Our Crockpot bbq beef using chuck roast recipe creates tender shredded meat with barbecue sauce in a slow cooker. Pile it on buns for sliders or sandwiches. Want to make this faster, give our Instant Pot bbq beef directions a whirl too.
Jump To
- Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Barbecue
- What is the best cut of meat for pulled beef?
- Ingredient Notes
- Frozen Crockpot BBQ Beef
- How to Cook Crockpot BBQ Chuck Roast
- Can you cook beef on high in a Crockpot?
- How do you know when beef in a slow cooker is done?
- Crockpot BBQ Beef Recipe
- How to Serve Barbecue Beef
- How do you freeze leftover shredded beef?
- Other easy beef recipes you’ll love
Ready for some Crockpot bbq beef sliders for a party or fun dinner idea? This. Is. Great! When I find a cut of beef on sale and want to make the tenderest meat possible, I always reach for my slow cooker. It’s just the way to go. Find this and more Crockpot recipes here on The Typical Mom blog, more added each week!
Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Barbecue
Occasionally I find a cut of beef on sale and just can’t pass it up. Recently we bought half a cow so we have a lot of beef to use too! Stored in our freezer it makes it easier during the winter months because I have fewer trips to the store to make.
What is the best cut of meat for pulled beef?
Certain cuts aren’t as easy to use and really need to be slow cooked for the best results. I do recommend making with slow cooker chuck roast with a thick flavorful barbecue sauce to shred easily. A round roast is another option. It is best thrown in my Crock pots and cooked all day long without interruption!
Ingredient Notes
You are going to want to start out with a 3-4 lb. fresh or thawed beef roast to begin with. I like to use chuck roast the best because it has a decent amount of fat and marbling which makes it tender enough to shred when done. Another alternative is to initially cut into large chunks of roast into cubes and it will take less time. We did this with our slow cooker beef barbacoa recipe.
You would use BBQ sauce of your choice, our favorite is sweet and spicy, you could use homemade barbecue sauce too
- Dry onion soup mix is dry in a packet adds a lot of flavor
- Liquid smoke, just a dash will give it a deep bold taste
- Red wine vinegar will make a richer broth to create gravy at the end
- Beef broth is better than water
Frozen Crockpot BBQ Beef
Wondering if you can do this with frozen roast in slow cooker? You can!! Believe it or not the cook time doesn’t really change right out of the freezer or fresh, it should just be the same weight. Use the same steps and ingredients below and you will be set either way.
How to Cook Crockpot BBQ Chuck Roast
Slow cooker bbq beef printable recipe below. Spray inside of pot with non stick spray. Place piece with fat side up into your pot. Rub onion soup mix all over, then all of your liquids. Close the lid and set on low for 6-8 hours cook time or until it is fork tender.
Shred and remove any fat pieces. Pour bbq sauce over meat. Stir so it is nice and coated. Can serve immediately or let it sit on low for 20 more minutes to soak in sauce.
Can you cook beef on high in a Crockpot?
Do not attempt to cook this on high. Low and slow is the answer when it comes to thick tough pieces like this. Cover and cook it early in the morning if you have an even larger cut. If it is rather large you can cut it in half before putting it inside your pot.
How do you know when beef in a slow cooker is done?
If it’s been cooked long enough you should only need 2 forks to pull it apart. If it is tough to do then it hasn’t been in long enough. You will know by the very first pull whether it’s melt in your mouth tender. If it doesn’t fall apart when pulled just slightly just add another hour and test again.
Serve on buns with red cabbage coleslaw on top and a small bowl full of additional sauce on the side. This is great for a large crowd because it is always a hit and quite inexpensive to feed a bunch of people.
Crockpot BBQ Beef Recipe
Equipment
- 1 slow cooker
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb chuck roast, or round roast
- 1 pkg. onion soup mix
- 6 tbsp red wine vinegar, or 2 tbsp for every pound of meat
- 2 tbsp liquid smoke
- 2 cup barbecue sauce
- 2/3 cup beef broth
Instructions
- Spray inside of pot with non stick spray. Place piece of beef with fat side up into your pot.
- Rub onion soup mix all over the meat, then pour red wine vinegar and liquid smoke on the sides of your meat (so you don't wash off the rub), followed by broth around the meat.
- Close the lid and set on low for 6-8 hours or until it is fork tender and ready to shred right inside the pot.
- Shred and remove any fat pieces. Pour bbq sauce over meat and stir so it is nice and coated. Can serve immediately or let it sit on low for 20 more minutes to soak in sauce. Serve on buns.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Serve Barbecue Beef
- Serve on small buns as sliders
- Larger buns can be used as a full sandwich meal
- Top white rice with Crockpot shredded beef
- Put it on top of chips for nachos!
- Use this inside tacos or bbq beef sandwiches this week!
How do you freeze leftover shredded beef?
Once it’s finished cooking allow it to cool. Put leftovers into quart-sized freezer bags. Remove air inside and lay them flat as they freeze to make nice “bricks” of frozen beef. To reheat it’s best to allow meat to defrost in the fridge, or countertop, before heating.
Other easy beef recipes you’ll love
I have used large chunks of pork before similarly, like we did with our slow cooker carnitas.
- Looking for other easy slow cooker recipes?
- My girls love Crockpot chili mac
- Tender slow cooker Korean beef is excellent and slow cooker beef and broccoli too
What we call a chuck roast is cut from the shoulder and neck region of the animal. It may be labeled chuck roast, shoulder steak, boneless chuck roast, or chuck shoulder pot roast at the store. It is slightly fattier than a brisket or round. Chuck has a richer taste but is higher in saturated fats which makes it great for slow cooking really. It’s a great bbq recipe served as sliders.
This cut can be tough and hard to chew if not cooked properly. It is one of the least expensive cuts of beef. Many people will avoid buying it because of the amount of fat and gristle in it. BUT all of this gives this cut of beef so flavorful if cooked correctly, the best is in a slow cooker low and slow.
1. Hold the cooked roast steady with one hand.
2. Place the beef on your cutting surface and hold it steady with your non-dominant hand. I sometimes just leave it inside my slow cooker and do this.
3. Shred off the beef with one fork going with the grain, not against it.
4. Continue to do this until there are no large chunks left.
5. Remove fat if desired.
6. Smother with sauce for added flavor and serve.
Enjoyed this with some tacos and it turned out perfect! Easy, tender and juicy; definitely, a new favorite recipe!
Simple and delicious shredded beef. Thanks for the recipe.
Can you use something else than onion soup mix?