Vive La French Dip Sandwich

About a month ago I did not know what a French Dip was. A Parisean pick-pocket? Who knew that here on Gulf Boulevard in St Pete Beach they served a great French Dip Sandwich. And, who knew that on Tuesday they were on sale for $4.79 at the Reef????

French Dip is a great big roast beef sam-itch on a hero, or sub, or whatever, roll. It comes with a side of slaw or---- if you like lots of starch in your diet---mac and cheese. AND---there is a little dish of hot beef broth, for dipping. It is yummy stuff. I don't know if this nectar of the Gods is known under other names, but it sure is goooooood.

By the way, The Reef is a Key West kinda joint with no view, but plenty of atmosphere. A bar, a few tables and a few booths and lots of good food and bottles of beer on the wall. If Boggy and Bacall were over in the corner and Walter Brennan came limping in to talk to them I wouldn't be a bit surprised.

was hoagie carmichael playing the piano?

quote:

Originally posted by the ancient mariner

About a month ago I did not know what a French Dip was. A Parisean pick-pocket? Who knew that here on Gulf Boulevard in St Pete Beach they served a great French Dip Sandwich. And, who knew that on Tuesday they were on sale for $4.79 at the Reef????

French Dip is a great big roast beef sam-itch on a hero, or sub, or whatever, roll. It comes with a side of slaw or---- if you like lots of starch in your diet---mac and cheese. AND---there is a little dish of hot beef broth, for dipping. It is yummy stuff. I don't know if this nectar of the Gods is known under other names, but it sure is goooooood.

By the way, The Reef is a Key West kinda joint with no view, but plenty of atmosphere. A bar, a few tables and a few booths and lots of good food and bottles of beer on the wall. If Boggy and Bacall were over in the corner and Walter Brennan came limping in to talk to them I wouldn't be a bit surprised.

My favorite place here "Copper Monkey" has them, it is my favorite sandwich, I have provolone added to mine, meat and cheese! YUM! My sides are fresh cut fries and a couple of dill spears. They have started putting some type seasoning on their fries that I don't care for so I get my without and add just plain salt.

I love French Dip sandwiches, we have a place here called Rugby's that makes a great French Dip; they are to die for.

There was a place called Lasse's (pronounced Lassie's) on the Post Road in Milford, Connecticut back in the '60s that served what I later came to know as a French Dip. It was that terrific roast beef on a sub bun with a cup of wet stuff for dipping. It was just a bar, but those sandwiches were great. It was one of the romantic bars where I courted my wife.

Interestingly, Lasse's was located in what years before had been Perry's, which is where the Connecticut-style (hot) lobster roll originated in the 1930s.

I love a great French Dip also. The Horseshoe casino in Bosier City La makes a great one.
Joe

How could you not know what a French Dip sandwich is, till a few months ago?

quote:

Originally posted by baconman

How could you not know what a French Dip sandwich is, till a few months ago?

I don't know where you came up with the idea that I didn't know what a French Dip was till "a few months ago," considering that I specifically referred to something I ate in the '60s and came to find out later, meaning at least 30 years ago (but I felt no need to be specific as it was, in fact, later), that a similar sandwich was known as a French Dip. And, back in the 1960s I doubt that the French Dip was a commonly known name throughout the United States.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Hoffman

Well, for starters the French Dip is not known over most of the United States.

Perhaps known as a Freedom Dip for the last two or three years?

Been a popular item in Michigan for decades.. Only problem is when you get dry / overcooked roast beef thats like a rubber band. Best to catch it fresh.

Mr Baconman

To me it has always been a hot roast beef sandwich with gravy. Never knew it by it's formal name. Asking for a hero in Boston only got you a "Hey, what's a hero" look. In Brook-a-leen, NY a Sub was a boat that went under water, and a hoagie was a blue horse of a different color entirely. A rose by any other name is a rose, is a rose, is a rose----------and forever the name French Dip will be etched in my memory as a great sam-itch.

