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You are here: Home / Recipes / Beef

Shredded BBQ Beef (oven or crock pot)

By Susie Weinrich · Date Mar 15, 2021· 10 Comments · May contain affiliate links.

shredded bbq beef on a bun topped with coleslaw
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This Shredded BBQ Beef is fall-apart tender and flavorful! Beef chuck roast is seasoned & braised in the oven, then finished with a homemade BBQ seasoning giving it tons of flavor. Serve it piled on top of buns with your favorite BBQ Sauce (or homemade BBQ sauce) and all the BBQ side dishes!

shredded bbq beef on a bun topped with coleslaw

We show this Shredded BBQ Beef on buns, however it would also be amazing in place of the chicken in these BBQ Sliders or BBQ Pizza!

Table of Contents hide
1 Instant Pot Lover?
2 Why This Recipe Works
3 Ingredients
4 Braising
5 What is Braising
6 Step by Step Picture Instructions
7 Serving
8 Make Ahead
9 Crock Pot
10 Great BBQ Side Dishes
11 Expert Tips
12 Recipe FAQ’s
13 Related Chuck Roast Recipes
14 Did you make this recipe?
15 Shredded BBQ Beef

Instant Pot Lover?

If you have an Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker and would rather cook this recipe using that, pop over to this recipe for Instant Pot Shredded BBQ Beef!

Why This Recipe Works

  • We are based in KC and know good BBQ flavor. (insert heart emoji)
  • You are starting with chuck roast, which is a wonderful cut of beef that has amazing beef flavor.
  • Chuck roast cooks down perfectly when braised for 3 hours.
  • You will be adding flavor in 4 ways: BBQ seasoning before cooking, the braising liquid, then finishing with the BBQ seasoning after cooking, and finally the BBQ sauce at the end. Helloooo flavor country!
  • By cutting the chuck roast into 3 inch pieces you cut the cooking time down a little AND create more surface area for flavor.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients that you need to make BBQ Shredded Beef, and some tips on a few ingredients.

ingredients laid out on the table with labels

Beef Chuck Roast– When choosing a chuck roast pick a 3-4 lb. “choice” roast that has a rosy/red appearance with nice marbling throughout.

I have found that Aldi has great quality Chuck Roast at the very best “every day” price. At my store it is $4.99/lb.

Costco also carries a great Chuck Roast, but you will be buying 2-3 at a time. However, they freeze really well!

Freezing Chuck Roast – To freeze raw chuck roast wrap it in plastic wrap (I also like to add a layer of foil over the plastic wrap), then pop it in a freezer safe baggie, mark the date on the outside, and keep frozen for up to 3 months.

Thawing – To thaw a frozen chuck roast place it in the fridge 2-3 days before you plan on cooking.

Some more chuck roast recipes we love are Italian Beef Sandwiches, Pot Roast or Instant Pot Pot Roast, Beef Ragu, or Barbacoa.

Braising

The method you will be using to cook your chuck roast is called Braising.

What is Braising

Simmering meat and vegetables in a small amount of liquid in a covered pot. Cooking on a lower temperature for longer period of time (low and slow).

It is a great method to tenderize and flavor tougher cuts of meat as the liquid and steam break down the connective tissue over the longer cooking time. We use this braising method for these Boneless Country Style Ribs too!

Now if you are looking to cook your chuck roast on a smoker then check out this Smoked Pulled Beef from Hey Grill Hey.

Step by Step Picture Instructions

Start by preheating the oven to 325°. Grab a large heavy bottom pot with a lid. I use my Dutch Oven for this recipe.

BBQ Seasoning

In a small bowl mix together all the BBQ Seasoning ingredients – brown sugar lightly packed, chili powder, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, ground mustard.

a bowl of homemade bbq seasoning

Reserve 2 tablespoon of the BBQ Seasoning and set aside, you will use this after you shred the beef. It is one of the secrets to why this is such a flavorful recipe!

Beef Prep

Pat the beef chuck roast dry with paper towels. Cut it into large 3-4 inch chunks, removing any large pieces of white fat. Season all sides of the beef pieces with the BBQ Seasoning.

chuck roast cut into 3 inch pieces and trimmed of fat
large beef chunks seasoned with spices and herbs

Braising Liquid

In your large pot whisk together the beef broth, Worcestershire and tomato paste. Add the quartered onions and smashed garlic cloves to the liquid in the pot.

seasoned beef pieces in a dutch oven with liquid and onions

Carefully place the seasoned beef pieces on top of the onions.

Pro Tip – mop up any excess seasoning with the pieces of beef before you place it in the pot.

Cooking/Braising

Pop the lid on and place in the 325 degree preheated oven for 3 hours.

Expert Tip- if at the end of 3 hours your beef is not tender, add 20 minute increments until it is ready.

chuck roast that has been braised in a dutch oven

Finishing

Remove the beef pieces from the pot.

Pro Tip- place on a rimmed baking sheet it will keep the juices in the pan!

Optionally you can add the garlic and cooked onions from the braising liquid to your shredded beef.

The braising liquid is discarded in this recipe. It can tend to be greasy and in turn can make your BBQ beef greasy.

