BBQ Beef Sandwich
This BBQ beef sandwich is a favorite in my house. The beef slow-cooks until it’s tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor. Plus, the homemade sauce is quick to make and adds the perfect sweet and tangy kick.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
Many slow cooker BBQ beef recipes rely on store-bought sauce, which can get sticky due to the sugar. But in this recipe, I use a homemade blend to keep the beef moist and perfectly cooked throughout.
This recipe is another treasure found in my grandma’s recipe box that she must have clipped out of the newspaper. This one is most likely from a local grocery store with it’s reference to the buns. I was looking for an easy recipe to use up some of the roast in our freezer – this one is it!
I appreciate how simple this recipe is. I just trim the roast, mix the sauce ingredients, pour it over the meat in the slow cooker, and let it work its magic, like in my slow cooker beef stew recipe. If you like your sandwiches extra saucy, add a little of my sweet bbq sauce before serving.
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Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Angus Beef Chuck Roast: This is the star of the show, it will be slow-cooked until it’s tender and infused with the flavors of the barbecue sauce.
- Ketchup: It will add a tangy sweetness to the barbecue sauce, giving it that classic flavor we all love.
- Water: This will help to thin out the sauce and ensure the beef cooks in a moist environment.
- Sugar: It will add a touch of sweetness to the sauce, balancing out the tanginess of the ketchup and vinegar. You can use brown sugar instead of white sugar for this recipe. It will give the beef a deeper flavor.
- Vinegar: It will add a bit of tang to the sauce, cutting through the richness of the beef and the sweetness of the other ingredients. You can use apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar in this recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
- Onion: It will add a savory depth to the sauce, complement the sweetness of the other ingredients, and infuse the beef with a delicious flavor.
How to Make BBQ Beef Sandwich
Preparation
Start by trimming the fat from the chuck roast. This will help prevent the sauce from becoming too greasy.
Step 1 – Combine the Meat and Sauce in the Slow Cooker
Place the trimmed chuck roast in the slow cooker. In a separate bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients. Once the sauce is mixed, pour it over the meat in the slow cooker.
Step 2 – Cook the Meat and Sauce
Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 11-12 hours, or on high for 5-6 hours. The meat is ready when it breaks apart easily with a fork. The internal temperature should reach 190-195˚ F for the beef to be easily shredded.
Step 3 – Shred the Meat and Stir in the Sauce
Once the meat is cooked, use a fork to break it up into small, shredded pieces. Stir the meat in the liquid sauce to make sure it’s well coated.
Step 4 – Serve the BBQ Beef
To serve, spoon the shredded beef onto hamburger buns. You can also add extra sauce from the slow cooker for a juicier sandwich.
Lynette’s Tip
Before shredding the beef after cooking, remove any of the visible fat. It will make it easier to shred and lead to a more uniform sandwich.
What to Serve With
Serve it on buns for a classic and delicious sandwich. It’s also great with a side of tangy coleslaw for a crunchy, creamy contrast to the rich beef. You can even top the sandwich with a scoop of coleslaw for an extra layer of flavor.
My family also loves this sandwich with buttery corn on the cob for a simple, satisfying side that pairs well with the smoky BBQ flavors.
Make Ahead Instructions
Make as directed. Once you shred the meat. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, let thaw and reheat on the stove with just a little water. Serve on buns.
Recipe FAQs
For this recipe, a 3-pound Angus beef chuck roast is the perfect cut. The marbling in the chuck roast helps to keep the meat tender and juicy, especially when cooked low and slow in the slow cooker.
Absolutely! While the chuck roast is ideal, you can also use a different cut like a brisket. Just make sure it’s a cut that benefits from long, slow cooking to become tender.
Storing and Reheating
- Storing: You can store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: If you’d like to save your BBQ beef sandwich for later, it freezes beautifully. Simply pack the beef in a freezer-safe container, and it can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen BBQ beef sandwich, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheating: Once thawed, you can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop. Be sure to stir it occasionally to ensure even heating throughout.
More Sandwich Recipes You’ll Enjoy
BBQ Beef Sandwich
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 3 Pounds Angus beef chuck roast
- ½ Cup ketchup
- ½ Cup water
- 2 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 Cup onion chopped
- 12 hamburger buns
Instructions
- Trim the fat as best you can on the chuck roast. Place in a slow cooker.
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the meat in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low in a slow cooker for 11-12 hours or high for 5-6 hours or until the meat breaks apart easily. The temperature must reach 190-195˚F for the beef to break apart.
- Break up the meat and stir with the sauce in the slow cooker. Serve on hamburger buns.
Notes
My Favorite Variations
- Vinegar: You can use apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar in this recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
- Sugar: Similarly, you can do the same for sugar and use brown sugar instead of white sugar for this recipe. It will give the beef a deeper flavor.
Just like the BBQ recipe I grew up on. I threw in some pork loin, used brown sugar and omitted the onions.