Baked Spelt French Dip Sandwich Rolls with Beef Jus

Spelt French dip sandwich rolls are soft, lightly nutty rolls filled with thin-sliced roast beef and melted Swiss, served with a warm onion beef jus for dipping. The rolls bake from scratch, and most of the 148 minutes is hands-off rising time.

The crumb stays tender and the crust stays thin. That suits a dipped sandwich, because the roll soaks up jus without falling apart. Spelt adds a mild, slightly sweet flavor that works well with roast beef.

You can bake the rolls a day ahead. The jus and beef keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. On the night, you warm the beef, fill the rolls and melt the cheese.

Slice the beef as thin as you can. Thin slices stay tender in the hot jus and pile neatly on the roll.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Spelt rolls stay soft inside with a thin, crisp crust
Rolls bake a day ahead, so dinner comes together fast
The jus uses pantry stock, onion and Worcestershire
Deli roast beef or sliced leftover roast both work

Thin roast beef slices warming in a saucepan of onion jus, lifted with tongs as steam rises off the surface

Ingredient Notes

White spelt flour: White (light) spelt gives a softer crumb than whole grain. If you only have whole grain spelt, use it for all 500 g and add 2 tbsp extra milk.
Roast beef: Ask the deli counter to slice it paper-thin, or chill a cooked roast and slice it with a sharp knife. Leftover roast works well.
Swiss cheese: Provolone and Gruyere both melt cleanly. Choose slices about 3 mm thick so they melt in 4 minutes.
Beef stock: Use low-sodium stock so the jus can reduce without turning too salty. A good boxed stock works fine.
Instant yeast: If you only have active dry yeast, use the same amount and stir it into the warm milk for 5 minutes before mixing.

Two friends dipping sandwiches into small white bowls at a linen-covered table with pickles and salad nearby

Prep Time 25 mins

Cook Time 23 mins

Rest Time 100 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 28 mins

Cooking Method: Mixed

Cuisine: American

Courses: Main Course

Difficulty: Medium

Cooking Temp: 200 C

Servings: 6

Estimated Cost: 3.90

Calories: 640

Best Season: all_year_round

Dietary: Contains dairy and eggs, Contains gluten (spelt), Contains meat, High Protein

Description

Baked spelt rolls with a thin crust and a tender crumb, filled with roast beef and melted Swiss. The onion jus simmers while the dough proofs, so the work overlaps.

Ingredients

Spelt rolls

400 g white (light) spelt flour
100 g whole grain spelt flour
7 g instant yeast ((2 1/4 tsp))
1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp honey
30 g unsalted butter (softened)
300 ml whole milk (warm, about 38 C / 100 F)
1 tsp olive oil (for the bowl)
1 egg (large; beaten with 1 tbsp water, for brushing)

Onion beef jus

15 g unsalted butter
1 yellow onion (large (about 200 g); thinly sliced)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
700 ml low-sodium beef stock
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp black pepper

Filling

450 g thin-sliced cooked roast beef
6 slices Swiss or provolone cheese slices ((150 g))
2 tbsp Dijon mustard

Instructions

Make the spelt rolls

1
Whisk both spelt flours, the yeast and the salt in a 4-quart / 3.8 L mixing bowl. Stir in the warm milk, honey and soft butter until a shaggy dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8 minutes, until smooth and slightly tacky. Add flour by the tablespoon only if it sticks to your hands.
2
Put the dough in a bowl greased with the olive oil, cover, and let it rise at room temperature for 60 minutes, until doubled. Stop there. Spelt gluten is delicate, and dough that rises past double slumps and bakes flat.
3
Line a 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch baking sheet with parchment. Divide the dough into 6 pieces of about 145 g. Flatten each piece, fold it into thirds, and roll it into a 15 cm / 6 inch oval with the seam underneath. Space the rolls 5 cm / 2 inches apart, cover loosely, and proof for 30 minutes, until puffy.

Simmer the onion beef jus

4
While the rolls proof, melt 15 g butter in a 3-quart / 2.8 L saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 8 minutes, until soft and golden. Stir in the garlic for 1 minute. Add the stock, Worcestershire, thyme, bay leaf and pepper, then simmer gently for 15 minutes, until slightly reduced. Keep it on low heat.

