French Dips and Burger Dips

Earlier this week I posted my Weekly Menu Plans for this week and I mentioned that I was making Burger Dips.  I’ve had a few people ask me about this different way of serving burgers. I wish I had taken pictures as I assembled them but alas I did not. 

I’ll state right here at the beginning that I simply copied what I have been able to order here at a few local restaurants.   Nothing fancy and no special recipe. 

But before I get to that I’m taking a walk down a bunny trail towards memory lane.  The Burger Dip is really a variation of the French Dip: thinly sliced roast beef piled high on a sandwich roll and served with Au Jus for dipping.   It was my daddy that introduced me to the French Dip sandwich.  I don’t remember how old I was but I was little girl.   He had taken us all out to dinner and he suggested I try the French Dip.   The French Dip is a sandwich that I have frequently ordered through the years.

The Burger Dip is just a hamburger patty served on a toasted sandwich roll and served with Au Jus for dipping.   I think the key to good Dip sandwich is the type of bread or roll used.  It has to be sturdy enough to withstand being dipped.   A regular hamburger bun, even toasted, really just turns to mush which dipped and just does not work for me for a Dip.   I like hard rolls or French Bread.

A lady named Mary posted an easy peasy Crock Pot Roast Beef recipe years and years and years ago on a message board I no longer frequent.   I’m going to share it here as my French Dip recipe:

1 roast,  about 1 1/2 cups water,  about 1/4-1/2 cup Soy Sauce (I use Braggs Liquid Aminos) and garlic.  You can use fresh minced or powder.   I put the roast in the crock pot, measure out some Liquid Aminos and fill the measuring up to 2 cups liquid and pour over roast. I sprinkle it with garlic and let it cook all day.    This makes an excellent French Dip.   The au jus is also wonderful for making gravy and having roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy.

For my Burger Dip, I cheat.  I buy the Au Jus packets from the grocery store and follow directions on the packet.   For the burger part, I sometimes just use the frozen hamburger patties but my preference is to use fresh ground beef and shape the patties to match my sandwich roll.    I also prefer to use the outdoor grill for the hamburger patties but frying them in a skillet or on a griddle works, too. 

My husband is not a fan of Dip style sandwiches.   When I make the roast beef he skips the Au Jus and just puts BBQ sauce on his sandwich.   For the Burger Dip, he just takes his oddly shaped patty and treats it like he would any other hamburger: adding ketchup, mustard, pickles etc.

I love that I can get what I want and he can have what he wants!