This slow cooker barbecue beef is a warm, cozy meal that’s easy on your wallet and perfect for a busy day. It’s inspired by old-fashioned Depression-era cooking, when people made tasty meals using just a few simple pantry items. Here, a cheap cut of chuck roast turns into soft, juicy, shredded beef with a sweet and tangy barbecue taste. It’s a great choice when you want a filling dinner but don’t have much time to cook, since the slow cooker does almost all the work for you.
You can serve this barbecue beef in soft sandwich buns, spooned over mashed potatoes, or mixed with buttered noodles for a simple family dinner. It also pairs nicely with sides like coleslaw, green beans, baked beans, corn on the cob, or a fresh cucumber salad. If you have leftovers, they make awesome sandwiches the next day too.
This easy slow cooker barbecue beef turns a simple chuck roast into juicy, fork-tender shredded meat using just five pantry ingredients. Sweet, tangy, and smoky in flavor, it’s perfect piled on buns or spooned over potatoes. With almost no prep work, this budget-friendly recipe is ideal for busy weeknights and simple family dinners.
Servings: 6 to 8
Ingredients
- 3 to 3½ pounds chuck roast
- 1 cup tomato ketchup
- 1 medium onion, sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef: Directions
- Set up the slow cooker: Place the chuck roast into the bottom of your slow cooker. Spread the sliced onion pieces over and around the meat so they’re spread out evenly, not just piled in one spot.
- Add the sauce ingredients: Pour the ketchup right on top of the roast, spreading it a bit with a spoon so it covers most of the meat. Then drizzle the Worcestershire sauce over the top, and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly across everything. Do not stir yet — just let the ingredients sit in layers.
- Cook it low and slow: Put the lid on your slow cooker. Cook on the low setting for 8 to 10 hours, or on the high setting for 5 to 6 hours. You’ll know it’s done when the beef is very soft and falls apart easily when you poke it with a fork.
- Shred the beef: Carefully lift the cooked beef out of the slow cooker and place it on a large plate or cutting board. Use two forks to pull the meat apart into shredded pieces. If there’s a layer of extra fat sitting on top of the sauce in the slow cooker, spoon it off and throw it away.
- Mix the beef back in: Add the shredded beef back into the slow cooker with the sauce. Stir it around gently so every piece gets coated. Let it sit with the lid on for about 10 to 15 minutes so the meat can soak up all that tasty sauce.
- Serve and enjoy: Scoop the warm barbecue beef onto soft buns, over a pile of mashed potatoes, or however you like best. Spoon a little extra sauce on top before serving for even more flavor.