Roast Beef French Dip with Greek Yogurt Horseradish Sauce
Root Beer Roast Beef French Dip is roast beef braised in the slow cooker until tender and served on a roll with Greek yogurt horseradish sauce!
I’m a pretty boring person beverage-wise. Day in and day out, I drink two coffees and water the rest of the day, with an occasional glass of red wine in the evening (pinot noir all the way). 🙂
Soda is never an option for me — I just don’t care for it. Why did I braise a beautiful cross rib roast in root beer then? I’ve been intrigued by the many savory root beer recipes that I’ve seen floating around the blogosphere lately, so it was time to try it.
And I just realized I put the words “root beer” and “floating” in a sentence. That could not have been an accident. 😉
My supermarket sold single bottles of root beer, and I grabbed one, hiding it in the garage fridge so nobody would scoop it up and drink it.
The thought of braising beef in root beer just made perfect sense to me because root beer has such a deep, robust flavor.
My biggest dilemma was should I smother it in barbecue sauce after or treat it like a French dip? I have such big decisions to make in my line of work. 🙂
It actually wasn’t that hard to decide what I wanted to do, because a friend of mine had just given me some freshly prepared horseradish that she’d made. I was over the moon excited, because creamy horseradish sauce is one of my favorite things on the planet.
I knew that horseradish would be put to great use with this here sandwich. We’re talking creamy, horseradish-y goodness friends, and it’s lightened up with Greek yogurt, so you can eat as much as you want.
No guilty pleasures here. Except for the root beer braised beef, of course. 🙂
I’m so glad I went French dip with this sandwich, because besides the horseradish sauce, we get to dip our sandwich in a beefed up root beer jus. How often do you get to do that? It was a first for me, and it was tasty.
The root beer had gotten all nice and savory with our roast beef cooking away in it, so all it needed was a good strain and some S&P to make it perfect for dipping.
My older son asked if he could drink the root beer liquid straight up. I was taken aback, but I realized two of his biggest loves, soda and beef, were combined in this one. I said no of course, but I really should’ve seen that one coming. 😉
Serve this slow cooker roast beef on Homemade Whole Wheat Burger Buns or your favorite store bought rolls with the onions, sliced cheddar, and plenty of Greek yogurt horseradish sauce, and you’ve got one terrific Game Day meal.
This recipe will also make a few meals for busy weeknights. I’ve never seen people more excited for leftovers than they were for this.
I may not drink root beer straight, but I’m certainly going to continue cooking with it. 🙂
More Game Day recipes you’ll love:
- Tailgating snacks
- How to grill burgers
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- Crock Pot BBQ Beef Sandwiches by This Gal Cooks
- Slow cooker barbecue pulled chicken
- Slow cooker barbecue meatballs
Root Beer Roast Beef French Dip with Greek Yogurt Horseradish Sauce
Ingredients
For the roast beef:
- 2 – 2 1/2 lb. chuck shoulder cross rib roast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion peeled, halved, and sliced thickly into half moons
- 12 ounces root beer
For the horseradish sauce:
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon freshly prepared horseradish
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- rolls or buns and sliced cheddar for serving
Instructions
Prepare the roast beef:
- Combine the salt, garlic powder, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the roast generously with the mixture.
- Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. While the pan heats, place the sliced onion in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the roast to the pan and brown on all sides, about 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Place over the onions in the slow cooker.
- Degrease the sauté pan, if necessary, and add the root beer, scraping up the brown bits at the bottom of the pan.
- Pour the root beer over the roast, cover, and cook on low heat for 8-9 hours, or until very tender.
Prepare the horseradish sauce:
- Place the Greek yogurt, horseradish, salt, Worcestershire, lemon juice, and pepper in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
- Remove the roast from the slow cooker, shred, and place in a bowl. Remove the onions from the slow cooker and place in a bowl.
- Season the root beer liquid with salt and pepper, to taste, and add enough liquid to the bowl of shredded roast beef to keep it moist.
- Strain the remaining liquid, and serve warm as a jus for dipping if desired.
- Serve the roast beef on rolls with sliced cheddar, the onions, and plenty of horseradish sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
- Total time above includes 8 hours for the roast beef to cook.
- I purchased a cross rib roast for this meal, which was fairly lean. If your roast is fatty, trim off as much fat as possible and allow the liquid to set and separate, skimming off the fat and using only the clear liquid for the jus.
- 2 teaspoons of salt may sound like a lot for the roast, but it’s absorbed by the sweet root beer so the beef and liquid aren’t salty by any means. You will definitely need to season both some more after cooking.
- You may add the roast to the slow cooker without browning first, but the browning and deglazing the sauté pan with the root beer gives the dish more flavor.
- If you’re watching sugar content, diet root beer may be substituted.
- Sour cream may be substituted for the Greek yogurt in the horseradish sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
38 Comments on “Roast Beef French Dip with Greek Yogurt Horseradish Sauce”
It’s been a while since I’ve had root beer and usually I have it with ice cream. I want to taste this roast beef sandwich so much. I am dying to know what the flavors are like Marcie. Looks amazing.
