Tender Slow Cooker Pulled Beef (Printable)

Savory shredded beef, slow-cooked to tender perfection and served on soft sandwich buns.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 3 lbs beef chuck roast, trimmed

→ Rub & Seasonings

02 - 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
03 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
04 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt
05 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
06 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
08 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

→ Cooking Liquid

09 - 1 cup beef broth
10 - ½ cup barbecue sauce
11 - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
12 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

→ Sandwich Assembly

13 - 6 sandwich buns or rolls
14 - 1 cup coleslaw (optional)
15 - Extra barbecue sauce, for drizzling

# How To Make It:

01 - Combine smoked paprika, brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
02 - Rub the spice blend evenly over the entire beef chuck roast.
03 - Set the seasoned beef into the slow cooker base.
04 - Pour beef broth, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and apple cider vinegar over the beef.
05 - Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours until the meat is tender and shreds easily.
06 - Remove beef from slow cooker, shred with two forks, removing excess fat.
07 - Return shredded beef to the slow cooker and mix thoroughly with cooking liquids.
08 - Toast sandwich buns if desired to enhance texture.
09 - Pile pulled beef onto buns, top with coleslaw and extra barbecue sauce if preferred.
10 - Serve sandwiches immediately while warm.

# Tips from dashanddishes:

01 -
  • The beef practically melts in your mouth after eight hours of gentle heat—no knife required.
  • You get that restaurant-quality pulled pork flavor but with beef, and honestly it's even more impressive.
  • It's a set-and-forget situation that frees up your entire day.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rub step—those spices sitting on the meat while it cooks create a flavorful crust that seasons the whole dish from the start.
  • The cooking liquid becomes precious gravy; don't drain it off, mix the shredded beef back into it so nothing is wasted and every bite is moist.
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check the beef around the six-hour mark; some cookers can overcook things and turn everything mushy.
03 -
  • Trim any large exterior fat from the chuck roast before cooking—a little marbling is good, but excess surface fat will create a greasy layer on top that's not pleasant.
  • If you're cooking for a crowd and want to keep the beef warm, leave it in the slow cooker on the warm setting for up to two hours; it won't dry out because of the cooking liquid.

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