Bake and assemble the French dip sandwich rolls

5
Heat the oven to 200 C / 390 F during the last 15 minutes of proofing. Brush the rolls with the egg beaten with 1 tbsp water. Bake for 18 minutes, until deep golden and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes.
6
Split each roll lengthwise with a serrated knife, leaving one long edge attached. Spread the cut sides with mustard. Remove the bay leaf, bring the jus to a gentle simmer, and add the beef. Warm it for 1 minute, then lift it out with tongs, divide it among the rolls and top each with a slice of cheese.
7
Set the filled rolls on the baking sheet and return them to the oven for 4 minutes, until the cheese melts. Ladle the jus into 6 small bowls, about 100 ml each, and serve right away.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6

Amount Per Serving
Calories 640kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 12g60%
Cholesterol 120mg40%
Sodium 1250mg53%
Potassium 600mg18%
Total Carbohydrate 67g23%
Dietary Fiber 5g20%
Sugars 7g
Protein 42g84%

Vitamin A 350 IU
Vitamin C 2 mg
Calcium 260 mg
Iron 5 mg
Vitamin D 15 IU
Vitamin E 1 mg
Vitamin K 5 mcg
Thiamin 0.3 mg
Riboflavin 0.4 mg
Niacin 9 mg
Vitamin B6 0.4 mg
Folate 45 mcg
Vitamin B12 1.3 mcg
Phosphorus 480 mg
Magnesium 100 mg
Zinc 6 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Additional Notes

Slice the beef thin, or ask the deli counter to slice it.
Keep the jus warm on low heat while the rolls bake.
Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes before splitting, so the crumb sets.
Bake the rolls up to 1 day ahead and store them at room temperature.

Keywords: spelt french dip, french dip sandwich rolls, spelt sandwich rolls, spelt rolls recipe, beef jus sandwich

Equipment

4-quart / 3.8 L mixing bowl
33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch baking sheet
3-quart / 2.8 L saucepan
serrated bread knife
pastry brush
tongs

Tips

Warm the milk to about 38 C / 100 F, which feels barely warm on your wrist, so the yeast activates without dying.
Knead the dough for 8 minutes by hand and stop when it feels smooth and slightly tacky. Spelt needs less kneading than wheat dough.
Slice the roast beef paper-thin, or ask the deli counter to do it, so it stays tender in hot jus.
Taste the jus before adding salt. Beef stock and Worcestershire sauce already carry plenty, so most batches need none.
Split the baked rolls with a serrated knife and leave one long edge attached, so the filling stays put when you dip.

Variations

Swap the Swiss for sharp cheddar and stir a spoonful of horseradish cream into the mustard for more bite.
Replace the beef with 300 g sauteed mushrooms and use vegetable stock and vegetarian Worcestershire sauce in the jus for a vegetarian version.
Divide the dough into 12 rolls of about 70 g and bake 13 to 15 minutes for party-size sliders.

Storage and Reheating

Baked spelt rolls keep at room temperature for 1 to 2 days in a paper bag or loosely wrapped, which keeps the crust thin and crisp. Refresh them in a 160 C / 325 F oven for 5 minutes before filling.

Store the beef and jus together in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Cool them within 2 hours of cooking. Warm both in a saucepan over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes, until the jus steams and bubbles at the edges, then lift out the beef and fill the rolls.

Filled sandwiches are best made fresh and eaten within 10 minutes, because the roll softens as it sits against the beef. For longer keeping, freeze the baked, cooled rolls unfilled for up to 3 months. Warm them from frozen at 160 C / 325 F for 10 to 12 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Spelt French dip sandwich rolls are best served hot, with a small bowl of jus (about 100 ml) beside each plate. Serve them straight away, within 10 minutes of the cheese melting. Dip each bite so the crust stays crisp at the edges.

A green salad with lemon dressing balances the rich beef. Dill pickles, coleslaw or roasted carrots add a crisp contrast. Oven fries suit a bigger appetite.

For a gathering, keep the beef warm in the jus on low heat and set out the rolls, cheese and mustard. Guests build their own, and the steps stay simple for a crowd.

Read it online: https://greatbritishspeltrecipes.com/recipe/baked-spelt-french-dip-sandwich-rolls/

Valentina

A dietitian with a passion for spelt cooking. After trying different diets, I found spelt works best in my kitchen. Join me for simple, delicious recipes that bring out the best in this ancient grain!