SANDWICH ESSENTIALS: SLOW COOKER DOUBLE FRENCH DIP

Steps:

• 1. PREP/PREPARE
• 2. Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
• 3. Cut the onions pole-to-pole and thinly slice.
• 4. Chef's Tip: A good mandoline is excellent for generating consistent slices. But one word of caution, if you don't use a cutting guard, you need to be very careful or you just might wind up cutting more than the onions. OUCH!!!
• 5. Add the oil and butter to a heavy-bottomed pot, over medium-high heat.
• 6. Dust the roast with some salt and pepper.
• 7. When the foaming subsides, add the chuck roast and brown on all sides, 2 - 3 minutes per side.
• 8. Remove the roast, and place into the slow cooker.
• 9. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the onions, to the pot and stir to coat with the oil and butter.
• 10. Cover, and allow to cook, for 5 minutes.
• 11. Remove the cover, and increase the heat to medium-high.
• 12. Cook the onions, stirring frequently, until they brown, but do not burn, about 12 - 15 minutes.
• 13. Chef's Note: Don't skimp on the browning of the onions. Browning is necessary to give the broth its color and deep, rich flavor.
• 14. Add the beef consommé and wine, and bring to a simmer.
• 15. Chef's Note: I have never found a "store-bought" beef consommé that I could abide. And since making beef consommé is rather time consuming, you can always substitute a good beef stock. I would recommend against using any beef broth, because it is too salty. I don't want a salty au jus; I want it to be flavorful.
• 16. Place the onions, and liquid into the slow cooker, and then add the thyme, bay leaves, and celery to the pot.
• 17. If you wish, you can tie the herbs together with some cheesecloth, and make a bouquet garni. Then, at the end of the cooking process, all you need to do is remove the bundled spices, and toss into the trash.
• 18. Chef's Note: Do a final tasting for proper seasoning, but watch out for the salt, because it will intensify during the cooking process.
• 19. Cover the slow cooker, and cook on low for about 6 - 7 hours, or on high for about 4 - 5 hours.
• 20. Remove the roast from the pot, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
• 21. Remove the thyme, bay leaves, and parsley, and then run the au jus through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the onions to extract as much flavor as possible.
• 22. Chef's Note: Discard the onions.
• 23. Use a very sharp knife to thinly slice the beef.
• 24. Place a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 400f (205c).
• 25. Brush a bit of horseradish sauce on the bottom of your crusty bread.
• 26. Pile on some beef.
• 27. Cover with a few slices of provolone cheese.
• 28. Stick in the oven until warm, and the cheese is melty.
• 29. PLATE/PRESENT
• 30. Serve with the au jus on the side. Enjoy.
• 31. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
• 32. OPTIONAL METHOD
• 33. If you want your sandwich to be outstanding, try the alternative method: When you remove the beef from the slow cooker, wrap in a piece of parchment paper, and tightly wrap in foil. Allow the roast to come to room temp, and then stick in the fridge overnight. Strain the au jus, place in a covered bowl, allow it to come to room temp, and then place in the fridge, overnight. In the morning, skim the congealed fat off the top of the au just, and warm up in a pan. Remove the cold beef, and slice as thinly as possible. Dip the slices in the warm au jus before putting them on the bread, and then bake in the oven as per the recipe. Yummy.