would frequently be found cooking for my friends and family.

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recipe Blog - French Dip - Season

Season the beef with your favorite Club House flavor

recipe Blog - French Dip - Sear1

Preheat the SIZZLE ZONE and sear the beef

recipe Blog - French Dip - bag

Transfer seared beef into a bag with stock, wine, garlic, and bay

recipe Blog - French Dip - sous vide

Preheat the water and cook sous vide for 24 hours for maximum tenderness

recipe Blog - French Dip - onions

Before the meat is ready for the second sear, caramelize those onions

recipe Blog - French Dip - Sear2

Preheat your SIZZLE ZONE and grill. Sear the meat a second time

recipe Blog - French Dip - bake

Slice the meat, assemble the sandwiches, and bake using indirect heat until the cheese is melted

recipe Blog - French Dip - serve1

Serve these delicious sandwiches

recipe Blog - French Dip - serve2

Perfect for tailgating or serving while watching the big game