Shred with 2 forks removing and discarding any large pieces of fat you may come across.

a rimmed baking sheet with large pieces of beef that have been cooked
sprinkling seasoning on shredded beef

Sprinkle HALF of the reserved BBQ Seasoning over the shredded beef and toss to coat.

Now is when you get to use your taster… Taste test a few pieces and see if you want to add more seasoning or leave it as is.

Add ½ cup of your favorite BBQ Sauce ( or homemade barbecue sauce) and give it a good toss to coat.

a rimmed baking sheet with shredded beef coated in BBQ sauce

Serving

Serve your warm Shredded BBQ Beef on buns or rolls with additional BBQ sauce, coleslaw, pickles, pepperoncini’s and/or cheese…. whatever toppings you like!

We also love this dill pickle slaw piled on top of these beef sandwiches.

Make Ahead

You can absolutely make this shredded beef in advance.

Pro Tip- if you are making in advance leave the BBQ sauce off until it is time to reheat.

Place the prepared and cooled shredded beef in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 5 days. You can also place in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

a rimmed baking sheet with shredded beef coated in seasoning and BBQ sauce

Crock Pot

A lot of Shredded Beef recipes are actually made in the crock pot. This recipe should work perfectly fine in a crock pot too.

Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours, until the beef is easily shredded with two forks.

Great BBQ Side Dishes

Don’t forget to make it a meal with a few of these amazing side dishes that are great for BBQ:

  • basket of corn muffins
    Sweet Cornbread Muffins
  • a plate of ears of corn with butter and salt
    Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
  • Potato salad topped with green onions in a white bowl
    Instant Pot Potato Salad
  • jiffy corn casserole in a baking dish
    Easy Jiffy Corn Casserole
  • broccoli bacon salad in a white bowl
    Easy Broccoli Bacon Salad
  • cheesy potatoes being served out of a casserole dish
    Ultimate Cheesy Potato Casserole
  • Cucumbers and Onions Salad in a bowl with a fork
    Classic Cucumber and Onion Salad
  • Cheese Tortellini Pasta Salad
  • an oval baking dish with a Baked Bean Casserole and a spoon
    Old Fashioned Baked Bean Casserole

Expert Tips

  • Start by choosing a well marbled but not overly fatty chuck roast. “Choice” rating is great here.
  • Cut your chuck roast into 3 inch chunks to maximize your flavor surface area.
  • Reserve some of the BBQ seasoning for after the beef cooks. It makes all the difference!
  • Trim large pieces of fat from your chuck roast before braising.
  • Choose a BBQ sauce that you love. We love Joe’s KC.

Recipe FAQ’s

What is the best cut of beef for shredding?

We find that chuck roast is the best cut of beef for shredding. The vertical grain of the beef shreds down into perfect 2-3 inch (average) strands of beef.

Why is my shredded beef dry?

If you cut your beef into smaller pieces (smaller than 2 inches) they will not be able to withstand the 3 hour cooking time and will dry out in the end. A large 3 inch piece of beef is perfect when braised in liquid, low and slow. You will have perfectly tender and juicy beef!

Related Chuck Roast Recipes

Here are some other recipes that use a beef chuck roast that make amazing dinner recipes:

  • Italian Beef Sandwich topped with pepperoncinis on a wooden board
    Instant Pot Italian Beef
  • Beef ragu over pappardelle pasta with a dallop of ricotta on top
    The Best Slow Simmered Beef Ragu
  • a close up of pot roast,cooked carrots and mashed potatoes
    Beef Pot Roast with Gravy
  • Mexican Shredded Beef Barbacoa on a baking sheet with two forks
    Mexican Shredded Beef – Barbacoa

Susie leaning on the kitchen counter

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Did you make this recipe?

I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me

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Shredded BBQ Beef

This Shredded BBQ Beef is fall-apart tender and flavorful! Beef chuck roast is seasoned & braised in the oven (or crock pot). It is finished with a homemade BBQ seasoning giving it tons of flavor.
5 from 7 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours hours
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 497kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

  • Heavy bottom, oven safe pot with a lid (I use an enameled Dutch Oven)

Ingredients

  • 3 lb beef chuck roast - trimmed and cut into large 3-4 inch chunks
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 onions (white or yellow) - quartered
  • 3 garlic cloves - crushed
  • ½ cup store bought BBQ Sauce - your family's favorite brand or homemade bbq sauce

BBQ Seasoning

  • 1 ½ tablespoon brown sugar - lightly packed
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground/dry mustard

Serving

  • Buns, extra BBQ Sauce and favorite BBQ sandwich toppings

Instructions
 

Prep

  • Preheat the oven to 325°.
  • In a small bowl mix together all the BBQ Seasoning ingredients.
    Expert Tip – make sure all the brown sugar clumps are separated before moving on.
    1 ½ tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon ground/dry mustard
  • Reserve 2 tablespoon of the BBQ Seasoning and set aside, you will use this at the end to do a dry seasoning!
  • Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Then cut it into large 3-4 inch chunks.
    Discard any large pieces of white fat.
    3 lb beef chuck roast
  • Season all sides of the beef with the BBQ Seasoning.
  • In a large pot (that has a lid, like a Dutch oven) whisk together the beef broth, Worcestershire and tomato paste.
    Add the onions and garlic to the pot.
    2 cups beef broth, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 onions (white or yellow), 3 garlic cloves
  • Place the seasoned beef pieces on top of the onions in the pot.
    Expert Tip- mop up any excess seasoning with the beef pieces before placing in the pot.

