Tender Slow Cooked Beef (Print)

Flavorful shredded beef slow-cooked tender, served on soft buns with zesty coleslaw topping.

# What You Need:

→ Beef

01 - 2.5 lbs beef chuck roast, trimmed
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil

→ Seasoning Blend

03 - 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
04 - 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
06 - 1 tsp garlic powder
07 - 1 tsp onion powder
08 - ½ tsp ground cumin
09 - ½ tsp dried thyme

→ Cooking Liquid

10 - 1 cup beef broth
11 - 1 cup barbecue sauce
12 - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
13 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

→ Sandwich Assembly

14 - 6 sandwich buns
15 - 1 ½ cups coleslaw
16 - Additional barbecue sauce, as needed

# How to Make:

01 - Pat the beef chuck roast dry. Season evenly with kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and thyme.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until browned, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side.
03 - Transfer the seared beef to the slow cooker. Add beef broth, barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours until the beef is fork-tender.
04 - Remove the beef and shred using two forks, discarding excess fat. Skim fat from the cooking liquid, then return shredded beef to the slow cooker and mix thoroughly with the juices.
05 - Toast sandwich buns lightly. Layer pulled beef on each bun, top with coleslaw and additional barbecue sauce as desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It practically makes itself while you go about your day, transforming a humble roast into something restaurant-worthy with almost zero fuss.
  • The house smells incredible for hours, and everyone asks what you're making before they even see the food.
  • You get six generous sandwiches that reheat beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep or feeding a crowd without breaking a sweat.
02 -
  • Don't skip the searing step—it takes five minutes but creates the foundation of flavor for the entire dish, and skipping it leaves the beef tasting one-dimensional.
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, start checking for tenderness at the 7-hour mark; some cookers finish the job in 7 hours, others need the full 8, and there's no such thing as overdone pulled beef.
  • The beef can absolutely be made 1–2 days ahead and reheated gently in the slow cooker on warm, which actually gives the flavors time to deepen and mellow.
03 -
  • Always let your beef come to room temperature before searing—a cold roast won't brown properly, and browning is where half the flavor comes from.
  • If your sauce seems too thin at the end, you can transfer the shredded beef to a regular pot and simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes to reduce the liquid and concentrate the flavors even more.

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