French dips

[tiggerbengal]

Whats the best cut for a french dip, and how do you recommend cooking the meat? crockpot? oven? I tried it in the crockpot once and I think I overcooked it because it was tough. :?

[SierraCook]

Here is a recipe from recipegoldmine.com that I have used before.

French Dip Sandwiches

1 (3 to 4 pound) lean beef roast
1/2 cup light soy sauce
1 low-sodium beef bouillon cube
1 bay leaf
3 to 4 whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Hard rolls or sliced French bread

Trim and discard all visible fat from roast. Place in crockpot. Combine soy sauce, bouillon and spices; pour over roast. Add water to almost cover. Cover and cook on LOW for 10 to 12 hours or until meat is very tender.

Remove meat; strain and reserve broth. Shred meat with 2 forks. Serve on rolls or bread with broth for dipping.

Makes 12 servings.

[pst1can]

if you are cooking your beef in a crock pot, I recommend that you put the beef on a small rack. This keeps the meat totally off the bottom of the crock pot and I find that it prevents the bottom of the roast from becoming "mushy". If you are looking for an appropriate rack check in your baking section of your houseware stora and look for the smallect round rack.

[BlueBandit]

For beef dip or a French dip sandwich, I use a cheaper cut of roast that I would use for pot roast, a cross-rib roast, or a chuck roast, for example. I haven't cared for the results I've had with my crock pot either.

I finally found a pot roast recipe on the net that was perfect. Rather than following the times indicated for cooking, I roast it until it's medium well and remove it to a platter. Don't overcook or it will be dry. I take it out when the meat thermometer reads 160-165 degrees F. I also brown the onion with the meat.

The recipe from the net:

"2 teaspoons olive oil
4 pounds boneless chuck roast
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Heat a heavy Dutch oven on top of the stove over medium high heat. Add oil, and sear meat in the center of the pan for 4 minutes. Turn meat over with tongs; sear all sides for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove meat from pan. Arrange onion, garlic, and 1 bay leaf in the bottom of the pan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Return meat to pan, place remaining bay leaf on top of meat, and cover. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Reduce the heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and cook for 1 1/2 hours."

The roast generates lots of "juice" which I'll then combine with a "dip".

[Psiguyy]

I made some last week and used a boneless cross rib roast. It's a flavorful cut of meat that's pretty cheap. For best results, it needs to be done in a crock pot, otherwise, it would be too tough.

I added a cup of water, in which I dissolved a tablespoon of Beef Base. I only peppered the roast. The Beef Base has enough salt in it. I turned the roast three or four times while it was cooking. I ended up adjusting the au jus with a little more Beef Base. I skimmed off the fat.

It turned out excellent. Tender, but not too tender and very tasty. I'll make this again later this week since I see cross rib roasts are on sale again.

I forgot to mention that I added a bit of dried rosemary and thyme along with the black pepper.

[Bangbang]

Apache Dip

2 cans creamed corn
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
small onion chopped very fine
6 slices bacon cooked drained and crumbled(do not cook to long...it should be cooked but a bit on the limp side
combine the ingredients and cook over medium flame till thickend a bit and sever with corn chip.

Let me know how it turns out. I just now made it up.