Thanks Brother Hoffman you hit the nail on the head !!! Au Revoir, toot-sweet, and hos-de-la-vista

If only I could make or buy that diping sauce I could just buy some good deli rost beef and....
Joe

Ancient Mariner, around here it's not a gravy, but a liquid thin AuJus. Could be there are actually some variations via regions..

Papa Joe,

Go to your local grocery and buy some beef bullion cubes, put one or two in a cup of water and slowly bring to a boil. Or you can get cans of beef stock, you might have to water that down some.

John

Knorr make a good mix, also.

OK, Let's see if I have the images correct.

A French Dip Sandwich- Thin sliced Roast Beef, dipped in 'au jus' liquid, inserted in a cut, crusty roll similiar to a smaller sub roll. No other condiments. Served with a small cup of the 'Au Jus' liquid for dipping as you consume the sandwich. (hand-held)

A Hot Beef Sandwich- two pieces of white bread, Thin sliced Roast Beef. Sandwich cut in half and smothered with brown gravy. Mashed potato, the side of choice, also gravy covered. Utensils needed to eat this.(This is how Hojo's did it, and appears in many 'Diner' menus)

A Pit Beef Sandwich- (Baltimore Specialty)- Description varies. I will hold for a local from that area to describe this one.

Others??

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen

OK, Let's see if I have the images correct.

A French Dip Sandwich- Thin sliced Roast Beef, dipped in 'au jus' liquid, inserted in a cut, crusty roll similiar to a smaller sub roll. No other condiments. Served with a small cup of the 'Au Jus' liquid for dipping as you consume the sandwich. (hand-held)

Yes.

A Hot Beef Sandwich- two pieces of white bread, Thin sliced Roast Beef. Sandwich cut in half and smothered with brown gravy. Mashed potato, the side of choice, also gravy covered. Utensils needed to eat this.(This is how Hojo's did it, and appears in many 'Diner' menus)

Called an "open-faced" roast beef sandwich here in the deep south.

A Pit Beef Sandwich- (Baltimore Specialty)- Description varies. I will hold for a local from that area to describe this one.

Others??

Also. Au Jus sandwiches usually served with sliced rib roast or lean round.

Open-faced usually rump roast sliced thick. Don't forget heaping mounds of mashed 'taters served with same gravy and obigatory side of usually green beans and/or collards/turnip greens.

In some parts of the midwest they will put the mashed potatos directly on top of the sandwich,then pour the gravy over the whole thing.This is called "Beef Manhattan".

I have tried bullion and broth with not quite the right results. Maybe there is a trick as to how to season it?

Adj, is the Knorr called an "au jus" mix? I have heard someone makes one that comes in a jar but have not found it. The key to great French Dip is good beef, good bread, and the right dipping juice. I just can't get the "au jus" quite right.
Joe

I use the beef paste concentrate (Costco has it, McCormick brand), a little red wine, and some garlic, along with fresh cracked pepper. A couple of teaspoons of the concentrate will make 2 cups; use about 1/4 cup of red wine and a clove of crushed garlic, add pepper to taste. This is the best sauce I know of, almost a true au jus.

Joe,
Re the Hot Beef.... My location (1965 or so) was Eastern Mass- (I-95 Hojo's). I have seen them on diner menus since, but not ordered one.
HoJo's served the Hot Turkey openfaced with a spoonful of stuffing under the meat and gravy over the sandwich and potato.
The Hot Beef was a "closed" (2 pieces of bread) with gravy over the whole thing and the potato also. If you were lucky the meat was thick cut...but often it was very thin and 'scarce'. Lots of folks ordered FF instead of Mashed and cup of extra gravy for dipping the FF.

I've always known what a French Dip sandwich was--they're offered locally and everyplace I've ever been--but had never had one until a year or so ago. I tend not to eat roast beef unless I can see it. Hate fat or gristle on it. I also had not eaten French onion soup because it never looked very good to me.

A friend took me to her favorite restaurant where the French Onion Soup is the featured item, and the rest is history. I love that stuff! And the French Dip sandwich! Even better!

