Slow Cooker BBQ Shredded Beef is what you make when you want a big batch of crowd-pleasing food with relatively little effort. The succulent pulled beef is smothered in an incredible homemade barbecue sauce, and there’s so many ways to serve it – pile into sliders, heap onto plates or stuff into baked potatoes! 2

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How to make Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Shredded Beef

Searing the seasoned beef before popping it into the slow cooker really does pay off in the flavour department but in the event of an emergency, I can tell you from first hand experience that this is still very, very tasty even if you skip the searing step!

  1. BBQ sauce – Put all the ingredients in the slow cooker and whisk to combine.
  2. Season beef – Mix the Rub ingredients in a medium bowl then dredge each side of all the beef pieces in the Rub, shaking off excess.
  1. Sear – Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Sear the surface of 2 pieces of beef until golden brown, taking care not to burn the spices. We’re not trying to cook it through here, just getting some colour on the surface. Once done, put the beef into the slow cooker. Briefly wipe the pan clean to remove any burnt patches, then sear the remaining beef pieces.
  2. Deglaze pan with beer – Add the beer into the pan and let it simmer rapidly until it reduces down to about 1/4 cup. As it bubbles away, scrape the base of the pan to dissolve any browned bits left behind from searing the beef into the liquid (that’s free flavour!). Then pour the reduced beer into the slow cooker.
  1. Arrange the beef as best you can so it is as submerged as possible. It’s totally fine if some is sticking out, it will still cook and be shreddable.
  2. Slow cook for 10 hours on low, by which time the beef will be fall-apart-at-a-touch. (8 hours is usually enough but sometimes I hit patches that weren’t easily shreddable, so I feel 10 hours is safer).Other cooking methods – I’ve included oven and pressure cooker / instant pot directions in the recipe card. I haven’t tried the stove because I think it will be a little tricky as the BBQ sauce is quite thick so it will be prone to catching on the base, and it’s too hard to stir.
  1. Shred – Take the beef out and shred using 2 forks (tip: I find using the back of forks easier as the shredded beef doesn’t collect in the prongs).
  2. Reduce BBQ sauce – Pour the BBQ sauce out of the slow cooker into a pot or large deep fry pan (the larger the vessel and the lower the walls, the faster it will thicken!). Simmer on medium high for 15 to 20 minutes until it is the consistency of honey, lowering the heat as needed as it thickens and starts to sputter. Stir regularly especially towards the end so the base doesn’t catch.💡Don’t make the sauce too thick as it thickens more as it cools. If you aim for the consistency of honey, then once it cools to warm or room temperature, it will end up the consistency of bottled BBQ sauce.
  1. Toss the beef with about half the sauce. Enough to moisten it and add flavour, but don’t make it overly soggy with sauce.
  2. Serve the beef with the remaining BBQ Sauce so everyone can use as much or as little as they want!
Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Shredded Beef

How to serve BBQ Shredded Beef

My favourite way to eat this beef is piled high onto sliders with coleslaw. I’m partial to using brioche buns because they’re sooo soft and buttery, otherwise any soft white rolls. Or crispy ones, if that’s your preference, because I don’t actually have a valid reason for leaning towards soft rolls, it’s just what I always reach for, 🙂

Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Shredded Beef

 

Otherwise, make a big Southern-inspired dinner plate with classic sides like Mac and Cheese  steamed corn cobs with softened butter, Coleslaw or macaroni salad or cornbreaD.

It’s also terrific with a steaming pile of buttery seasoned rice – when the beef and BBQ sauce jumbles through the rice, every bite is just chef’s kiss!! I had it with corn salad with avocado on the side which was just perfect.

Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x ❤️

Recipe video above. Make this when you want a big batch of succulent pulled beef smothered in an incredible homemade barbecue sauce, made using the convenience of a slow cooker. Pile into sliders, heap onto plates, stuff into baked potatoes. So many ways to enjoy it!

Adapted from my Easy Slow Cooker BBQ pulled pork recipe. I don’t sear the pork before slow cooking, but it’s really worth searing the beef. I tried without and it was still great, but it’s noticeably better when you do. 🙂

Easy to scale up – I can do a double batch in my slow cooker.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 kg / 3 lb chuck beef , cut into 4 thick steaks (Note 1)
  • 1 cup beer (anything other than dark stouts like Guinness), or beef stock/broth, low sodium (Note 2)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil or other neutral oil, for searing

RUB:

  • 3 tbsp (tightly packed) brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp paprika powder (regular/sweet or smoked)
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp mustard powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper

BBQ Sauce:

  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar (Note 3)
  • 3 cups tomato ketchup (or Aussie tomato sauce)
  • 3 tbsp molasses , orginal (not blackstrap, Note 4)
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 4 tsp mustard powder
  • 3 tsp garlic powder
  • 4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp Tabasco or cayenne pepper (optional, very faint background spiciness)

Option garnish (for serving in bowl)

  • 2 tbsp green onion , finely sliced
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