The French Dip Grilled Cheese Sandwich, with roast beef and caramelized onions, served with warm au jus sauce, is the ultimate flavor combo.
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium sweet onions sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 cup beef broth
- 1 packet Au Jus seasoning mix seasoning
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 8 slices white sandwich bread
- 16 slices provolone cheese
- 16 slices deli roast beef
- caramelized onions - leftover from the Sauce
- Optional:
- French fried onions
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Place a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add 2 tablespoons of butter.
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Once the butter has melted, add sliced onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and brown sugar, stir and cook for another 5 minutes.
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Remove half of the onions to a plate and set aside. You will use them when assembling the sandwich.
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Reduce the heat to medium, and add Worcestershire sauce and beef broth to the remaining onions in the skillet. Stir and cook for about 1-2 minutes.
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Add the Au Jus mix and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
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Transfer the sauce to a bowl and set aside. Wipe the skillet clean.
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Place the skillet over medium heat and add melted butter.
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Spread butter only on one side of the slices. Place the bread, butter side down, on a cutting board.
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Add two slices of cheese, four slices of deli roast beef, caramelized onions, and some French-fried onions (optional). Top with two more slices of cheese, then place another slice of bread on top, butter side up.
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Cook in the skillet, slightly pressing on the sandwich. Or cook on the griddle. Flip on the other side after 2-3 minutes of cooking, press slightly, and continue cooking until golden brown, about 2 more minutes.
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Serve with the dipping sauce and French-fried onions.
How to melt the cheese perfectly when cooking the sandwich
First, preheat the skillet, then keep the heat at medium while grilling the sandwiches. Too high and the bread will burn before the cheese has a chance to melt. If the cheese is stubborn about melting, cover the pan with a lid for a minute or two; the trapped steam helps it along. Then remove the lid to let the bread crisp up properly.
More tips to consider:
- Invest in quality roast beef and cheese. If you need to cut costs somewhere, cheaper bread is fine, but the meat and cheese are what make this sandwich extraordinary.
- For an extra-tangy, restaurant-style flavor, mix equal parts softened butter and mayonnaise, then spread it on the bread instead of plain butter.
- Press the sandwich gently but firmly with a spatula while it cooks to ensure even contact with the pan and uniform golden browning on both sides.