slow cooked roast beef sandwiches with caramelized onions and ajus

 

so we went camping recently and one of the lunches i had planned was french dip sandwiches with caramelized onions and aujus for dipping.. i thought it was a great idea and would work out perfect out in the desert.. tina bought me a coleman cooker which i planned on using to cook the roast.. i had to tweak the cooking process because.. what i learned the last time i used this little beauty was...

 

 

it's not a slow cooker.. see doesn't say slow cooker.. says heat and serve.. well i thought it was a slow cooker and back in november when we went camping i threw everything into this cooker and we went on a hike and fishing.. and when we arrived back to the camp i thought it would all be cooked to a delicious golden brown..

 

 

yeah sadly no such luck what we came back to was the entire bottom burned to a crisp. luckily i was able to salvage enough of the chicken and make extra side dishes so everyone had a filling dinner.. but i learned my lesson, or so i thought, this is so no slow cooker!! so the next time we went camping i figured i would cook a beef roast for french dip sandwiches and it would take about an hour or 2 at the most.. again i was WRONG!! ha this time it took about 4 hours and was ready when dinner time rolled around.. *eyeroll* i will master this little device if it kills me.. but despite the time it was ready.. everyone loved them..  it's so simple i will give you instructions to do it in your slow cooker..  this is a pretty old recipe.. i got it from tina.. of course.. one year when we were neighbors the boys went christmas shopping together.. and tina and i each got a crock pot, ice cream maker and sweater.. not matching but different colors still the same gifts.. ha cute guys i tell ya.. anyway i had NO IDEA what to do with my crock pot.. i didn't like anything cooked in it growing up.. i actually hated the little contraption.. but one night for our nightly picnic tina made these sandwiches.. and i was hooked.. i didn't use the crockpot for many many years after that for anything other than these sandwiches.. but i didn't care i was happy these babies where in my life.. now the recipe has morphed and changed and what have you over the last 20 years.. but the basic premise is still there.. slow cooked beef roast..

 

slow cooked french roast beef sandwiches with ajus

 

prep time: 15 minutes

cooking time: 6-7 hours

servings: 8

 

ingredients:

 

for roast beef:

4 lb. beef chuck roast, trim extra fat off

olive oil

salt and pepper

2 cans (14.5 oz) beef broth or stock

1 bottle of beer

1 tblsp. wocestershire sauce

1 tblsp. garlic powder

1 tbslp. onion powder

1 medium onion, sliced

 

for caramelized onions:

2 onions, sliced

olive oil

salt and pepper

 

sandwich:

ciabatta rolls, split and toasted

sliced provolone cheese or swiss

creamy horseradish

 

directions:

 

roast: slice up onions and lay in the bottom of the crock pot.. then take a large heavy bottom skillet and heat two twirls around the pan of olive oil over medium high heat.. sear the roast on both sides until nice and brown.. remove from pan and put in a your crock pot over uncooked onions.. {reserve your pan you just seared the roast in.. don't wash it out just set a side your going to cook your caramelized onions in it..} add other roast beef ingredients to the crock pot, beef broth, worcestershire sauce, beer.. then add garlic powder and onion powder.. cook on low for 5-6 hours.. with about an hour left to go transfer meat to a cutting board and slice at a diagonal.. {you could shred but i detest shredded meat so i slice.. *smile*} now  drain the juice left in the crock pot through a colander and discard onions and what not.. then add meat back to the crock pot for the last 45 minutes to an hour.. after an hour remove meat with a slotted spoon to a serving tray.. you can now either just ladle up the juice left in the crock pot for aujus or pour into one of those "defatter" measuring cups then heat in a small pot on the stove..

 

caramelized onions: on the last 1/2 hour your roast is cooking make the onions.. in the pan your had set aside heat up the oil {there should be oil and fat left over from searing the roast, if not add a twirl around the pan with olive oil} over medium heat.. when the oil is hot add your onions and salt and pepper.. cook for 15-20 minutes.. stirring to prevent burning.. after about 30 minutes they should brown and caramelized and yummy goodness..

assembling sandwiches: slice your ciabatta in half, now you don't have to have to toast it but i like my bread kinda toasted.. so i sliced them in half, drizzled olive oil then put in a 425 degree {f} oven for about 5-7 minutes, just until it was crisp and lightly browned..  remove from oven and spread each side with the creamy horseradish {i mix creamed horseradish with mayo and make a little spread} layer the roast, onions then a slice of cheese.. top with the remaining bun.... slice and serve with a side of the aujus for dipping!!!

 

enjoy and get cook'n!!