Shredded BBQ Beef (oven or crock pot)

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 and all the BBQ side dishes!

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!

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.

Instant Pot

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!

Ingredients

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

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.

Braising

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

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.

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.

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 3 inch chunks, removing any large pieces of white fat.

Season all sides of the beef pieces with the BBQ Seasoning.

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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.

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

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.

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.

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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 and give it a good toss to coat.

Serving

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

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.

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:

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

Related Recipes

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

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