Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Beef (Print Version)

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

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 3.3 lbs chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat

→ Dry Rub Seasonings

02 - 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon 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

13 - Burger buns or sandwich rolls (optional)
14 - Coleslaw (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and chili powder. Mix well until evenly blended.
02 - Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture evenly over all surfaces of the meat, pressing gently to adhere.
03 - Transfer the seasoned roast to the slow cooker, positioning it fat-side up.
04 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth.
05 - Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the seasoned chuck roast in the slow cooker, ensuring the meat is well surrounded.
06 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low setting for 8 hours, or until the beef is fall-apart tender and easily shreds with a fork.
07 - Carefully remove the roast from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the beef apart, discarding any large pieces of fat or gristle.
08 - Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir thoroughly to coat all the meat with the sauce. Serve on burger buns topped with coleslaw, or over rice as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You literally dump everything in a slow cooker and walk away, and eight hours later you have restaurant quality pulled beef.
  • The sauce doubles as a marinade and a finishing glaze, so every single strand of beef is coated in tangy sweetness.
  • It feeds a crowd without costing much, and leftovers taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Resist the urge to lift the lid during cooking because every peek adds roughly fifteen minutes to your total time.
  • The beef is not ready if it resists the fork, and giving it another thirty minutes makes all the difference between tough and transcendent.
  • Leftovers will keep in the fridge for three days and reheat beautifully, or you can freeze portions for up to two months.
03 -
  • If the sauce seems too thin after shredding, turn the slow cooker to high for fifteen minutes with the lid off and it will thicken right up.
  • Let the shredded beef rest in the sauce on warm for ten minutes before serving so it drinks up every last bit of flavor.

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