Day 21: French Dip Sandwiches(Crock pot)

This is from my friend Bonnie and her husband James. They rank this recipe as one of their favorites, so of course I had to give it a try. And it really cannot get any simpler than brisket, beef broth, soup mix, crock pot. I'm actually kind of disappointed that I made this on a weekend when Paul is home and I actually can sit in the kitchen for 20 minutes and cook. I should have saved it for a week day when my kids are going nuts and require my full attention. But oh well.

One "complaint" off the bat for this recipe is the cost. I found beef brisket at Jewel, only 1.91lbs, and it cost $10.35. Add that to the soup mix, broth, and french rolls and the meal is about $17.00. And that is without any sides. I could have gotten the brisket from Costco like I do for Passover, but that would have been way too huge and still expensive. To be honest, if it tastes good, I'm not going to care at all about the cost so lets hope for a home run!

French Dip Sandwiches in the Crock Pot

3 lbs of beef brisket (not corned beef)
1 envelope of dry onion soup mix
2 cans of beef broth (you can use low sodium)

Step 1: Trim fat and place in slow cooker.
Step 2: In separate bowl, mix onion mix and broth, pour over meat.
Step 3: Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
Step 4: Shred or slice beef and serve on french bread. Dip in Au Jus.

Kitchen Play by Play: Hands down, without question, the EASIEST recipe I have ever encountered. Seriously, prepped and cooking in 2 1/2 minutes. I looked at the clock. To be fair, my brisket was pretty lean to begin with, so I didn't have to trim too much. I did leave some fat on to help make the meat more tender. It will disintegrate or slide off the top at the end anyway. I sliced my beef and toasted the rolls in the oven. Served it with french fries and green beans. Next time I'd have some horseradish sauce too.

The Finished Product
The Verdict:
Nicole- For me, it was WAY too salty. I did not use low sodium broth and regret it. I am not a salt person though. I never salt my food before eating, and I do not salt my pasta water either. My other concern about the dish is that it left very little au jus. We barely got enough for three sandwiches, so I would add another can of broth(low sodium of course) next time. The 1.91lb brisket shrunk like crazy and produced enough meat for 3 large sandwiches and a little on a plate for Austin. I did enjoy the tenderness of the meat and the crusty roll. And, truthfully, if I had just poured a little juice on the sandwich(Italian beef style) rather than dipping it in the juice, I would have enjoyed it far more. I'm not giving up on this recipe. I give it a 3 and another shot in the future,

Paul-gives it a 4. "Beef, marinated in beef(broth), topped with beef, dipped in beef(broth). Might be borderline too much beef, but tender and juicy and delicious."

Austin-The most beef I have seen my once Iron deficient son, eat in a LONG time. Reason enough to keep it in the rotation!