Prime Rib French Dip with Honey Onions and Brandy Jus
The French dip sandwich, served with a thin but savory sauce for dunking, was invented in Los Angeles around World War I. However, the details are murky, and no one knows the name of its creator for sure. Here’s our version, with instructions on how to make it for a group of beef-loving friends. The meat should be thinly carved, so let it cool completely before slicing.
Makes 6 servings
Prime Rib
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp granulated onion
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
One 3-lb./1.4-kg boneless rib roast, fat cap trimmed to 1/8 in./3 mm
2 tsp light brown sugar
Brandy Jus
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup/120 g chopped yellow onions
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/8 tsp celery seeds
4 black peppercorns
1/2 cup/120 ml brandy
2 cups/480 ml water
One 7-oz./200-g container beef or veal demi-glace, about 7/8 cup
4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 bay leaf
Pan drippings from Prime Rib
Honey Onions
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb./455 g large yellow onions, cut into 1/4-in./6-mm rounds
2 tsp honey
1 tsp molasses
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Horseradish Aioli (Makes about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup/30 g fresh breadcrumbs (made from crusty bread in a blender or food processor)
3 Tbsp whole milk
3 garlic cloves, crushed under the flat of a knife and peeled
1 large egg or 1/4 cup/60 ml pasteurized egg product, at room temperature
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1 cup/240 ml olive oil (not extra-virgin)
2 Tbsp water, as needed
1–2 Tbsp well-drained prepared horseradish
Sandwiches
2 cups/225 g shredded Gruyère cheese
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
6 soft oblong sandwich rolls, split
3/4 cup/180 ml Horseradish Aioli
Instructions
1
To Prepare the Prime Rib: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C.
2
Mix the salt, thyme, oregano, granulated garlic, granulated onion, black pepper, allspice, and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the rib roast. Rub the brown sugar on the fat cap only. Place on a roasting rack in a medium, shallow roasting pan. Roast for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F/180°C and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 120°F/48°C, about 1 hour. The meat should be rare at this point. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, reserving the roasting pan with the drippings. (The rib roast can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. The colder it is, the easier it is to slice.)
3
To Make the Brandy Jus: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in the celery seeds and peppercorns. Add the brandy and heat until it comes to a simmer. Using a long match, carefully ignite the brandy and let it burn until reduced by half, about 1 minute. If the flames haven’t died on their own, cover the saucepan tightly to extinguish them.
4
Add the water, demi-glace, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat. Return the heat to low and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, about 1 hour. Line a wire sieve with a rinsed and wrung-out cheesecloth and set the sieve over a medium bowl. Strain the jus through the sieve, pressing hard on the solids; discard the solids. Heat the roasting pan with the drippings over high heat. Add 1/2 cup/120 ml of the jus and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits in the pan. Pour into the bowl of jus. (The jus can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Reheat to simmering over medium heat.) Return to the saucepan to keep warm over low heat.
5
To Make the Honey Onions: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the honey and molasses and season with salt, pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very tender and glazed, 20 to 30 minutes. If the glaze threatens to burn, stir in 1 to 2 Tbsp water. Remove from the heat. (The onions can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave oven before serving.)
6
To Make the Horseradish Aioli: Mix the breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl. Let stand until the crumbs soften, about 10 minutes. Strain in a small sieve and press on the crumbs with the back of a spoon to extract the excess milk; the mixture will be pasty.
7
Transfer the soaked crumbs to a food processor or blender. With the machine running, add the garlic through the feed tube (or hole in the lid) to mince the garlic. Add the egg, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, and salt. With the machine running, very slowly dribble in the oil—it should take at least a minute—and process until smooth and thickened. Transfer to a bowl. If desired, whisk in water to thin it to the preferred consistency. (The aioli can be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days.)
8
Take 1/2 cup of your aioli and combine it with the 1–2 Tbsp of prepared horseradish.
9
To serve, position a rack 6 in./15 cm from the heat source and preheat the broiler on high. Using a sharp carving knife, slice the beef as thinly as possible. Divide the meat into 6 equal stacks, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and drizzle each with a scant Tbsp of the jus. Top each with equal amounts of the Gruyère.
10
Spread the butter over the cut sides of the rolls. Broil the rolls, cut side up, until toasted, about 1 minute. Remove from the broiler and spread with the Horseradish Aioli. Place a beef portion on each bottom half and cover with the top. Using a serrated knife, cut each sandwich in half.
11
Divide the jus among 6 custard cups or ramekins. Serve the sandwiches with the jus for dipping.
