Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwich

I generally judge a restaurant by their French dip sandwiches.  I'm a HUGE fan of French dips. Dad used to make a killer French dip. I rarely make them because making a French dip for one person is tough.

But today, Meg-A-Roonie was coming to lunch and I figured it was a great opportunity to make a French dip.  And one by SkinnyTaste.com would mean it's "low cal". It would have been had I followed the recipe.  I followed it mostly. That should count.

The recipe can be found here on SkinnyTaste.com, but just in case you'd rather just scroll down, it's below too.

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions

Recipe from SkinnyTaste.com

Calories: 308 -

Nutrition based on: 2 oz whole wheat baguette, 2 oz cooked beef round, 1/4 cup beef broth, 1 slice cheese, onions & peppers

For The Beef:

3 to 4 lb lean beef round roast, trimmed
1 tbsp minced garlic, minced
1 T fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dry)
1 tbsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dry)
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 to 3 (14.5 oz) cans Swanson's low-sodium beef broth

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
10 whole peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1/2 large onion, cut into chunks

For the Caramelized Onions (makes about 1 cup):
1/2 T extra-virgin olive oil
3 large onions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp Kosher salt

For the Peppers (makes about 2 cups): (I only did one red pepper cuz Meg-A-Roonie was the only one that was going to eat a bell pepper).

1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into strips

1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into strips

For the Sandwich:

Sargento Reduced Fat Provolone or Mozzarella Slices  (JW: I used swiss cheese cuz that's what I had available. 

whole wheat baguette or rolls, cut into 2 oz pieces





In a small bowl mix garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Rub the spice mixture onto all sides of the roast, then place in the slow cooker. (JW: So I'm not a fan of rosemary, so instead of rosemary and thyme I used McCormicks Montreal Grill Seasoning.)

Pour the broth into the side of the roast until it just cover the meat. If the broth doesn't cover the roast you can add water and top with onions. Add the Worcestershire sauce, peppercorns and bay leaf to the broth. Cover and cook on low until the meat flakes apart easily with a fork, about 9 to 12 hours, depending on the size of your roast. (JW: my roast was 2.3 lbs. I clearly didn't need to cook it for 9 to 12 hours. Instead I cooked it for 3.5 hours. It was delicious.)

An hour before the meat is done, prepare the onions and peppers. In a large nonstick skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and salt and cook until golden, stirring often, reducing heat as needed if the onions are burning or browning too quickly, about 30 to 35 minutes. Add 1 tbsp to the pan if it becomes too dry. The onions should turn golden and the flavor should be sweet. Transfer to a serving bowl, then add the peppers to the skillet and cook stirring often until soft, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove the meat from the slow cooker to a cutting board and shred with a fork or slice with a knife. Strain the broth through a fine sieve then place in a gravy separator to remove any fat. Pour 1/4 cup broth into each small ramekin.

Preheat the oven to broil. Split the bread open and top with 2 ounces of beef. Top with onions, peppers and cheese and broil until the cheese melts. Place on a plate with broth for dipping.