Welcome to The Storied Recipe Podcast, a podcast about food, culture, and love.
This recipe for Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled/Shredded Beef Sandwiches came from my podcast guest, Lori Gamble. Make sure you listen to her episode In Praise of Simple Cooking while you make her Shredded Beef Sandwiches!
With Lori's (who inherited the recipe from her mother, grandparents, and great-grandparents) shredded beef sandwich recipe in hand, you won't make enough hot beef sandwiches for a crowd of hungry guests!! Multiply it as many times as you like! It's a simple recipe and will turn out perfectly every time you make it, just as it is. Like all classics, however, as Lori reminds us, there's plenty of freedom to make it your own.
Several weeks ago I was at my niece’s field hockey game. I was cold and hungry, but also very happy. Happy for the three generations of family in the stands with me, thankful for the cousins who are my kid’s best friends, thankful for the beautiful scene of the sun setting behind the trees ringing the field, and very, very happy that I had a warm, hearty, nourishing, barbeque bubbling away in a cast iron pot at home. I knew as soon as I stepped in the door, we could ladle that hot, bold, hearty beef onto soft rolls, cover with tangy coleslaw, and eat it within 5 minutes.
Lorie's Memories of Making Shredded Beef Sandwiches
Lori learned this recipe from her grandparents, in the home where they raised 11 children and freely welcomed grandchildren. When Lori's parents were divorced when she was 10, Lori took over the chore of cooking. To many, this would be a burden, but Lori loved it. In this episode, she shares with us the many, many things she has learned in her years of cooking - from simple, practical tips to sage advice about making cooking all about the people we feed, not ourselves.
Tips From Lori
- I always cube the chuck roast myself. I use larger cubes (2+" or so) so I can control the shred/mash at the end and to keep it from overcooking.
- When browning meat, as per usual for a dish like this, do not over-crowd. Brown in batches if needed based on the quantity you are making (I generally double the recipe because it freezes so well).
- When baking, stir periodically and check the moisture. Don't be afraid to add a tablespoon of water here and there if necessary.
- Although it doesn't say in the recipe, I do drain most, but not all, of the fat (if there is any) before adding ingredients after browning the meat. Use a potato masher (could also be a good prop) rather than shredding with a fork. There is a slight difference in the consistency of the meat.
- I feel like this recipe cooks faster in modern ovens. Check regularly after 2 hours, but you shouldn't have to work hard to get the meat to fall apart.
- My grandmother always used Brooks Rich & Tangy Ketchup. It can be hard to find but it can be purchased on Amazon. I have played with this over the years and have found that you can substitute half ketchup/half chili sauce, but I recommend buying the Brooks. Do NOT use plain ketchup!
- If possible, purchase your meat from a local butcher shop. I promise you if you use grocery store meat, the recipe will be gross. My grandparents did nearly ALL their shopping at a small, local market/butcher shop in Cincinnati.
My Top Tip
My family and I LOVED this recipe, which we discussed at length in the podcast episode. I would make it exactly as is!
- In place of Brook's Ketchup, I used 1/2 cup ketchup and 1/2 cup barbecue sauce (Sweet Baby Ray's), which also worked. The second time I made it, I tried Lori's suggestion of the chili sauce, which was also wonderful!
- If you really want to get this in the oven quickly, you *can* skip the browning, although it's not recommended.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This beef roast uses only simple ingredients that will be on added to your weekly dutch oven or slow cooker recipes for easy dinners.
- Chuck roast -- If you want to use something else, make sure that the cut of meat is lean so that it will stand up to slow cooking in a slow cooker or dutch oven for longer. Substitutes are tri-tip roast, top round roast, or bottom round roast which is also called a rump roast. There shouldn't be any large pieces of fat on the meat.
- Vegetable oil
- Yellow onions
- Cider vinegar
- Brown sugar
- Water
- Lemon juice
- Ketchup – preferably Brooks Spicy Ketchup (or 1/2 BBQ sauce and 1/2 regular ketchup)
- Celery
- Salt
- Worcestershire sauce (Lea and Perkins)
- Bun options include hoagie rolls (same thing as hoagie buns), ciabatta rolls, french bread rolls, hamburger buns, or sandwich buns
Instructions and Variations
Suppose you have a busy day or busy week ahead of you and don't want to worry about dinner after work or running around. In that case, this is an easy recipe to throw in your dutch oven and have flavorful beef with great flavor that tastes like you spent a lot of time on but really only worked for a couple of minutes.