Braising

  • Pop the lid on and place in the preheated oven for 3 hours, until the beef shreds easily.
    Expert Tip- if at the end of 3 hours your beef is not tender, add 20 minute increments until it is ready.

Shredding

  • Remove the beef pieces from the pot, place on a rimmed baking sheet and shred with 2 forks.
    Remove any large pieces of fat you may come across.
  • Optionally you can add the garlic and cooked onions from the braising liquid to your shredded beef, they mash right in and add great flavor.
    The actual braising liquid is discarded in this recipe. It can tend to be quite greasy and would also make your bbq beef greasy.
  • Sprinkle ½ of the reserved BBQ Seasoning over the shredded beef and toss to coat. Give it a taste and add more seasoning to your liking.
  • Mix the beef with ½ cup of your favorite BBQ Sauce or homemade bbq sauce.

Serving

  • Serve the Shredded BBQ Beef on buns or rolls with additional BBQ sauce, coleslaw, pickles and/or cheese…. whatever toppings you like!
    Would also be great topped with this Slaw for Burgers.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

This can also be made in a Crock Pot : 
Follow the prep instructions above, and then cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours, until the beef is easily shred with two forks.
Then continue with the instructions for shredding and seasoning in the recipe above. 
Instant Pot: 
If you would rather use your Instant Pot, pop over to this recipe for Instant Pot BBQ Beef.
Make Ahead :
If you are making in advance leave the BBQ sauce off until it is time to reheat.
Place in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe Tips To Remember:
  • Start by choosing a well marbled but not overly fatty chuck roast. “Choice” rating is great here.
  • Cut your chuck roast into 3-4 inch chunks to maximize your flavor surface area.
  • Trim large pieces of fat from your chuck roast before braising.
  • Choose a BBQ sauce that you love.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
Jump to Comments
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 1589mg | Potassium: 1021mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 607IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 6mg

About Susie Weinrich

Susie Weinrich is the recipe developer, food photographer, and content creator behind Mom's Dinner. She has over 20 years experience in the food industry. Currently, Susie shares all her recipes and food knowledge on Mom's Dinner. You will find her recipes are easy to follow and full of tips and tricks to make sure the recipe you are making turns out perfect!

Comments

    5 from 7 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Kelli says

    April 20, 2025 at 6:50 pm

    5 stars
    This is amazing! A dear friend of mine brought a big dish of this over after we welcomed our 4th baby and it VANISHED! Everyone LOVED IT! I asked her for the recipe and I’ve been making it for my family ever since! It’s super easy to prep and even easier to keep on hand for hangry kiddos! The flavor is perfect and goes great with rice pilaf or mashed potatoes for dinner or (our go-to) sandwiching on some fresh rolls for an easy, satisfying fill up! I’ve also made it using vegetable broth when I didn’t have beef broth and it turned out just as great! THANK YOU for this! I never comment on anything and I felt I just had to on this one. 🙂

    Reply
    • Susie Weinrich says

      April 21, 2025 at 7:20 am

      Thank you SO much for taking the time to comment on this. When you get approval from the whole family, the recipe is a keeper for sure.
      Congrats on baby number 4!!!

      Reply
  2. Deirdre says

    February 21, 2024 at 1:01 am

    5 stars
    Wow so delicious!!!! We just had it for dinner. So great with a crunchy pickle on the side and French fries. Thanks, the whole family LOVED it

    Reply
  3. Carole Davie says

    January 28, 2024 at 5:12 pm

    5 stars
    Really good. Followed the repice exactly as written. Keeper

    Reply
  4. Wendy says

    May 14, 2023 at 8:20 pm

    How are you able to search the meat with sugar on it without it becoming bitter? I think I’m missing something.

    Reply
    • Susie Weinrich says

      May 15, 2023 at 7:16 am

      I’m not sure I understand the question. Search the meat?

      Reply
      • Anon says

        October 23, 2024 at 6:48 am

        I think she means “sear”

      • Susie Weinrich says

        October 23, 2024 at 8:06 am

        Thank you, Anon! Not sure why I couldn’t figure that out – LOL.

    • Susie Weinrich says

      October 23, 2024 at 8:09 am

      You are not searing the meat with the seasoning on it, so no need to worry about making it bitter. It is braised in the oven and comes out super tender!

      Reply
  5. John says

    September 19, 2021 at 8:00 pm

    This is the best shredded bbq beef I have ever had, and I’m from KC!!! Loved it. Thank you

    Reply
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Susie Weinrich is a professional food photographer and recipe developer. Her thoroughly tested recipes and step-by-step guides give readers confidence in the kitchen.

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