Au Jus De Jour

Normally, a French Dip sandwich is not up my alley. For some reason, roast beef on a sandwich does not appeal to me enough to drag my eyes past the BLT and the club, past the Italian beef, past the Reuben and its tart kraut to the French Dip. That being said, it is a sandwich, and, thus, deserves a mention from The Sandwich Guy.

One of the things I do enjoy about the French Dip is the au jus. "Au jus" is French for "with juice," so true au jus is made from the beef's drippings as it slowly roasts in the oven. One French Dip I had, in Indiana at a restaurant whose name now escapes me, sent the au jus to the table with a sprig of fresh rosemary soaking in the succulent sauce. Swirling the rosemary just before dipping the sandwich created a little bite of heaven. A good au jus is also mostly left alone (the rosemary concoction above being an obvious exception). Too much salt or spice can replace the truly remarkable natural flavor with something entirely false and unbecoming. That said, too many places rely on the old beef bullion cube or the powdered mix to create their au jus. And all too often, these efforts will only leave your tongue stinging from the excessive salt. I am a salt fan. I douse my food with ancient sea salt that is filled with minerals and age-old flavors. But over-salted au jus is simply too much even for this salty dog.

Another important key to a strong showing from a French Dip is the bread. Ideally, it should be a tough bread with a thick shell and a chewy, absorbent interior. A good Italian loaf usually works at home, but restaurants and afficiandos should go for the thick French baguette. Remember, the bread is going to go through a lot of torture in those juices, and it needs to withstand all the torments.

A point of note: The French Dip is, not so surprisingly, not French. It originated in this country in Los Angeles. In fact, it would be difficult to find such a creation in France where the sandwich is widely ignored.