- Heat oil lightly in a dutch oven.
- Add meat and onions and cook until browned.
- Lower heat and add the remaining ingredients. Stir to mix.
- Bake in oven at 325 degrees covered until meat is tender/falling apart (approximately 3-4 hours) or cook in your slow cooker on low heat for about 7-8 hours.
- Shred beef with a potato masher and serve on a roll or bun of your choice.
- Optional: You can make your sandwiches even more juicy by adding an au jus. According to a recipe from Cake n Knife, all you will need is the drippings from your beef roast, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, red wine, and herbs such as rosemary or thyme. Or you can use your cooking liquid from the beef. Simply strain the leftover liquid, add in some herbs and red wine, and you will have an au jus!
Topping Ideas for the Beef Sandwiches
When it comes to toppings, this versatile recipe can be topped with almost any condiment.
- Chicago-style giardiniera (hot peppers and veggies in oils and herbs, check out this recipe from Chili Pepper Madness)
- Slices of provolone cheese
- Banana peppers
- Green pepper
- Horseradish
- Red onion
- Pepperoncini peppers
- Chimichurri (a delicious Uruguayan and Argentinian oil-based sauce; check out this great recipe from Cafe Delites)
- Jalapeños
- Coleslaw
Other Shredded Beef Dish Ideas
- Birria tacos (Mexican shredded beef tacos; check out this recipe from Isabel Eats)
- Enchiladas
- Vaca Frita (Cuban Crispy Shredded Beef; check out this recipe from A Sassy Spoon)
- Crock pot Italian Beef Sandwiches (check out this recipe from Iowa Girl Eats)
- Chili con Carne (Shredded beef chili; check out this recipe from Recipe Tin Eats)
- French Dip Sandwiches (check out this recipe from Spend With Pennies)
- Shredded beef nachos
- Caramelized Vietnamese Shredded Beef (check out this recipe from Recipe Tin Eats)
Equipment
Storage
- Make sure that the beef has cooled to around room temperature for about or less than 2 hours before you put it in the fridge or freezer
- The USDA says that you should only store cooked beef in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days
- The Tasting Table says that if you are freezing your shredded beef then it will last up to 6 months.
Food Safety
The USDA says to ensure the beef's internal temp is F145°F/62.8 °F to make sure it is completely cooked through.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
More Beef Recipes
Listen to Lori's Episode
The thing that most struck me about Lori is her unusual ability to both accept life as it is and yet take control of all that she can. It was this ability, along with her grandparents patient teaching of basic cooking skills, that allowed Lori to take over the cooking for her family at the age of 10 - and she loved it. Like her family’s classic beef barbeque recipe, I found Lori’s words to be bold yet comforting and just *exactly* what I needed. Although cooking is, without a doubt, Lori’s love language, I think this is the episode that will prove most helpful and affirming to listeners that DON’T love cooking. Either way, I believe Lori’s memories and example will help all of us to choose joy.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Pulled Beef / Shredded Beef Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Chuck Roast Cubed
- 2 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
- 3 medium Yellow Onions
- 2 tablespoon Cider Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 cup Ketchup Preferably Brooks Spicy Ketchup *See Note 1
- 1 cup Celery Diced
- 2 teaspoon Salt
- 3 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce Preferably Lea and Perkins
Instructions
Cue Up The Episode!
- Make sure to listen to Lori on The Storied Recipe Podcast, In Praise of Simple Cooking while you make her Hot Beef Sandwiches.
Make The Recipe
- Heat oil lightly in dutch oven.
- Add meat and onions and cook until browned.
- Lower heat and add the remaining ingredients. Stir to mix.
- Bake in oven at 325 degrees covered until meat is tender/falling apart (approximately 3-4 hours).
- Mash with a potato masher and serve on a roll or bun.
Notes
- Make sure to listen to Lori on The Storied Recipe Podcast, In Praise of Simple Cooking while you make her Hot Beef Sandwiches recipe!
- (1) You can also add 1/2 cup of ketchup and 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray's) or 1/2 cup of ketchup and 1/2 cup of chili sauce.
- Check the beef while baking. Add more water if needed.
- Serve with your favorite cheese, potatoes, and coleslaw. YUM!
Nutrition
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