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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.
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Servings 6 people
Calories 497kcal
Author Susie Weinrich

Equipment

Ingredients

BBQ Seasoning

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.

Video

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.

Nutrition

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