Barbecue Shredded Beef

A close up of a sandwich sitting on top of a wooden table

This slow cooker shredded beef is seriously out of this world good and I believe it's thanks to a special little secret of mine that I'm about to share with you.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8 10

Total Time 8 20

Servings servings

Calories 512kcal

Author Karly Campbell

Ingredients

For the dry rub:

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon chipotle pepper powder see notes
1 tablespoon parsley flakes

For the beef:

3 pounds chuck roast
2-3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
1/2 cup bottled or homemade barbecue sauce

For serving:

8 hamburger buns
pickle slices

Instructions

To make the dry rub:

Add the brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, chipotle powder, and parsley to a small bowl and stir to combine. Remove 1 tablespoon of dry rub and set aside for later.

To make the shredded beef:

Coat all sides of the chuck roast with the mustard.
Liberally coat the roast in the dry rub. You may not need all of the rub. Store any excess in a covered container for another use. It will keep for a few months in your spice cabinet.
Place roast in a slow cooker and cover the lid. No liquid is needed. Cook on low for 8 hours or until the roast is easily pulled apart with two forks.
Shred the meat with two forks and transfer to a large skillet. Sprinkle with the reserved tablespoon of dry rub and add barbecue sauce. Stir to combine.
Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Serve on sandwich buns with pickles, if desired.

Video

Notes

This dry rub is easy to make, but you can also use a store bought dry rub if you prefer. We add quite a bit to the roast, making sure to liberally coat it.

You can swap the chipotle powder for cayenne if preferred. Use as much or as little as you like, depending on spice preferences. As is, the rub does have a little kick but the finished product isn't very spicy.

Nutrition