Philly French Cheese Dip
A Little Personal History:
A French Dip Sandwich has always been one of my favorite lunch-time meals. As a matter of fact, if I’m trying out a new restaurant for lunch, if French Dip is on the menu and they don’t offer a Reuben, I’ll order it as a barometer for other dishes on the menu. However, I also really like Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches so often I ask if they can add grilled bell peppers and provolone cheese. Ergo, the reason for the name of this sandwich.
Wikipedia Article Summary: The Au Jus Sandwich, also known as French Dip Sandwiches or Roast Beef Au Jus, trace their origin to a restaurant in downtown Los Angeles in 1918, when a local restaurant owner making a sandwich for a police officer accidentally dropped a French roll into a pan containing beef drippings. The officer liked the sandwich so much that he brought some friends in the next day for some of these “dipped sandwiches”. From that point on the au jus sandwich has gone on to become internationally known. There are two restaurants in Los Angeles that claim to have originated the sandwich. The more popularly known is Philippe The Original and the other is Cole’s P.E. (Pacific Electric) Buffet – both have been in operation since 1908.
Chef Lars
| Servings |
|
Ingredients
- 1 pounds Pot Roast Or Roast Beef, sliced very thin
- 4 hoagie rolls split lengthwise
- 1 cup bell peppers (red yellow, green), sliced
- 1 cup Beef Stock or saved Pot Roast juices
- 1 can dark beer
- 8 slices provolone cheese
Ingredients
|
Instructions
- Slice/shave roast beef very thin. The key is to make sure the roast beef is cut in a way allowing you to easily bite through the sandwich. Set aside.
- Cut hoagie rolls lengthwise, but not all the way through, Open and lay out on a baking sheet. Set aside.
- Core and seed bell peppers. Cut into slices, lengthwise. Set aside.
- Heat beef stock and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat to make a rich beef Au Jus. (10 minutes) Set aside, refrigerated in covered sauce pan or transferred to a tightly sealed jar and re-heated when needed.
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- In sauce pan over medium heat, re-heat Au Jus to a simmer. Add peppers and saute for 5 minutes.
- Add sliced roast beef to sauce pan and warm for 3 minutes.
- Remove meat/peppers from Au Jus and evenly divide and arrange on one side of each hoagie roll. Keep Au Jus pan on low heat till ready to serve in individual small bowls..
- On the other hoagie side, arrange 2 slices of cheese. Fold each hoagie together as a sandwich.
- Bake the sandwiches in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese just begins to melt. Serve the sandwiches with small bowls of the warm Au Jus for dipping.
Recipe Notes
Advanced Preparation:
- Steps 1 – 4 can be done in advance and refrigerated till ready to make sandwiches.
Tips, Notes, and Variations:
- Other meats can be used the same way, including lamb, pork, and turkey and one of my favorites, gyrosmeat.
- Try adding other types of cheese, horseradish, or mustard to the sandwich.
- And you don’t need hoggie buns. You can use a nice rye or other type of bread and grill it as you would a ruben or other grilled sandwich.
You must log in to post a comment.