Prime Rib French Dip with Honey Onions and Brandy Jus
The French dip sandwich, served with a thin but savory sauce for dunking, was invented in Los Angeles around World War I. However, the details are murky, and no one knows the name of its creator for sure. Here’s our version, with instructions on how to make it for a group of beef-loving friends. The meat should be thinly carved, so let it cool completely before slicing.
Makes 6 servings
Prime Rib
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp granulated onion
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
One 3-lb./1.4-kg boneless rib roast, fat cap trimmed to 1/8 in./3 mm
2 tsp light brown sugar
Brandy Jus
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup/120 g chopped yellow onions
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/8 tsp celery seeds
4 black peppercorns
1/2 cup/120 ml brandy
2 cups/480 ml water
One 7-oz./200-g container beef or veal demi-glace, about 7/8 cup
4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 bay leaf
Pan drippings from Prime Rib
Honey Onions
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb./455 g large yellow onions, cut into 1/4-in./6-mm rounds
2 tsp honey
1 tsp molasses
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Horseradish Aioli (Makes about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup/30 g fresh breadcrumbs (made from crusty bread in a blender or food processor)
3 Tbsp whole milk
3 garlic cloves, crushed under the flat of a knife and peeled
1 large egg or 1/4 cup/60 ml pasteurized egg product, at room temperature
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1 cup/240 ml olive oil (not extra-virgin)
2 Tbsp water, as needed
1–2 Tbsp well-drained prepared horseradish
Sandwiches
2 cups/225 g shredded Gruyère cheese
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
6 soft oblong sandwich rolls, split
3/4 cup/180 ml Horseradish Aioli
Instructions
1
To Prepare the Prime Rib: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C.
2
Mix the salt, thyme, oregano, granulated garlic, granulated onion, black pepper, allspice, and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the rib roast. Rub the brown sugar on the fat cap only. Place on a roasting rack in a medium, shallow roasting pan. Roast for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F/180°C and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 120°F/48°C, about 1 hour. The meat should be rare at this point. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, reserving the roasting pan with the drippings. (The rib roast can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. The colder it is, the easier it is to slice.)
3
To Make the Brandy Jus: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in the celery seeds and peppercorns. Add the brandy and heat until it comes to a simmer. Using a long match, carefully ignite the brandy and let it burn until reduced by half, about 1 minute. If the flames haven’t died on their own, cover the saucepan tightly to extinguish them.
4
Add the water, demi-glace, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat. Return the heat to low and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, about 1 hour. Line a wire sieve with a rinsed and wrung-out cheesecloth and set the sieve over a medium bowl. Strain the jus through the sieve, pressing hard on the solids; discard the solids. Heat the roasting pan with the drippings over high heat. Add 1/2 cup/120 ml of the jus and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits in the pan. Pour into the bowl of jus. (The jus can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Reheat to simmering over medium heat.) Return to the saucepan to keep warm over low heat.
5
To Make the Honey Onions: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the honey and molasses and season with salt, pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very tender and glazed, 20 to 30 minutes. If the glaze threatens to burn, stir in 1 to 2 Tbsp water. Remove from the heat. (The onions can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave oven before serving.)
6
To Make the Horseradish Aioli: Mix the breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl. Let stand until the crumbs soften, about 10 minutes. Strain in a small sieve and press on the crumbs with the back of a spoon to extract the excess milk; the mixture will be pasty.
7
Transfer the soaked crumbs to a food processor or blender. With the machine running, add the garlic through the feed tube (or hole in the lid) to mince the garlic. Add the egg, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, and salt. With the machine running, very slowly dribble in the oil—it should take at least a minute—and process until smooth and thickened. Transfer to a bowl. If desired, whisk in water to thin it to the preferred consistency. (The aioli can be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days.)
8
Take 1/2 cup of your aioli and combine it with the 1–2 Tbsp of prepared horseradish.
9
To serve, position a rack 6 in./15 cm from the heat source and preheat the broiler on high. Using a sharp carving knife, slice the beef as thinly as possible. Divide the meat into 6 equal stacks, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and drizzle each with a scant Tbsp of the jus. Top each with equal amounts of the Gruyère.
10
Spread the butter over the cut sides of the rolls. Broil the rolls, cut side up, until toasted, about 1 minute. Remove from the broiler and spread with the Horseradish Aioli. Place a beef portion on each bottom half and cover with the top. Using a serrated knife, cut each sandwich in half.
11
Divide the jus among 6 custard cups or ramekins. Serve the sandwiches with the jus for dipping.