Neither of these items has anything to do with gravy. The base for the French Onion soup is deliciously seasoned beef broth, as is the dipping sauce (Au Jus) for the sandwich. The melted cheese atop the crouton floating on the soup (if you're lucky, the crouton is actually resting on all the onions) is usually Gruyere, I understand. I haven't tried to make the soup or dipping sauce yet, but I think I'll start with ShortChef's version above.

Recently my son's fiance invited me to go with her to look at wedding dresses. We drove about 2 1/2 hours to the city and she'd been getting in and out of those remarkably heavy dresses (even the ones in her size 2) for awhile when she got very quiet.

She asked me to help her get out of the latest dress (the attendants had been helping her up to this point. I should have known something was up) and I was standing behind her unhooking the millionth hook when she fainted dead away. I caught her midfall and laid her on the carpet. Not sure I've ever seen a face as white as that.

When she came to and I could see that she was going to live, I suggested we take a break and get some lunch. Another young woman who was also trying on dresses told me that she has seen three girls faint in bridal shops just since she herself got engaged. If you accompany someone to shop for a wedding dress, take along some crackers and cheese and a bottle of cool water.

At the restaurant, my future daughter-in-law picked like a bird at her pasta and explained that she was so hot in those dresses that she could barely breathe. She also hadn't eaten since the day before. I was just so relieved to see the color come back into her face. I ordered a French dip but was completely unable to eat it due to residual shock, I guess. I sure hope I can eat the next one I order. LOVE those things.

Next day I had lunch with my son. I asked if he wanted to know how his fiance looked in her dress (she DID find THE DRESS when we went back after lunch). He said "NO! Isn't that bad luck?" and laughed. I told him this much: she looked like a cross between a fairy princess, a second grade girl having her First Communion, and an angel.

quote:

Originally posted by PapaJoe8

I have tried bullion and broth with not quite the right results. Maybe there is a trick as to how to season it?

Adj, is the Knorr called an "au jus" mix? I have heard someone makes one that comes in a jar but have not found it. The key to great French Dip is good beef, good bread, and the right dipping juice. I just can't get the "au jus" quite right.
Joe

Here are some sources (and pictures) of "home size" mixes for you:

Knorr Au Jus mix from Foodlocker.com:
http://www.foodlocker.com/11051-8.html

Au Jus mix from Sutton’s Bay Trading Company:
http://www.suttonsbayspices.com/Soup_Mixes_and_Bases/Au_Jus_Mix.html

Au Jus mix from The Great American Spice Company:
http://www.americanspice.com/catalog/item-20352.html SEARCH=3&WORDS=au%2Bjus2Bmix&orig=30&PAGE=&_ssess_=33920c06a840856a386a4f5c5da66605

Joe-I think the Knorr au jus is the best of the dry mixes i have tried....I always add a touch of salt, pepper and garlic to mine to dress it up a bit.And as said before-good roast beef and rolls are key...

Thanks so much all! Now we can make our own french dips. I know, the scratch Au Jus is best but...
Joe

One good French Dip deserves another I always say, sooooooo I had another one at The Reef and it was as good as the first. It was beef and provolone which was melted on top of the beef which was very tender and delicious. And, the dip certainly was Au Jus----

The french language and Peachpie's story reminds me of the first time my mother went to dinner with my brother and his new fiance. Mom had been a chef and was pretty cool about food, but the new girl in town didn't know that. So when Mom asked the waiter what the Soup de Jour was Barbara leaned over and whispered "That means the soup of the day". Mom said "I know what it means I asked what it is"!!!!!!! They later became good friends, but not on that day. Bon Apetit y'all !!!! RIP Julia !!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by MacTACPerhaps known as a Freedom Dip for the last two or three years?

Good one, Mac.

If you ever get to a retail outlet for places like Gordon Food Service, get the LeGout beef base. It comes in a small plastic jar. Stuff looks and feels like black tar. Used it all the time in food service for my fake AuJus.

just came back from a 9 day foodiefest in new england. the last place i ate was near logan airport and was kellys roast beef. a delicious buttered roll with a huge mound of thinly sliced roast beef that melted in your mouth. highly reccomended this location was on hwy 128 about 7 miles from logan. it only cost $6.25 and was first rate.

