Slow Cooker Pulled Beef (Printable)
Tender shredded beef slow-cooked until fork-tender and piled high on soft buns with zesty slaw.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef
01 - 2.5 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Seasoning Blend
03 - 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
04 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
08 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
09 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
→ Cooking Liquid
10 - 1 cup beef broth
11 - 1 cup barbecue sauce, plus extra for serving
12 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
→ Sandwich Assembly
14 - 6 sandwich buns
15 - 1 ½ cups coleslaw, store-bought or homemade
16 - Additional barbecue sauce as desired
# How-to Steps:
01 - Pat the beef chuck roast dry and evenly season 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. Brown the beef on all sides for about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
03 - Transfer the seared beef to the slow cooker, pour in beef broth, barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours until fork-tender.
04 - Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred using two forks, discarding excess fat. Skim fat from cooking liquid, return shredded beef to the slow cooker, and mix thoroughly with the juices.
05 - Lightly toast the sandwich buns. Pile pulled beef onto each bun, top with coleslaw and additional barbecue sauce if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- The beef becomes impossibly tender with almost no effort on your part, just time and heat doing the work.
- One pan sealing and a slow cooker means minimal cleanup for something that feeds a crowd.
- The vinegar and smoke in the sauce cuts through the richness in a way that makes you want another bite immediately.
02 -
- Searing the beef before it goes into the slow cooker isn't just for show—it builds flavor through browning that makes the whole dish taste deeper and more intentional.
- Skimming the fat from the cooking liquid before serving transforms the finish from greasy to silky and lets the actual flavor come through.
03 -
- Don't skip the searing step even though it adds 10 minutes—it's the difference between good beef and beef that tastes like it was actually cooked.
- Use a beef roast with visible marbling rather than one that looks too lean, because that fat is what becomes tender and flavorful after eight hours.