Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

In the mood for BBQ pulled beef but don’t want to turn on the oven? Make Slow Cooker Shredded Beef and serve as sliders with creamy coleslaw, pickled red onion, spicy jalapenos!

When I think of summer, I think of barbecue. But I don’t own a smoker nor a grill being inside an apartment without a yard, so indoor barbecue is the next best thing.

However, here we are in the middle of an intense heat wave. Temperatures are in the upper 90s with the heat index as hot as 105F. Yikes!

The last thing I want to do is turn on my oven to cook dinner. In fact the last thing I want to do is eat dinner, but alas you still need to eat even on the hottest days.

That’s where having a slow cooker comes in handy! You add your ingredients in the morning, set the timer, then by the time you’re done with work, dinner is ready.

It won’t add any extra heat to your place (unlike my gas oven which is an inferno even in the winter). It will add extra delicious smells that taunt you, however.

Especially when it’s Slow Cooker Shredded Beef made with honey BBQ sauce you can turn into pulled beef sliders.

You add your BBQ shredded beef to your slider buns then top it with creamy coleslaw, pickled red onion, and pickled jalapenos.

They’re similar to my slow cooker BBQ pulled chicken but made with beef shoulder chuck roast.

This pulled beef recipe makes 8 BBQ sliders or 4 sandwiches, depending on the size of your bun.

Most slow cooker shredded beef recipes make twice that amount. I don’t mind leftovers for lunch the next day, but I don’t want leftovers all week.

And if you do get tired of sandwiches, you can also serve your BBQ beef as tacos or over mashed potatoes for two.

Why You’ll Love Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

• No oven required! – Stay cool this summer by letting your crock pot do all the work.
• Very versatile! – Serve your BBQ pulled beef as sliders, tacos, or over mashed potatoes.
• Makes 4 servings! – Most pulled beef recipes make enough for an army. That’s why I made this slow cooker recipe for two.

Ingredients For Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

Here’s what you need to make your slow cooker pulled beef:

• Beef chuck roast: The best cut of meat for shredded beef (more on that below)
• Ketchup: Using premade ketchup is a bit of a shortcut that helps save you time (learn how to make ketchup here!) and also acts as a thickener for the sauce.
• Brown sugar: Sweetens the sauce. Using brown sugar vs. white sugar means there is a bit of molasses added to the sauce.
• Honey: Also sweetens the sauce. Clover honey is the most common, but any honey variety will do.
• Cider vinegar: Adds a bit of tang and balances out the sweetness. Cider vinegar isn’t as harsh as white distilled vinegar.
• Worcestershire sauce: Adds a bit of umami thanks to the anchovies
• Paprika: Adds some heat and smokiness
• Garlic and onion powders: Adds a bit of savoriness and a smoother sauce without adding actual pieces
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and acidity from the other ingredients
• Black pepper: Adds a bit of a kick along with the paprika

Which cut of meat is best for shredded beef?

Beef chuck roast is best for making pulled beef because it comes from the shoulder of the cow. That means it’s rich in collagen and marbled fat that breaks down during a low and slow cooking process (hence the crock pot).

Make sure there’s a decent amount of marbling on the meat because that marbling provides flavor. More fat = more flavor.

When cooking for one or two, buying protein is probably the toughest challenge. Mainly because it’s difficult to buy 1 pound pieces; most pieces are 2 pounds or more.

However, you do have two options: ask your butcher to cut a 1 pound piece or buy what’s available and portion it yourself.

I use a digital scale to weigh my 1 pound piece then I wrap and freeze the remaining meat.

How To Make Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

Here’s how to make crock pot shredded beef:

1. Add beef to bottom of a 6 quart crock pot then season both sides with salt.
2. Whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, garlic powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
3. Pour sauce over beef.
4. Cook for 8-10 hours or until the beef is cooked and easily falls apart with a fork.
5. Shred beef using two forks.

Refrigerate leftover beef for up to 4 days.

What To Serve With Slow Cooker Pulled Beef

Because I think of summer when I think of BBQ beef sliders, make it a picnic! Serve it with a creamy side dish such as Amish macaroni salad, Amish potato salad, or Caesar pasta salad.

More Slow Cooker Recipes

If you enjoyed this crock pot shredded beef, then you’ll enjoy these other slow cooker recipes for two:

• Slow Cooker Beef Enchiladas
• Gyro Bowls
• Banh Mi Bowls
• Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

First published June 19, 2017