Take Your French Dip To The Next Level With Texas Toast

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There's nothing quite like the first satisfying bite of a French dip sandwich. It might surprise you to know that this popular sandwich was actually invented in California and not France, as its name might suggest. What's more? There are a number of unique variations on this sandwich that will elevate a basic French dip to new heights of taste and texture. Texas toast provides an ideal density for sopping up gravy and gives your sandwich an even bigger flavor boost, whether you use garlic or plain varieties.

The basic components of a classic French dip are beef, bread, and a mild cheese, which are assembled into a sandwich and dipped into a container of gravy. Given the thickness of Texas toast, this is a surefire upgrade to your French dip, as it can stand up to being soaked in gravy while holding your favorite fillings together. Try a garlic bread made for Texas toast lovers if you want to add a punch of savory flavor to your dip.

Rather than slice open a plain hoagie roll, Texas toast will amplify the crisp and chewy texture of your sandwich bread and tie all the elements together in an even more pleasing way. Grilling your Texas toast will create even more depth of flavor, as will adding a thin layer of butter or mayonnaise to your toast before filling it with the meat of your choosing. Though beef is the traditional option, you can get creative with other ingredient swaps.

The most important aspect of transforming your French dip sandwich with Texas toast is being mindful of time and temperature. Working with a frozen option such as Katz's Gluten-Free Texas Toast, you'll want to time the heating of your bread to coincide with cooking your filling and gravy so everything is hot and ready to go. Whether you're cooking beef, lamb, oxtails, or making a vegetarian mushroom French dip sandwich recipe, the key is to keep all of your ingredients nice and warm. With melty cheese, tender meat, and a pair of thick pieces of Texas toast, your sandwich will be ready for dipping into savory gravy.

Texas toast has a great deal of uses, and both the plain and garlic styles will be suitable for a French dip sandwich. For even more of a punch of flavor, add a layer of horseradish sauce to your toast before filling up your sandwich. Similarly, you can switch up your cheese from provolone to a smoky Gouda or horseradish cheddar for extra flavor. Mix up a packet of McCormick's Au Jus Gravy or make your own from scratch using the drippings from your cooked beef.

This French dip upgrade is practically effortless but certainly invites more culinary creativity. If you've grabbed a box of plain toast and have leftovers, you can always repurpose them for other savory uses, such as croutons, or try a dessert twist by making the bread into French toast.