Prime Rib French Dip with Honey Onions and Brandy Jus
The French dip sandwich, served with a thin but savory sauce for dunking, was invented in Los Angeles around World War I. However, the details are murky, and no one knows the name of its creator for sure. Here’s our version, with instructions on how to make it for a group of beef-loving friends. The meat should be thinly carved, so let it cool completely before slicing.
Makes 6 servings
Prime Rib
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp granulated onion
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
One 3-lb./1.4-kg boneless rib roast, fat cap trimmed to 1/8 in./3 mm
2 tsp light brown sugar
Brandy Jus
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup/120 g chopped yellow onions
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/8 tsp celery seeds
4 black peppercorns
1/2 cup/120 ml brandy
2 cups/480 ml water
One 7-oz./200-g container beef or veal demi-glace, about 7/8 cup
4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 bay leaf
Pan drippings from Prime Rib
Honey Onions
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb./455 g large yellow onions, cut into 1/4-in./6-mm rounds
2 tsp honey
1 tsp molasses
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Horseradish Aioli (Makes about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup/30 g fresh breadcrumbs (made from crusty bread in a blender or food processor)
3 Tbsp whole milk
3 garlic cloves, crushed under the flat of a knife and peeled
1 large egg or 1/4 cup/60 ml pasteurized egg product, at room temperature
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1 cup/240 ml olive oil (not extra-virgin)
2 Tbsp water, as needed
1–2 Tbsp well-drained prepared horseradish
Sandwiches
2 cups/225 g shredded Gruyère cheese
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
6 soft oblong sandwich rolls, split
3/4 cup/180 ml Horseradish Aioli
Instructions
1
To Prepare the Prime Rib: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C.
2
Mix the salt, thyme, oregano, granulated garlic, granulated onion, black pepper, allspice, and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the rib roast. Rub the brown sugar on the fat cap only. Place on a roasting rack in a medium, shallow roasting pan. Roast for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F/180°C and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 120°F/48°C, about 1 hour. The meat should be rare at this point. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, reserving the roasting pan with the drippings. (The rib roast can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. The colder it is, the easier it is to slice.)
3
To Make the Brandy Jus: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in the celery seeds and peppercorns. Add the brandy and heat until it comes to a simmer. Using a long match, carefully ignite the brandy and let it burn until reduced by half, about 1 minute. If the flames haven’t died on their own, cover the saucepan tightly to extinguish them.
4
Add the water, demi-glace, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat. Return the heat to low and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, about 1 hour. Line a wire sieve with a rinsed and wrung-out cheesecloth and set the sieve over a medium bowl. Strain the jus through the sieve, pressing hard on the solids; discard the solids. Heat the roasting pan with the drippings over high heat. Add 1/2 cup/120 ml of the jus and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits in the pan. Pour into the bowl of jus. (The jus can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Reheat to simmering over medium heat.) Return to the saucepan to keep warm over low heat.
5
To Make the Honey Onions: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the honey and molasses and season with salt, pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very tender and glazed, 20 to 30 minutes. If the glaze threatens to burn, stir in 1 to 2 Tbsp water. Remove from the heat. (The onions can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave oven before serving.)
6
To Make the Horseradish Aioli: Mix the breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl. Let stand until the crumbs soften, about 10 minutes. Strain in a small sieve and press on the crumbs with the back of a spoon to extract the excess milk; the mixture will be pasty.
7
Transfer the soaked crumbs to a food processor or blender. With the machine running, add the garlic through the feed tube (or hole in the lid) to mince the garlic. Add the egg, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, and salt. With the machine running, very slowly dribble in the oil—it should take at least a minute—and process until smooth and thickened. Transfer to a bowl. If desired, whisk in water to thin it to the preferred consistency. (The aioli can be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days.)
8
Take 1/2 cup of your aioli and combine it with the 1–2 Tbsp of prepared horseradish.
9
To serve, position a rack 6 in./15 cm from the heat source and preheat the broiler on high. Using a sharp carving knife, slice the beef as thinly as possible. Divide the meat into 6 equal stacks, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and drizzle each with a scant Tbsp of the jus. Top each with equal amounts of the Gruyère.
10
Spread the butter over the cut sides of the rolls. Broil the rolls, cut side up, until toasted, about 1 minute. Remove from the broiler and spread with the Horseradish Aioli. Place a beef portion on each bottom half and cover with the top. Using a serrated knife, cut each sandwich in half.
11
Divide the jus among 6 custard cups or ramekins. Serve the sandwiches with the jus for dipping.