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Well, it’s been a whirlwind around here the last couple of weeks – purging, organizing, packing, moving, unpacking, reorganizing, cleaning, purging… if you’ve moved a family before you know the drill! But we are happily into our new (to us) home with a safe buffer before baby #5 arrives, so we are a thankful bunch!

I knew I wanted to make sure everyone was happy and fed on the big move day (without having to spend an arm and a leg on takeout), so I made a double batch of my Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars (one of my heartiest healthy snacks!), and a double batch of this Balsamic Beef Dip. The bars were welcome on-the-go fuel throughout and after the move, and the beef dip was the perfect hands off meal that fed our hard working movers (friends and family!), with leftovers to boot. For the purpose of moving day we served the beef and Au Jus together, beef on a bun style, since the ramekins were all packed away. The instant pot kept it warm all day so people could help themselves whenever they wanted to eat! I do find that having Au Jus to dip the sandwiches in really takes the flavour experience up a notch, so on a normal night I will always make the extra step to serve it on the side. Know that either way works!

My favourite way to prepare this balsamic beef dip is in the Instant Pot, but I’ve included slow cooker and oven methods as well. I’ve never been the type to jump on all the extra small appliances/kitchen gadget train, but I have to say that the Instant Pot is a very worthy exception. I love that I can sear the meat and onions, and pressure cook all in the same pot, and of course how quickly the Instant Pot gets the job done compared to the other methods. It automatically switches to keep warm mode when the pressure cook time is up, and will keep warm literally as long as you need afterwards. For a busy mama like myself, I just love having one less thing to worry about and fuss over – it’ll be ready and waiting for me whenever I need it!

This is the perfect make ahead meal to make a double batch ahead of time, either to have on hand to serve a crowd on a busy day, or to freeze half for a later time. Store the Beef and Au Jus separately, tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for several months. To reheat, bring the Au Jus to a simmer on the stovetop and reheat the meat in an oven safe dish at 350F until heated through. You can also reheat the meat in the Instant Pot by setting it to “0” minutes pressure cook (either with all of the Au Jus, and then strain to serve, or with a minimum 1/2 cup Au Jus, reheat the rest separately on the stovetop or in the microwave if desired). It will bring the meat up to temperature and then keep it warm until ready to serve!

I love serving this Beef Dip with Coleslaw or Caesar Salad on the side. I make a batch of my Grandma Iris’ Buns (the best!) and the dough comes together in the bread maker so it is super easy! For gluten free, serve with gluten free rolls, like the Little Northern Bakehouse Dinner Rolls. Click the “find our product” link below the rolls to see where they are sold near you. This brand is available at most Sobey’s/Safeway, Save on Foods, and Costco stores and makes the best gluten free bread I’ve ever tasted!

If you give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know in the comments what you thought of it! I love hearing your guys’ experiences with the recipes :). Have a great rest of your week, talk to you soon!

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5 from 2 votes

Balsamic Beef Dip (IP, Slow Cooker, or Oven)

Fall apart roast beef with a flavourful balsamic au jus for dipping is the perfect hands off, crowd pleasing meal! I love making a double batch of this ahead of time to serve a crowd or to freeze half for another meal. It is also gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword beef dip, beef on a bun, Dairy free, freezer meal, french dip, gluten free, make ahead, refined sugar free, roast beef, sandwich

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 6 people

Author Garnish at Home, adapted from Add a Pinch

Ingredients

Beef:

• 1 3-4 pound Roast Beef (rump or chuck)
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1 onion, thinly sliced half moons

Au Jus:

• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce certified gluten free, if necessary
• 1 tbsp coconut aminos or soy sauce
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• pinch red pepper flakes

To Serve:

• 6-12 rolls of choice – hoagie or ciabatta are our favourite use gluten free rolls if necessary

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients for the Au Jus in a jar and shake to combine, or whisk in a bowl. Set aside.
  
• Pat the roast dry with paper towels and cut into 3 equal pieces (this helps the beef cook quicker and more evenly). Season all over with the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper.

Instant Pot:

• Turn on Instant Pot to sauté mode and sear the beef on all sides until deeply browned. This will take 3-5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
  
• Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 8 minutes.
  
• Deglaze by adding 1/2 cup (just eyeball it) of the Au Jus and scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Turn off saute mode.
  
• Add Beef on top of onions and top with the remaining Au Jus.
  