I wish Knoxville, TN had a good roast beef with a dip. It ain't here.

Paul E. Smith
knoxville, TN

I love when a place tries to "class up" their menu by featuring a french dip "with au jus".

There is only one place to go for "French Dip" and that is Philippes Original in Los Angeles. You can have your choice of beef, pork, lamb. Also try it with thier own homemade hot mustard. Great place to eat.
Mike

No offense...but a French Dip in South Florida? Go out and find a good Cuban (sandwich that is). Guess I'm kind of a stickler for "when in the region, eat the region". I do like a French Dip...meet you in Lenox, MA. Better yet, (much better), Eastham for a clam roll!

A restaurant I worked for back in NE, used to do a great French Dip. We roasted our own beef, and made our own rolls. We would paint a little butter on the roll and toast it on the grill (while the meat soaked) then put it together with frys and a cup of sauce. Killer good. But we ( the staff ) got bored with them after awhile and they evolved....the best was to add two crisp slices of bacon, some of our sliced sauteed mushrooms and an extra slice of cheese. I'd have some of our homemade French Onion Soup instead of the frys with it. Man that was good eating.

I suppose! Quit it right now!

quote:

Originally posted by UncleVic

If you ever get to a retail outlet for places like Gordon Food Service, get the LeGout beef base. It comes in a small plastic jar. Stuff looks and feels like black tar. Used it all the time in food service for my fake AuJus.

I like the LeGout products.
Their soup bases are also very good...

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Hoffman

quote:

Originally posted by baconman

How could you not know what a French Dip sandwich is, till a few months ago?

Well, for starters the French Dip is not known over most of the United States. That might have something to do with it.

I have seen it in almost every state I have been to.
Hmm.......
One of my favorite sandwiches......

No offence taken Pancho but I gotta tell ya----Man does not live on Cuban Sam-itchs alone. I have had quite a few since moving to St Pete and I love 'em dearly, but I was touted onto this great roast beef lunch by a guy sitting waiting for his wife who was trying on a dress in a swanky dress shop, while I was waiting for the lovely Mary Ann who was doing the same thing. Un Zoo after she decided not to buy the dress I took her to lunch and fed her enough to make the dress too tight anyhow !!!!!!!!!! I fikkered it was a good deal to buy her lunch instead of a $150 dress.

And, Big G your post sounded like you had fun in the business. It makes it nice when a job is fun. I almost got killed in the kitchen of a restaurant I worked in when two cooks got mad at one another and decided to have a duel with carving knife vs. meat clever. Thank God there was a cop in the joint to break it up.

French Dip lovers of the world unite in South Florida, New England or the left coast----vive le French Dip---bon appetit !!!!!!!

Ancient Mariner....
Yes Sir, I worked my tail off, but had a ball doing it. I really like the industry, but ( there is always a but) if you don't own it...and just manage it....it 'can' suck the life out of you. If you own it and really try to do something it 'will' suck the life out of you.
But once in your blood....you are a foody for life! At times I think it would be fun to go back to it...I just don't think I have the stamina now.

quote:

Originally posted by Niagara

I love when a place tries to "class up" their menu by featuring a french dip "with au jus".

Even better, as witnessed at a diner in upstate NY somewhere, "Roast Beef with Au Jus Sauce" Huh? With with sauce sauce?

quote:

Originally posted by Pigiron

quote:

Originally posted by Niagara

I love when a place tries to "class up" their menu by featuring a french dip "with au jus".

Even better, as witnessed at a diner in upstate NY somewhere, "Roast Beef with Au Jus Sauce" Huh? With with sauce sauce?

At least, au jus was spelled correctly...I've seen "au juice" before!

quote:

Originally posted by Pigiron

quote:

Originally posted by Niagara

I love when a place tries to "class up" their menu by featuring a french dip "with au jus".