That’s usually how I have root beer when I have it, too, Kathy! It tastes really great savory, and I especially loved it with a lot of freshly ground black pepper. 🙂
I’ve never done a beef roast with root beer. I think I’m missing out and must try it soon! Great recipe, Marcie!
Thanks, Julie! I really loved the root beer flavor with the beef, and I added a lot of black pepper. 🙂
This french dip sandwich looks extremely delicious, great for a lazy sunday! I love the idea of homemade horseradish sauce! These bread rolls you used are so good 🙂 Pinned!
I will make this for a weekend next time, but it worked out wonderfully for our busy week nights, especially since it covered us for two meals! It was my first time making horseradish sauce and it was so easy, it’ll be a standy-by. The rolls are torta rolls from La Brea bakery, and they were delish! Thank you for the pin, Mira!
I make pulled pork with root beer about once or twice a year, it’s simply amazing! I’ve heard it’s good with Dr. Pepper or Coke too, though I have yet to try that. I’m loving that you created a french dip with this tasty horseradish sauce. Such a perfect comfort food, Marcie! And gorgeous pictures, too!
I will have to try pork with root beer next, that sounds delicious, Gayle! And I’m sure it’s all good with Coke and Dr. Pepper. 🙂 The horseradish is what makes a good French dip for me, and since it was Greek yogurt I could slather on extra. haha Thanks, Gayle, and have a great Wednesday! 🙂
I love a creamy horseradish sauce too! These french dips sound out of this world. Love cooking with root beer!
Thanks, Christin! It was a lot of fun trying root beer in a savory way, and the horseradish sauce made these sandwiches downright irresistible. 🙂
I love that you used root beer here!!! you know, I have never heard of using soda in a slow cooker but heard a recipe that past weekend. . I think this is brilliant!! love this Root Beer Roast Beef French Dip!!
Thank you, Alice! I’ve been seeing a lot of pulled pork with root beer lately and I couldn’t stop thinking about it! Who knew root beer would taste so great in a savory dish? My kids were especially over the moon with this one. 🙂
This was fun, and my son that loves soda thought he’d gone to heaven! 🙂
Thanks, Dannii — I couldn’t tell the difference taste-wise with the Greek yogurt in the horseradish sauce. It was my favorite part! 🙂
I usually just drink tea and water throughout the day too but my husband is a big root beer fan. Love the idea of braising meat in root beer! It must have taken this to a whole new flavor level and texture. Made in a slow cooker and served in a French dip sandwich along with that fresh horseradish? Sounds perfect to me and has me totally drooling over this idea!
Root beer sure did add a great new flavor level — I really enjoyed it! I discovered it tastes even better with a lot of black pepper. 🙂 It was my first time cooking with soda, and I’m sure it won’t be the last! 🙂
Three cheers for game day food! Great ideas and flavors going on here 🙂
Thank you, Medha!
This sandwich looks amazing! I have never used root beer (or coke, which I have also seen) to cook meat but I’ve always been intrigued by it. Now I really gotta do it! Thanks for the great recipe, Marcie!
I’ve seen coke and dr. pepper, too, and bet they would be great as well. I’m glad I finally tried it, because it’s a keeper!
Your drinking habits sound exactly like mine. Coffee in the am and then water all day. Sometimes I’ll throw in a sparkling water and then wine on the weekend. lol Very predictable!
I’ve always wondered about cooking with soda though – this looks so good! You have me thinking I may need to buy some just to cook with!
I was very non-committal buying just 1 bottle of root beer! I love that they sell them individually, although now I that I know I like cooking with it, I guess I could buy a whole 4-pack. 🙂
Thank you, Juliana, and the horseradish sauce was like the icing on the cake! 🙂
This was a really nice change…you could taste the root beer but it was so savory and different. Loved it! I think you definitely need to try this, Lindsey!
Once in a blue moon I’ll have some soda, but it’s been years! I’ve heard of ham and coke but have never done it. I think that could be next! I sub Greek yogurt anywhere that sour cream should be used, and it works perfectly every time…love the stuff! 🙂
This is the kind of meal my family loves!! YUM.
Mine devoured it! And you gotta love when there’s leftovers. 🙂
I am definitely intrigued by this sandwich. I am also not a soda drinker, so I wasn’t sure what to think. Now I’m convinced, it sounds delicious!
I’m hearing coke and dr. pepper is really good too — hey, it’s worth a shot! I liked this savory root beer thing for sure. 🙂
Out of 35 comments, not one single person tried it. Just a lot of ‘looks good’ based on a picture!
Well, pictures do not reflect flavor.
So I’m going to actually cook this recipe tonight and hope it doesn’t ruin my $30 roast!
Fingers crossed. Stay tuned for a REAL review. 🙂
My family loved it, and I hope yours does too!
This sounds so delish!
Thank you, Jamie! 🙂
This sounds flavor PACKED! Love it!
Thanks, Cathy! 🙂
Sounds fantastic!
Root beer! Yum. I have a feeling my kids would love this recipe.
Mine did! Haha. Thanks, Rachael!