Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches
90 Comments Dec 12, 2023
Updated Jun 12, 2025
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This Slow Cooker Hot Roast Beef Sandwich recipe yields delicious fork tender roast beef and brown homemade gravy that can be used to make a classic open faced sandwich or served over potatoes, rice, and more. Your whole family is sure to vote this meal a definite keeper.
This is the type of comfort food you would see on the menu at a local diner. In fact, I would order these Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches at Marie Callender’s when I worked there years ago. Marie Callender’s would often run these as a lunch special. See my Chicken Version of this recipe here: Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy, which is just like this but with chicken!
This meal is heaven on a plate. The bread is placed down (often Texas toast), then beef and gravy piled on, and always served with mashed potatoes. Other beef recipes we love to make are Slow Cooker French Onion Pot Roast or these No Peek Beef Tips.
Ingredients for Hot Beef Sandwiches
This is a basic recipe that anyone can make, though it tastes just like a restaurant made it!
- Beef Roast: I use a bottom round beef roast for this recipe (also called a rump roast). It shreds up nice and has way less fat to pick out before serving as a chuck roast does.
- Seasonings: Salt and pepper, as well as onion powder, are the only seasonings you need.
- Brown Gravy Packets: These help create amazing homemade gravy and add additional flavor to the overall meal.
Variations
I’ve been making this recipe for over 10 years! Here are my variations that work well.
- I do prefer a bottom-round roast for this recipe, but you can use a chuck roast or top-round.
- Onions and mushrooms are great additions, but beware, both may make the gravy thinner, and you’ll need to add a cornstarch slurry.
- You can double the recipe to easily make more gravy. For an extra kick in taste, use beef broth or beef stock instead of water.
How to Make Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches
You can start this recipe in the morning and come home to a perfect meal. Here is how you do it:
Step One – Place the roast into a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Sprinkle a small amount of salt, pepper, and onion powder onto the beef. In a small bowl whisk together the gravy packets and water until smooth.
Step Two – Pour broth mixture over the roast. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.
Step Three – Shred the meat with two forks on a plate, and degrease the gravy by laying paper towels over it, removing them, and discarding.
My Serving Suggestions
This recipe can be served in many ways! Here are our favorites:
- Serve the hot roast beef and gravy over bread with a generous helping of mashed potatoes.
- Corn, green beans, French fries, or a fresh green salad make perfect side dishes.
- You can also use this recipe to top baked potatoes, egg noodles, or steamed white rice for an easy meal.
- For a classic sandwich, pile leftover roast beef between two slices of white bread—or any bread you like—for a quick and delicious hot beef sandwich..
Featured Comment
“Delicious and a favorite for our family – especially my 4 year old son! We substitute venison and serve on buns for an easy dinner during the week.”
– Kasha
Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches Recipe
How to Video
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb. bottom round beef roast, chuck will work fine too
- salt
- pepper
- onion powder
- 1.74 oz. brown gravy mix packets, (two .87 oz. packets)
- 1 ½ cups water
Serving Suggestions
- white or sourdough bread
- mashed potatoes
Instructions
- Place the roast into a 4-quart or larger slow cooker.
- Sprinkle a small amount of salt, pepper and onion powder on to the beef.
- In a small bowl whisk together the gravy packets and water until smooth. Pour that mixture over the roast.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.
- When the cooking time is done, remove the roast and place on to a plate, shred meat, discard any fat. Cover with foil to keep warm.
- De-grease the gravy in the slow cooker, I either do this by ladling off the grease with a spoon, or I take a paper towel and lay on top of the grease and pull off, the grease will come off on the paper towel, and the gravy will stay in the slow cooker.
- Serve the shredded beef and gravy over bread and with mashed potatoes.
- Enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
- Any type of beef roast will work well in this. Though, we do prefer the bottom round roast for it shreds perfectly and has little fat throughout that you have to separate before serving.
- You can add mushrooms and onions to the slow cooker but it may make the gravy a little runny. If so, you can make a cornstarch slurry and add it at the end if needed.
- If you are a gravy lover, feel free to double the gravy ingredients.
- Serve the shredded beef and gravy over bread with a nice helping of mashed potatoes.
- Corn, green beans, french fries, or green salad pair perfectly on the side.
- This is also a great recipe to use for baked potatoes, egg noodles, or served over steamed white rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
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Can this be made in the oven?
I don’t see why not. I have not tested, so I don’t have timing.
I have made many recipes of this type. When I tasted this one, I said “Wow!” I’m tough when I rate my own cooking; so I am so happy to come and give this a 5 star rating. I used a 4 lb Chuck Steak as my choice of beef cut. There was no need to use cornstarch as the gravy was just right. I used 2 cups of water. I also cut a green pepper and an onion. I placed the onions around the side and the pepper on top. Everything pretty much dissolved. But back to flavor. It is just wonderful I will be serving it over mashed potatoes and the remaining will be beef sandwiches on a hard roll. My hats off on this one!
This is in our regular rotation. We love it so much and it freezes beautifully.
Short on time today. Can I cook this on high for 4-5 hours?
You can try on high for 5 hours, sometimes it needs longer than that to tenderize.
I also used beef stock and it was delicious! Went very well with mashed potatoes. I also had some leftover sourdough bread and provolone so we made hot sandwiches with it. So easy and delicious!
What brand of gravy packets do you prefer to use?
McCormick for this one.