Even better, as witnessed at a diner in upstate NY somewhere, "Roast Beef with Au Jus Sauce" Huh? With with sauce sauce?

Jus means juice. Sauce in French is sauce.

I have now made several batches of French Dips using a sauce called Johnny's FrenchDip made by Johnny's Fine Foods. I like this stuff! I have tried several ways but my fave is to heat the au jus and put the thin sliced roast beef in to soak for a few mins. It added flavor to the au jus and to the beef. Then put it on a lightly toasted bun or roll and put the au jus in a bowl for diping. I even used a large toasted hamburger bun and cut the sandwich in half, not bad. Oh, I cut the beef into strips before soaking.

Did someone say what kind of bread is correct? Or, does that differ by location.

I'm going to try seasoning up this au jus to make some Italian Beef sandwiches. I know, I know, it won't be the real thing but....
Joe

Oh, I used the Johnny's concentrate that comes in a plastic bottle. They make a dry pack also.

Philippe's in L.A. is great, but The Hat in Simi Valley (also 9 other SoCal locations) is a solid choice for French dip. The Hat is best known for their pastrami dip, but the roast beef is excellent as well.

I don't know how I missed this thread last year. I've been eating French Dips since I was a little kid. My mom made often made them. I often request it when I'm visiting (thst is, when she asks for requests)

around north texas you can buy au jus in a plastic jar in the aisle where they have gravy I've never bought it but it's there.

Score, better late than never! Now for your mom's recipe....

Ynot, it was with the sauces at my store, right next to the BBQ sauces. It's a little white bottle.
Joe

I like a good French Dip sandwich. Although the bullion or beef broth might be a fair substitute, nothing like a slow cooked beef stock broth to bring out the best flavor. To achieve this it takes a lot of time, long slow simmering, a feat thats best left for the winter months. Not sure if you could get the same success with a crock pot, never tryed.
Chow Jim

I like french dip sandwiches. I also like and prefer Chicago style Roast Beef sandwiches. Similarities are the beef is similar when served, both served using a dip, both are on rolls. Differences I have found are Fr. is served with dip on the side, in Chicago, if you request dip, your sandwich is literally dunked in the kitchen, rolled in sandwich wrapper, then served. The other difference, Chi. will add giardinera in the sandwich( a mix of chopped olives, carrots, celery, etc. kept in olive oil. What a delicious messy delight.

My husband and I love beef "debris" po boys in New Orleans...

Bon Jour Mon Ami, for your edification may I present a recipe I found on the net
and tried out on a few buddies the other night. The Au Jus Juice was very juicy
and you will see why when you read the recipe.

As per Karen

3-4 # roast
2 envelopes of onion soup mix (French Onion I assume)
3 cans beef broth
AND---1-12 oz can of beer (if you only have quarts you must drink all but 12 oz)
The brand is not important--the French don't know the difference.
1 small onion, quartered

Heat oven to 350oF
Place roast in large broiling pan
Combine soup mix, broth and beer in a bowl and stir till soup mix is desolved
Pour over roast and place onions around it

Bake for 2/3 hours, basting frequently, or until beef is tender and looks
stringy when pulled with a fork. (I didn't know what that meant but it
looked done to me so I took it out.) If it gets too crisp cover pan with
a lid or foil.
Slice beef thinly and serve on hero rolls or whatever you call them.
Serve the very juicy au jus in bowls to dip sandwiches in. Magnifique !!!!

Supply lots of paper towels, and don't eat in any carpeted area or wear
an expensive necktie !!!!.

We like ours with carmelized onions- I useJohnny's Au Jus concentrate to make the dipping suace.

Here is a link http://www.johnnysfinefoods.com/products/10100.php

I love French Dips & have been eating them for 35 years; I make my own & nothing like it !

