Crock Pot Venison French Dip Sandwiches

By Tasha Barbour
Instagram: @ruralrootsrecipes
Website: www.ruralrootsrecipes.com

Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 4 hours

Here's something you should know about me if we ever go out to eat. One of my favorite sandwiches to order at a restaurant is a French Dip! They are so rich in flavor, juicy, and absolutely delicious! The flavor of the Au Jus is crucial, but there are a few other must-have components. You've got to have crunchy bread, melty cheese, and tangy onions. Okay, I'm drooling just typing this out. In fact, this sandwich is so good, it is a #1 request in our house.

This sandwich allowed me to come up with a creative new way to use our venison roasts. However, if you don’t have venison, a beef roast will work just as well. If I could, I would make this every day. Any slow cooker recipe that makes my life a little easier is a winning recipe in my book. This sandwich is a true favorite around here!

If you are looking for another great sandwich idea using a venison roast, be sure and check out my recipe for Tangy BBQ Shredded Venison Sandwiches.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 pounds venison roast
• Dash of kosher salt
• Dash of freshly ground pepper
• 1 ounce Au Jus gravy packet
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups low sodium beef stock
• 1 tablespoon beef bouillon powder
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, sliced thin
• 4 Ciabatta Bread Roll
• Mayonnaise
• Provolone or Swiss Cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. If you have a 2 in 1 slow cooker with stovetop settings, brown roast directly in the slow cooker. If you don’t have one, brown the roast on all sides in a skillet with olive oil, salt, and pepper and then transfer to your slow cooker.
2. In your slow cooker add venison roast, Au Jus packet, water, beef stock, and beef bouillon. Stir well to combine.
3. Cook on high setting for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours.
4. When meat is tender and can easily be shredded with a fork, remove it from the slow cooker and finely shred.
5. Add meat back into the slow cooker to absorb some of that tasty Au Jus.
6. Meanwhile, add butter and onions to a skillet and sauté over medium heat until browned.
7. Put it all together by piling meat onto a ciabatta roll, careful to not get too much juice with the meat. Add mayonnaise to your roll, and top with the onions and cheese. Toast under a broiler until the cheese is melty and bread is crusty!
8. Add Au Jus to a serving bowl and serve it up next to your toasty sandwich! ENJOY!