• Secure lid and set pressure valve to the sealing position. Pressure cook on high (I use the meat cycle) for 60 minutes. The meat will be ready to quick release pressure, or you can let it naturally release, I've tried both and each works well!*
• Remove beef to a bowl. Set Instant Pot to sauté mode to simmer and reduce the Au Jus while you shred the beef.
  
• Shred the beef with two forks. You can add a bit of the Au Jus to moisten the meat to your liking.
  
• Taste the Au Jus and adjust seasoning as desired. Optional: If you prefer a clear Au Jus, pour it over a strainer to remove all of the onions. Add the onions to the beef mixture or serve separately, whatever you prefer.**

Slow Cooker:

• In a large skillet, sear the beef on all sides until deeply browned. This will take 3-5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
• Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 8 minutes.
• Deglaze by adding 1/2 cup (just eyeball it) of the Au Jus and scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Add the onions and pan drippings to the slow cooker, followed by the beef and the remaining Au Jus. Slow cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.*
• Remove beef to a bowl. Set slow cooker to high to simmer and reduce the Au Jus while you shred the beef.
• Shred the beef with two forks. You can add a bit of the Au Jus to moisten the meat to your liking.
• Taste the Au Jus and adjust seasoning as desired. Optional: If you prefer a clear Au Jus, pour it over a strainer to remove all of the onions. Add the onions to the beef mixture or serve separately, whatever you prefer.**

Stovetop/Oven:

• Preheat oven to 325F.
• In a large, deep oven safe skillet or dutch oven, sear the beef on all sides until deeply browned. This will take 3-5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
• Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 8 minutes.
• Deglaze by adding 1/2 cup (just eyeball it) of the Au Jus and scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Add Beef on top of onions and top with the remaining Au Jus.
• Cover and bake for 2.5 hours, or until fall apart tender (you may need another 30 minutes depending on the size of your roast).*
• Remove beef to a bowl. Set skillet/dutch oven on medium low on the stovetop to simmer and reduce the Au Jus while you shred the beef.
• Shred the beef with two forks. You can add a bit of the Au Jus to moisten the meat to your liking.
• Taste the Au Jus and adjust seasoning as desired. Optional: If you prefer a clear Au Jus, pour it over a strainer to remove all of the onions. Add the onions to the beef mixture or serve separately, whatever you prefer.**

To Serve:

• Lightly toast buns/rolls, if desired for 5 minutes at 350F (I don't usually bother with this step). Serve rolls piled high with shredded beef and ladle Au Jus into ramekins for dipping and serving. I like to serve this with Coleslaw or Caesar Salad on the side for a complete meal. Enjoy!
  

Notes

*If you’re in a pinch for time or using a frozen roast, you can skip the searing of the meat and sautéing onions, and just add everything to the pot, onions first followed by the beef and Au Jus. If using whole frozen roast, increase Instant Pot cook time to 75 minutes with a natural pressure release, increase slow cooker time to 4.5-5 hours on high or 9-10 hours on low, and oven time to 3 hours.

**You can also serve the beef right in the Au Jus if preferred, instead of serving the Au Jus on the side (more convenient if serving at a potluck/picnic). If so, serve beef with a slotted spoon.

 

Featured in This Post:

This post includes affiliate links, meaning I made a small commission at no extra cost to you, should you decide to click through the links and purchase anything. These are my honest opinions and I would never recommend anything to you I didn’t absolutely love and use on a regular basis. Hope you find these lists helpful!

Instant Pot (8 Quart) – This is my most used kitchen appliance, I am obsessed with this thing! It saves me so much time and hassle in the kitchen and serves so many purposes that I think it is definitely worth the purchase. My favourite things to make are hard boiled eggs, rice, whole chickens, broth, pulled beef and pork, chili, soups, ribs, mac’n’cheese…. the list goes on!

Set of 4 Anchor 6-ounce glass ramekins/custard cups – These are the perfect little bowls for serving small single serve desserts like homemade custard or trifle, for whisking up a quick small sauce or dressing, or for serving dips like Au Jus with Balsamic Beef Dip or Roasted Garlic Aioli with Philly Cheesesteaks. I get a lot of use out of them!

Coconut Aminos – This is an excellent healthy substitute for soy sauce. It is gluten free, soy free, much lower in sodium than soy sauce, and packed with amino acids and active enzymes. And it tastes delicious, very similar to soy sauce.

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