When I see a particularly well executed Roast Beef in a deli, I'll order the appropriate amount, thinly sliced and hit the bakery for a French Bread, with sesame seeds or without. With Knorr's Au Jus, a very simple, and very good, meal or snack. I like the French Bread as it's size makes it easy to dip...

quote:

Originally posted by Peachpie9



A friend took me to her favorite restaurant where the French Onion Soup is the featured item, and the rest is history. I love that stuff! And the French Dip sandwich! Even better!

A French dip and a bowl of french onion soup sounds *wonderful*!
I make a mean french onion soup. (and a Swiss onion soup too made with Swiss cheese)

When I was a kid I travelled with my grandparents a lot and generally, depending on the restaurant, I ordered one of two things, either fish & chips ... or french dip. I still crave a good french dip.

As far as Au Jus ...
Classic Au Jus is a sort of Brown Stock made with beef bones that have been browned (and sometimes cracked) and then put in a stockpot and simmered for at least a few hours ... adding along the way some vegetables, generally celery carrots and onions ... and a bundle (or cheesecloth bag) which includes celery stalk, parsley stems, thyme sprigs, bay leafs and leek leaves ...and sometimes some peppercorns and garlic. Then the au jus is strained, reduced and seasoned.

A quick version at a restaurant might include beef base (kinda like professional boullion) and the juice and drippings from the prime rib pans that have been deglazed.
At home, seasoning might include a herb/spice seasoning like Mrs Dash and some Kitchen bouquet.

I crave a good French Dip. (I also crave a good Open Face Hot Beef Sandwich, but that's another topic.) Sad to say, tho, I have not been able to find a respectable French Dip in the Portland, Oregon vicinity. Any recommendations?

It was interesting to read that it's possible to do-it-yourself. Since I think I have demonstrated on occasions I DO have cooking skills, I should give it a go.

In my brief stint at BBF in my High School days, one of the "Premium" sandwiches they made was roast beef. A big 5 to 10 lb hunk of roast beef was sliced on a rotary slicer per order, then placed in this burger bun sized metal basket and dipped into the roast juices. It had a plunger that squeezed out the excess juice after dipping. Then the order was placed (and salted) on a sesame seed bun that had been previously toasted on the grill. Let's see, that was almost 40 years ago, and I still crave them!!??

I'm still intending to pick up a deli slicer one of these days for slicing/shaving roasts and such for making things like French Dips.

We were clearing out the unwanted equipment from a restaurant project a while back and I had set aside a Garland 4-top range and a standard rotary deli slicer that we were replacing, to take home to use in my new kitchen.
I'd wheeled them to the back of the restaurant kitchen to take out to my van when I left. Shortly thereafter, without checking with anyone, one of the nitwit laborers we had hired to remove construction debri from the second floor decided to move both items out onto the loading dock in the alley ... where, within about 15 minutes the slicer and two of the top grates from the stove disappeared.
I booted the guy from the job site on the spot ... I'd wished I had evidence of him actually stealing it ... but it might have just been kids.
Still burns me.

Even though I've got a few big hollow-edged slicers (knives) ... it's still so much easier to make really thin roast beef with the rotary slicer ... and quite a bit cheaper than buying it from the deli.

Based on Ancient Mariner's great experience at the Reef in St. Pete Beach, FL, my wife and I went there for the first time this past week and had their special French Dip beef sandwich. The sandwiches were --as reported -- outstanding. The beef was so tender it melted in your mouth and the bread was fresh and crispy and was served with a little bowl of au jus, which was very tasty. The Reef's version of the French Dip is served with provolone cheese melted over the beef, which while unusual on a French Dip sandwich from our past experiences elsewhere, it was delicious. I would highly recommend their restaurant and their special French Dip sandwich to anyone traveling through the area.

And, Brother BTB one day a week the French Dip is on sale. The special of the day takes a buck off the price. Makes it an even better deal. The "joint" is like a Key West shack isn't it? No water view though.

I absolutely love French Dip sandwiches.They are not on alot of menus around here anymore, but thankfully I found a place near my home called the Grecian Inn.Their version is huge-very tender roast beef, excellent roll and tasty au jus.I do agree with the Johnnys au jus-I use that when I make my own version at home.