Slow Cooker Barbecued Beef
This slow cooker barbecued beef makes delicious sandwiches, perfect for an everyday meal or game day party. It’s great in cookout beans, too!
This slow cooker barbecued beef is tender, flavorful, and practically effortless. A boneless roast simmers all day in a flavorful sauce made with cola or Dr. Pepper, spices, and your favorite barbecue sauce. The result? Shredded beef that’s perfect for sandwiches, sliders, or even mixing into baked beans.
It’s a great recipe for game day, cookouts, or busy weeknights. Serve it on toasted buns with slaw and pickles, or spoon it over cornbread or baked potatoes for a twist.
What You’ll Like About This Dish
- Hands-off cooking. Just add everything to the slow cooker and walk away.
- Tender and flavorful. Cola and barbecue sauce create a sweet, tangy, savory finish.
- Versatile leftovers. Use in sandwiches, baked beans, nachos, or quesadillas.
- Make-ahead friendly. Great for meal prep or feeding a crowd.
Ingredient Notes
- Chuck roast: A marbled cut that becomes fork-tender when slow cooked—trim excess fat before cooking.
- Onion: Adds sweetness and depth to the braising base.
- Cola or Dr. Pepper: Regular (not diet) adds subtle sweetness and enhances browning.
- Worcestershire sauce: Brings umami and a savory backbone to the sauce.
- Garlic powder & pepper: Simple pantry spices that add flavor without fuss.
- Apple cider vinegar: Brightens the sauce and balances the sweetness.
- Barbecue sauce: Use your favorite brand—smoky, sweet, or spicy all work.
Steps to Make Slow Cooker Barbecued Beef
- Add chopped onion to the bottom of the slow cooker insert.
- Cut the roast into 2 or 3 pieces and place on top of the onions.
- In a bowl, whisk together the cola, Worcestershire, garlic powder, pepper, vinegar, and barbecue sauce.
- Pour half of the sauce over the roast; cover and refrigerate the remaining sauce.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 9 to 11 hours, or until the meat is very tender.
- Remove the beef, discard juices, and shred the meat with two forks.
- Return shredded beef to the slow cooker and pour in the reserved sauce.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 10 minutes, or until hot and bubbling.
- Serve on toasted buns with toppings and sides.
Tips
- Trim visible fat from the roast to avoid greasy results.
- Don’t use diet soda—regular cola or Dr. Pepper is needed for proper flavor and caramelization.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, simmer the reserved sauce separately on the stovetop to reduce it slightly before adding back to the meat.
- Toast buns before serving to keep them from getting soggy.
Recipe Variations
- Use a different soda. Try root beer or cherry cola for a unique twist.
- Add spice. Mix in a pinch of cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce.
- Try pork. Substitute a pork shoulder roast for pulled pork sandwiches.
- Make it smoky. Use a smoky barbecue sauce or add a few drops of liquid smoke.
- Finish with pickles. Add dill pickle chips or pickled jalapeños for extra bite.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve on toasted buns with coleslaw and pickles.
- Pair with baked beans, potato salad, or chips.
- Top baked potatoes or nachos with the shredded beef.
- Include as part of a game day buffet.
- Layer into quesadillas or grilled cheese sandwiches.
How to Store
Refrigerate: Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Freeze shredded beef with sauce in freezer bags or containers for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Warm in a saucepan over low heat or microwave in short bursts, adding extra sauce if needed to moisten.
Slow Cooker Barbecued Beef
Ingredients
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 chuck roast , or bottom round, about 3 pounds, fat trimmed
- 1/2 cup cola , or Dr. Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 cup barbecue sauce, your favorite brand
Instructions
- Put the chopped onion in the crockery insert of a slow cooker (3 1/2- to 5-quart size). Cut the roast into 2 pieces and place on the onion layer. Combine the cola, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, pepper, vinegar, and barbecue sauce. Pour half of the sauce over the roast. Cover the remaining sauce and refrigerate.
- Cover the slow cooker; cook the beef on LOW for 9 to 11 hours, or until the roast is tender enough to shred easily. Remove the beef from the slow cooker and discard juices.
- Shred the meat with two forks. Return to the slow cooker along with the remaining reserved sauce. Cover and cook on HIGH for 10 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
- Serve on toasted sandwich buns with your favorite salads, slaw, and baked beans.
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
