Today’s Spotlight is on French Dip.

A French dip sandwich, also known as a beef dip, is a hot sandwich consisting of thinly sliced roast beef on a “French roll” or baguette. It is usually served plain but a popular variation is to top with Swiss cheese, onions, and a dipping container of beef broth produced from the cooking process.

• Alternative names: Beef dip
• Main ingredients: Baguette, roast beef, beef broth
• Region or state: Los Angeles, California
• Variations: With cheese

 

History

The French dip sandwich was invented in Los Angeles in the early 20th century.

Two restaurants in Los Angeles claim to have invented the sandwich:

• Philippe the Original – Philippe Mathieu, the owner of Philippe the Original, accidentally dropped a French roll into a juice-filled roasting pan while preparing a sandwich for a local worker in 1918. The customer ate the dipped sandwich anyway, and other customers became interested in ordering it.
• Cole’s Pacific Electric Buffet – In 1908, a customer ordered a sandwich but found the bread too difficult to chew due to bad gums. The chef, Jack Garlinghouse, soaked the bread in meat drippings, or Au Jus, creating the French Dip.

The origins of the French dip sandwich are somewhat uncertain. The first and most widely accepted originator is Philippe’s The Original.

The French dip sandwich is an American specialty that’s almost unknown in France.

The name could be due to:

• Philippe’s heritage
• The French roll it’s served on
• The police officer’s name was French.

The sandwich is usually served with a cup of jus or broth on the side of the plate. The sandwich is dipped into the cup as it’s eaten.

 

Here is a French Dip Recipe for you to try:

Ingredients:

• 3-4 pounds chuck roast or rump roast
• salt and pepper to taste.
• 10 ½ ounces beef broth low sodium
• 10 ½ ounces onion soup low sodium
• 1 onion sliced.
• 12 ounces light beer
• 2 cloves garlic minced.
• 1 sprig rosemary optional
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 8 French rolls or 2 baguettes cut into 6″ rolls.
• 8 tablespoons butter

 

Instructions:

1. Season roast with salt & pepper. Brown in a large pan over medium high heat.
2. Place remaining ingredients (except rolls and butter) in a slow cooker. Cook on low 8 hours or on high 4 hours or until beef is tender.
3. Once roast is tender, remove from the juices and let rest for 15 minutes. Shred or slice beef.
4. Butter rolls and heat under a broiler until lightly toasted. Top rolls with beef and serve with jus from the slow cooker for dipping.
5. Enjoy!

 

Consumption

French dip sandwiches can be high in fat. For example, a popular fast food French dip sandwich has 33 grams of total fat and 25 grams of saturated fat. For a healthy adult following a 2,000-calorie diet, this amount of saturated fat is more than the 15 grams recommended as the daily limit.

Here are some other nutritional facts for French dip sandwiches:

• A 6-inch French dip sandwich has 410 calories and 11 grams of total fat.
• A half of a French dip sandwich has 360 calories and 13 grams of total fat.
• A French dip sandwich with mozzarella cheese has 680 calories and 180 calories from fat.
• A slow cooker French dip sandwich with caramelized onions has 308 calories, 29 grams of protein, 31 grams of carbs, and 9 grams of fat.

 

Celebrating The French Dip

National French Dip Day is on November 12.

Let us know in the comments if you have had a French Dip and how you liked it.