Ingredients
3 to 4 pounds beef chuck roast, excess fat trimmed2 (1-ounce) packets dry onion soup mix3 cups low-sodium beef broth6 soft hoagie rolls or sub buns, for serving (optional but recommended)
Direction
Place the beef chuck roast in the bottom of a large slow cooker (5- to 7-quart works well). If one side of the roast is fattier, place that side facing up so the fat can baste the meat as it cooks.Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the top and sides of the roast, pressing it in lightly so it sticks to the meat.
Pour the beef broth around the sides of the roast, being careful not to wash off too much of the soup mix from the top. The liquid should come at least halfway up the sides of the meat.Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is very tender and easily shreds apart with a fork. For the most fall-apart, melt-in-your-mouth texture, the LOW and slow option is best.Once the beef is done, carefully transfer the roast to a large cutting board or a wide bowl, leaving the cooking liquid (au jus) in the slow cooker. Skim off any large pools of fat from the surface of the au jus with a spoon, if desired.
Use two forks to shred the beef into bite-sized pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat. The meat should fall apart easily; if it doesn’t, return it to the slow cooker and continue cooking for another 30 to 60 minutes.Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir it into the hot au jus. Let it sit on WARM for at least 10 to 15 minutes so the meat can soak up even more flavor. Taste the au jus and adjust with a little extra broth or a splash of water if it’s too salty or concentrated.
To serve, lightly warm or toast the hoagie rolls if you like. Use tongs to pile the shredded beef high onto each roll, letting any excess liquid drip back into the slow cooker. Spoon some of the rich, dark brown au jus into small bowls or ramekins for dipping alongside each sandwich.For the best “caramelized edges” look like in the photo, you can quickly broil the assembled sandwiches (without the au jus) on a baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes to crisp the edges of the meat and the rolls before serving. Watch closely so they don’t burn.
Variations & TipsTo keep this as a true 3-ingredient base, the main recipe uses only beef chuck roast, dry onion soup mix, and beef broth; the hoagie rolls are simply for serving.If you want to dress things up, you can add sliced provolone or Swiss cheese on top of the meat and broil until melted for a cheesier French dip. Caramelized onions or sautéed mushrooms are great add-ons if you have extra time, but they’re totally optional.