I knew I needed to cook that big hunk of meat in my fridge before more time had passed. I had a crockpot recipe for drip beef sandwiches at the ready, but it suddenly looked too complicated. Or I hadn’t had enough coffee yet. Or it was simply because I am a lazy cook.
I also knew my sister’s birthday was coming up, but I hadn’t realized today was June 11th yet as I quickly googled “easy quick drip beef crockpot recipe.”
Very first result out of twelve million, four hundred thousand possibilities was Diamond Jack’s Drip Roast Beef Sandwich recipe. My eyes filled with bittersweet tears. And I realized what day it was.
Diamond Jack’s was a restaurant that was in Tulsa, OK for 47 years and just closed a couple of years ago.
This restaurant, which began in the 1960s, was a special place that my sister absolutely loved to take me to for their Drip Roast Beef Sandwiches, which were awesome.
I remember how proud she was to take her little sister out to lunch and to introduce me to people who we ran into. She was so glad that I was living back in town and she loved treating me to lunch now that I was officially an adult with a job and all. It didn’t happen often, but when these lunches took place, they were certainly special.
I haven’t even thought about that restaurant or those specific sandwiches in more than ten years.
But today, the day my sister would have turned 50 years old, the day my sister would have hosted one hell of a fun party … my sister reminded me that she was here with me …through a Drip Beef Sandwich recipe. I know it to be true. And so does my heart.
Ingredients for Diamond Jack’s Crock-Pot Drip Beef:
- 4-5 lbs boneless beef rump roast
- 1 cup water
- 1 (1 1/4 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
- 1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon beef bouillon, granules
- 2 dashes worcestershire sauce
- garlic salt
- pepper
Preparation of Diamond Jack’s Crock-Pot Drip Beef:
- Cut the visible fat from the rump roast. Place the roast in a large crock pot.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients in a 2-cup measure and bring to boil a microwave.
- Pour over the roast in the crock pot. Add garlic salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook on low for 8 hours.
- Cool before slicing.
- Chill au jus to remove the fat.
- Combine the sliced meat and au jus and reheat before serving.
- May also be cooked in oven: combine as above in Dutch oven. Cook 4-5 hours at 275-300 degrees.
life on wry 
I’m new to the blog and reading through all of your “essays” and I love this one. What a great moment for you! 🙂 love ya
Val
🙂 thanks friend!
It must be horrible to lose a sister. My heart goes out to you.
I’m so lucky though and glad that I get to have these moments that are 100 percent her.
So sorry for your loss. I do believe that we get communications from the other side. I know someone who lost her twin sister in a plane crash. The twin loved penguins. Soon after, my friend was in a store and felt led to walk towards a huge earing dispay. She found a pair of penguin earings, the only penguins in the whole store. She knew this was no accident. I am sure that your sister is with you, not just on June 11th, but every day. Many blessings to you.
That’s a bittersweet memory. Thank you for sharing, and sorry for your sadness.
Thanks so much for reading and for your note. I truly see it as lucky to have moments like these.
Beautiful story. So many memories I have of my father are surrounded by the food we shared.
So very true. I’m glad you have those memories. Thanks for your note.
What a sweet story, Wry. It touched me. I lost my oldest brother to cancer a few years ago, but there are certain things that trigger special memories of times we shared together. Thanks for sharing this special memory with us.
I really think when those memories hit your heart dead center, that’s when they are reaching out to us.
This recipe looks fantastic, Wry. I’m sure your sister is with you and will be always (big hugs for you today)…
Thank you Aussie friend.
There is (or was) a restaurant in West Los Angeles called Billingsley’s and it was a hang out for those of us who worked in the newspapers of that era, circa 1980s. I was there one night with my friend Linda. We started talking about Lisa, my friend in life, who died of breast cancer in 1989, when she was 38. And uncharacteristically, I started crying, my tears falling on my prime rib, which was the specialty of the house. And Linda, who was not used to this behavior, said, “I know that you loved her.” And I said: “You don’t know how hard it is to wake up in the morning and not have Lisa in my world.” And every morning since forever, I get up and say: “Oh, Lisa, I wish you were here today.” We never get over these loses. All we can do is hold on to the memories as you have done.
And as you have done as well. Love your story.
I loved Diamond Jack’s. The decor was as over the top as the drip beef. Thank you for your lovely blog post (and for taking me down memory lane with that familiar logo).
I can picture the gaudy red and black interior as I type this.
I light a candle and talk to my mom on her birthday. My kids and I have tea, and they tell her they love her. We like to believe she hears us, and the message is carried up to her on the smoke. I should be talking to my sister and brother, too, but somehow that hurts more. You are lucky to have had your sister as long as you did. Thanks for sharing your memory.
Love that you and your kids do that. For many years after my sister died I would take my niece to Sonic for a grilled cheese sandwich with pickles, which my sister loved. Then we would go to Tuesday Morning and point out lighthouse chatzkies that she would have bought. (she was really into them when she died). I should do all of this more. Thanks for reminding me.
Mmmmm man that sounds deeeelicious!!
It was!
Just beautiful! Your sister is with you and you will carry her in your heart always.
thank you so much for your note…
It’s amazing how life gives us exactly what we need. I love this. What a sweet way to remember your sister. Thanks for sharing.
It sure does. Even obstacles we didn’t know we needed. Thanks so much.