Someone from Chicago could probably answer better, but an Italian beef typically doesn’t come with cheese by default, although as I understand it customizing your sandwich by requesting cheese is an acceptable modification. I had thought a French dip usually came with cheese, but Wikipedia disagrees with me so I may be wrong there. Other than that I think the main difference is the spices in the jus.
For convenience you might look for Louie’s seasoning
I think a French dip is lower on seasoning. It is bread and beef, maybe cheese or an aioli. and jus. I love them but it is certainly a lot less complex than an Italian beef.
I’ve actually got like half a pack of that in the freezer (I use it to make cheesesteaks occasionally). I wasn’t sure about using that because it’s raw, and I wasn’t sure about actually cooking the meat slices in the jus since the traditional way is to roast the meat first.
I would say that’s an acceptable hack and produces an experience more like real Italian beef than crock pot recipes using chuck.
Again, like @pulykamell points out, it’s a hack. A workable one, but a big part of the thread is what are acceptable compromises. So many of our Cafe food threads are how to get 80-90% of what we want for 10-20% of the normal effort after all.
I As for the food safety, like hot pot dishes or fondue, small and/or thin slices of meat are going to cook FAST in a hot liquid. I would not be worried at all about it being underdone. If anything I’d worry about temperature balance so it didn’t end up overdone, so keeping the temp of the fluid right at my target temp (a good electric skillet is good at that) so I can simmer the meat at a reasonably precise temp (not perfect), and go with a slightly longer but lower heat to allow for food safety while allowing the seasoned brother to fully season the meat.
I try to keep the jus at about 150-160F for finishing the beef.
You like-a the jus?
The jus is good, yeah … 
And jus-tice for all!
[ you may now throw rotten fruit, I have it coming ]
Yes, i think a French dip is pretty much just the meat, bread, and a cup of juice for dipping. Maybe some aioli. I’ve never had it with cheese, and certainly not with with peppers. (shudder) I like French dip. Reading this thread, i don’t think i could choke down an Italian beef, and if i did, it might make me ill.
I wouldn’t call Italian beef bread crusty in the sense that it is crispy brown on the outside. At least not the usual Gonella or Turano’s bread used around here. It’s kind of squishy and dense, yet somewhat light. I find the bread itself pretty meh unless it’s soaked in gravy.
Anyway, I get not liking wet sandwiches, but they do happen to be one of my favorite styles. Like in some Mexican places you can get a torta ahogada or a pombazo, the former being absolutely drenched and the latter less so in chili sauce:
Torta ahogada ("drowned sandwich):
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Pambazo:
Heheh, yeah, being from Texas, I’m familiar with tortas. A really good one is heaven. I avoid the ahgoada though.
And yeah, I’d consider the Italian beef rolls similar to the telara rolls used for tortas. Substantial, able to hold up to some dampness without disintegrating like white sandwich bread, but not crusty like a baguette.
Yeah that’s a good comparison. And I have use taleras and even bolillos. But you’ve got me thinking. If I ever opened up an Italian beef stand, to compete, I would do some sort of Italian beef-torta ahogada hybrid. So same set-up as a regular Italian beef, but dunked in the ahogada-type sauce, available in mild, spicy, or extra hot.
Heheh, that might work as a marketing scheme for people who aren’t me. That honestly is probably a pretty good strategy in general. I noticed a long time ago that my tastes aren’t always the most popular ones. 