Slow Roasted Pulled Beef (Printable Version)

Tender pulled beef slow-cooked and combined with smoky BBQ sauce, served on soft buns with crunchy coleslaw.

# Ingredient List:

→ Beef & Spice Rub

01 - 3.3 lbs beef chuck roast
02 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
04 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt
05 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
06 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
08 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

→ Braising Liquid

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

→ BBQ Sauce

13 - 1 cup ketchup
14 - ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
15 - ¼ cup brown sugar
16 - 2 tablespoons molasses
17 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
18 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
19 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
20 - ½ teaspoon onion powder
21 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Sandwich Assembly

22 - 6 soft sandwich buns
23 - 2 cups coleslaw
24 - Pickles

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 300°F.
02 - In a small bowl, mix all spice rub ingredients. Pat beef dry and rub spice mix all over.
03 - Place beef in a large Dutch oven or roasting pan. Pour in beef broth, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard around the beef.
04 - Cover tightly with a lid or foil. Roast for 4 to 4½ hours, or until beef is fork-tender and shreds easily.
05 - Combine all sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Transfer cooked beef to a large bowl. Shred with two forks, discarding excess fat.
07 - Skim fat from the braising liquid; add ½ cup of liquid to shredded beef for moisture. Mix in half of the BBQ sauce.
08 - Toast buns lightly if desired. Pile pulled beef onto buns, top with coleslaw and pickles. Drizzle extra BBQ sauce if desired.
09 - Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The beef becomes impossibly tender after hours of slow cooking, practically shredding itself with just a gentle tug of a fork
  • Homemade BBQ sauce puts store-bought versions to shame and you can tweak the sweet-smoky balance exactly how you like it
  • These sandwiches feed a crowd easily and the beef actually tastes even better when made a day ahead
02 -
  • Resist the urge to peek during the first 3 hours of cooking as every time you open the oven, you extend the cooking time
  • Letting the beef rest for 15 minutes before shredding helps the juices redistribute so you dont end up with dry meat
  • The beef needs to reach an internal temperature of about 95°C (205°F) for that perfect shredable texture
03 -
  • If your beef seems dry after shredding, mix in more of the reserved braising liquid rather than adding more BBQ sauce
  • Warming the BBQ sauce slightly before tossing it with the beef helps it coat every strand more evenly

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