Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Beef (Printable)

Tender shredded beef slow-cooked in tangy-sweet barbecue sauce, perfect for sandwiches or rice bowls.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 3.3 lbs chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat

→ Dry Seasoning Rub

02 - 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
05 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)

→ Barbecue Sauce

08 - 1 cup barbecue sauce (store-bought or homemade)
09 - 1/2 cup beef broth
10 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
11 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
12 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

→ Serving Suggestions (optional)

13 - Burger buns or sandwich rolls
14 - Coleslaw

# Steps:

01 - In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and chili powder. Mix until evenly blended, then rub the seasoning mixture thoroughly over all surfaces of the chuck roast.
02 - Transfer the seasoned chuck roast into the slow cooker, positioning it flat along the bottom for even cooking.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth and well combined. Pour the sauce evenly over the beef in the slow cooker.
04 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low setting for 8 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender and pulls apart with minimal effort.
05 - Carefully remove the beef from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the meat along the grain. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir thoroughly to coat all the meat in the sauce.
06 - Pile the saucy pulled beef generously onto burger buns and top with coleslaw, or serve over rice according to preference.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The entire recipe practically builds itself in a slow cooker while you go about your day.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day after the sauce has time to deepen and soak into every fiber of the beef.
  • It is endlessly versatile, working just as well piled on buns as it does over rice or stuffed into baked potatoes.
02 -
  • Opening the slow cooker lid before the minimum cook time can add thirty minutes or more to your total cooking time.
  • Check the labels on your barbecue sauce and Worcestershire if you need this to be gluten free, because many brands sneak in wheat or soy.
03 -
  • Toast the buns lightly with butter before assembling, because a soft untoasted bun will dissolve into mush under that sauce.
  • The dish tastes best if you let the shredded beef sit in the warm sauce on the keep warm setting for twenty minutes before serving.

Return