Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Beef (Printable)

Tender shredded beef slow-cooked in tangy-sweet BBQ sauce, perfect piled onto buns with coleslaw.

# What You 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 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

# How-To:

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 - Set the seasoned chuck roast in the bottom of the slow cooker, arranging it fat-side up to allow the rendering fat to baste the meat during cooking.
03 - 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. Pour the sauce evenly over the seasoned beef.
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. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking to maintain consistent heat.
05 - Carefully remove the beef from the slow cooker and transfer it to a large cutting board. Using two forks, shred the meat along the grain, discarding any large pieces of fat or connective tissue.
06 - Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir gently to coat every strand in the sauce. Serve piled high on burger buns topped with coleslaw, or plate over rice as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The beef literally falls apart with zero effort and the sauce soaks into every single fiber of meat.
  • It feeds a crowd cheaply and the leftovers might actually taste better than day one.
02 -
  • Lifting the slow cooker lid even once lets precious steam escape and can add thirty minutes or more to your cooking time.
  • Shred the beef while it is still hot because once it cools the connective tissue seizes and makes the job twice as hard.
03 -
  • Let the shredded beef sit in the warm sauce on the keep warm setting for an extra twenty minutes before serving because that is when the magic really happens.
  • Toast the buns with butter in a skillet for thirty seconds and your sandwiches will go from good to unforgettable.

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