A Simple and Delicious Smoked French Dip Recipe

If you love smoked meats, then you will love a smoked French dip sandwich. Continue reading for a basic recipe that you can try at home!

Smoked Meat Dinners in Carmel 317-688-7290

Smoked Meat Dinners in Carmel 317-688-7290

What You Will Need

Materials:

Smoker Grill
Cooking Grate
Medium Aluminum Pan
Aluminum Foil
Pecan Wood Chips
Probe Meat Thermometer
Large Slicing Knife
Large Cutting Board

Groceries:

8 oz. French Dip Au Jus Base (your choice)
4 lbs. Beef, Eye of the Round
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Coarse Ground Black Pepper
Vidalia Sweet Onions
French Bread Rolls
Sliced Provolone
Creamy Horseradish Sauce

To Get Started

Set the temperature of your smoker grill between 250 and 275 degrees Fahrenheit.

Begin prepping your roast beef by coating the outside in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set your roast to the side and allow the seasonings to set in while your smoker reaches temperature. This usually takes around 30 minutes.

While still waiting on the smoker, thinly slice the Vidalia sweet onions that you will be sweating down to make your Au Jus. Place them in the aluminum pan, toss them with oil and seasonings, and then set them aside.

Once your smoker is hot, add some chunks of pecan wood to the fire and set up your cooking grate.

Place the roast directly onto ONE SIDE of the cooking grate. Place your pan of onions right next to your roast, on the other side.

Allow 20 minutes to pass, then add 8 ounces of Au Jus base and 2 cups of water to your pan of onions. If you could not locate an Au Jus base at your grocery store, you can substitute 24 ounces of beef stock. Stir up the onion mixture, and then cover it with aluminum foil. Let it simmer on the fire pit until your roast is done.

Next, flip your roast and insert the meat probe thermometer. Set the alarm at 130 degrees Fahrenheit for a medium rare finish. It should take around 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach this temperature; but do not trust time, trust your meat thermometer reading.

Once your meat reaches the proper internal temperature (or your thermometer alarm goes off), transfer the roast to a cutting board and cover it with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest like this for 30 minutes.

Once the roast is done resting, you are ready to slice! Cut against the grain of the meat and make thin slices. Transfer the slices of roast beef to your pan of Au Jus and let the juices soak in for a few minutes.

Now just toast your French bread with some slices of provolone cheese, add your sliced beef, top it with some horseradish cream (if you like), and be prepared to dip into your hot Au Jus!

Try Some Excellent Smoked BBQ in Carmel!

Rackz BBQ Carmel, IN 317-688-7290

Rackz BBQ
317-688-7290

If you are craving delicious barbecue and smoked meats, come to Rackz BBQ in Carmel for authentic flavors and great prices! We offer a wide selection of barbecue classics, house-made sides, and tasty desserts, all prepared using the freshest local ingredients. We also offer call ahead take out ordering and catering! Call 317-688-7290 to learn more about our current menu selections and specials, anytime.

Avoid These Woods for Smoking Meats

There are several options when it comes to using a wood for smoking meat, including both fruit and nut varieties. Each type of wood offers unique and distinguishing flavors, compositions, and burning points, making the decision an integral part of the overall smoking process. In fact, it is critical to select the proper wood for your particular cut of meat to achieve the best results. See our blog, “Various Wood Chip Options for Smoking Meat” for a guide to matching wood chip flavors to popular cuts of meat.

Choosing the right wood chip is very important for flavor, but also for safety. There are several types of wood that can be dangerous or harmful, which means you should avoid using them entirely using the smoker grill. Continue reading to learn which woods you should never use to smoke meat or other foods.

Smoked Meat Meals

Smoked Meat Meals Carmel, Indiana 317-688-7290

Unsafe Wood Chip Options

Never, under any circumstances, use EASTERN CEDAR, CYPRESS, ELM, EUCALYPTUS, SASSAFRAS, LIQUID AMBER, PINE, REDWOOD, FIR, SPRUCE, or SYCAMORE for smoking meats or other types of food. These trees high in resin and oils that cause a thick smoke when lit, which can cause all sorts of dangerous situations and health consequences.

You should also never use lumber scraps, nor painted, treated, or stained wood. If you have wood, but you are unsure of the species, it is not recommended to use it in the grill. Many species of softwood trees, especially conifers, contain toxins and chemicals that can transfer from the wood into the food or surrounding air. Furthermore, you do not want to use wood from a log pile that has mold and fungus growth. These dangerous woods are a poor choice for any type of cooking, but excellent for the fire pit or fire place.

Take a Closer Look at Eastern Cedar

This type of wood is a softwood, not a hardwood. Softwoods contain higher levels of air and sap, as they are a pine cone-producing species. So not only does the wood burn extremely fast, which is opposite of the “low and slow” barbecue practice, the flavors can be quite unpleasant and even toxic.

Contact with cedar smoke or oil can result in health implications, such as dermatitis or skin irritation, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and a condition known as “cedar asthma”, which is caused by long-term exposure to a chemical within cedar called plicatic acid. Furthermore, other chemical, such as phenols and aromatic hydrocarbons, can also cause respiratory problems in both people and pets.

No Time to Grill? Come to Racks BBQ in Carmel!

Rackz BBQ Carmel, IN 317-688-7290

Rackz BBQ
317-688-7290

Visit Rackz BBQ in Carmel, Indiana for delicious smoked meat entrees, hand-crafted barbecue sauces, and homemade side items, and more! From appetizers and sandwiches, to salads, entrees, and desserts, there is much to choose from on our comprehensive BBQ menu, so be sure to try them all! Contact us during regular business hours at 317-688-7290 to ask us about our menu prices, weekly specials, and more. We accept call-ahead and takeout orders too!