Slow Roasted Pulled Beef (Printable)
Tender pulled beef with smoky BBQ sauce served on soft buns topped with crunchy coleslaw.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef & Spice Rub
01 - 3.3 lbs beef chuck roast
02 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
03 - 2 tsp smoked paprika
04 - 2 tsp kosher salt
05 - 1 tsp black pepper
06 - 1 tsp garlic powder
07 - 1 tsp onion powder
08 - ½ tsp cayenne pepper
→ Braising Liquid
09 - 1 cup beef broth
10 - ½ cup apple cider vinegar
11 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
12 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
→ BBQ Sauce
13 - 1 cup ketchup
14 - ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
15 - ¼ cup brown sugar
16 - 2 tbsp molasses
17 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
18 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
19 - ½ tsp garlic powder
20 - ½ tsp onion powder
21 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Sandwich Assembly
22 - 6 soft sandwich buns
23 - 2 cups coleslaw
24 - Pickles
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 300°F. Combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Pat beef chuck roast dry and coat thoroughly with the spice mixture.
02 - Place seasoned beef in a large Dutch oven or roasting pan. Pour beef broth, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard around the meat, avoiding direct rinsing of the spice rub.
03 - Cover container tightly with lid or aluminum foil. Roast for 4 to 4½ hours until beef reaches fork-tender consistency and shreds effortlessly.
04 - While beef roasts, combine ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder in a saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
05 - Transfer cooked beef to a large bowl. Using two forks, shred meat while discarding excess fat pieces.
06 - Skim fat from braising liquid. Add ½ cup of defatted liquid to shredded beef for moisture. Fold in half of the prepared BBQ sauce, reserving the remainder for serving.
07 - Lightly toast sandwich buns if desired. Pile sauced beef onto buns, top with coleslaw and pickles. Drizzle additional BBQ sauce over the top as preferred.
08 - Serve sandwiches immediately while beef is warm and buns maintain texture.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The beef becomes impossibly tender after its long bath in that spiced braising liquid, like it's been pampered for hours
- That homemade BBQ sauce hits the perfect sweet-smoky-tangy balance that puts bottled versions to shame
- The cool crunch of coleslaw against the warm, saucy beef is the kind of contrast that makes people close their eyes while eating
02 -
- Resist every urge to crank up the oven temperature—that low-and-slow approach is what makes the beef shreddable instead of chewy
- Let the meat rest for about 15 minutes before shredding, otherwise all those precious juices will escape onto your cutting board instead of staying in the beef
- The braising liquid will look pretty unappealing with all that rendered fat floating on top, but skimming it off gives you liquid gold for moistening the meat
03 -
- If you want extra smoky depth, add a teaspoon of liquid smoke to the braising liquid—it won't taste artificial, I promise
- The beef is done when a fork twists effortlessly in the meat, like it's spinning in butter