Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Beef – Easy Pulled Beef Recipe

Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Beef creates tasty pulled beef perfect to eat on BBQ beef sandwiches. Included with this recipe for easy pulled beef are instructions for BBQ shredded beef without the slow cooker.

Barbecue sandwiches are a favorite dinner of mine. Pulled beef is hearty and filling, a perfect compliment to almost any side dish. Plus, it either serves a crowd or you’ll have plenty of leftovers to eat later in the week.

Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Beef

If you’re looking for a way to use up a chuck roast, consider making this easy pulled beef recipe. The ingredients are very basic yet it creates a tasty barbecue sauce.

The original recipe comes from my old cookbook collection of teacher recipes. I can imagine many teachers throwing this pulled beef recipe into the crock pot before school, and returning home to a home-cooked meal for the family.

What can I do with pulled beef other than sandwiches?

Pulled beef sandwiches are the main way I eat this barbecued beef from the crock pot, but it’s certainly not the only way to eat pulled beef.

• Serve it over rice or buttered egg noodles.
• Make a beef vegetable soup.
• Use it as a hearty topping over baked potatoes or sweet potatoes.
• Pulled beef makes a perfect taco meat; use it in tacos, burritos or even burrito bowls.
• Make a nacho bar with BBQ beef as a topping.
• Cheesy quesadillas with pulled beef are delicious.
• Pulled beef can be mixed with Velveeta for an easy queso recipe.
• Fry up some potatoes and carrots in a pan with pulled beef for an old fashioned hash recipe.

What do I need to Make Shredded Beef BBQ?

Ingredient List for Shredded Beef BBQ

• Chuck Roast (beef rump or arm roast work too)
• Onion
• Celery
• Vinegar or Lemon Juice
• Ketchup
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Brown Sugar
• Yellow Mustard
• Chili Powder
• Water
• Salt
• Black Pepper

How to Make Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Recipe

1. Place beef roast in a crock pot insert that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, stir together diced onions and celery, vinegar or lemon juice, catsup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard, chili powder, water, salt and black pepper.
3. Pour over beef roast in the crock pot.
4. Cover an cook on high for approximately 4 hours or low for 7 – 9 hours or until tender.
5. Shred beef with two forks and return to the crock pot in the sauce.
6. Serve on sandwiches, over rice or buttered noodles or on a baked potato.

For the full ingredient list and recipe steps for crock pot shredded beef, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Serving Suggestion

Serve slow cooker BBQ beef recipe on a crusty bun with coleslaw or potato salad on the side.

Recipe Variations

• Switch up the spices. Add onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, etc.
• Replace yellow mustard with Dijon mustard, if needed.
• Use apple cider vinegar in place of white vinegar or lemon juice.
• Add some liquid smoke for flavor.

Recipe FAQs

• I prefer a chuck roast but an arm roast or rump roast works too.
• If your beef roasts are frozen, thaw first before putting in the crock pot.
• Lemon juice or white vinegar work for this pulled beef sandwich recipe, or use a combination of both.
• Celery could technically be omitted, if needed or desired.
• Dried onion works in place of fresh, diced onion.
• On a low sodium diet? Omit salt completely since ketchup has salt in it too.
• Check out our Amazon Store for our favorite pantry essentials and kitchen items.

BBQ Shredded Beef Recipe without Slow Cooker

How to make shredded beef without using the slow cooker?

Mix 1 diced onion, 1/2 cup diced celery, 4 Tablespoons vinegar (or lemon juice), 1 cup ketchup, 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons mustard, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1 cup water together. Pour over a chuck roast in a oven-proof covered dish. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes; reduce heat to 325 degrees F for 3 hours covered. Shred barbecued beef and serve on buns.

What is a cheap cut of meat for slow cooker?

A cost-effective cut of meat for the slow cooker is beef chuck roast. It is known for its rich flavor, tenderness when slow-cooked, and affordability compared to other cuts. The slow cooking process helps break down the collagen in the meat, resulting in tender and flavorful pulled beef.

Beef Roast Dinner Ideas

• Crock Pot French Dip Au Jus
• Slow Cooker Greek Beef and Potatoes
• Beef Chunks in Sour Cream 
• Instant Pot Authentic Beef Barbacoa
• Electric Pressure Cooker Taco Beef