Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Sandwiches

Adapted from an old drive in in Minnesota, these Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Sandwiches have slow cooked beef that is covered in a sweet barbecue sauce then cooked until it is falling apart, then served sandwich style.

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Looking for more slow cooker sandwiches? These Italian Beef Sandwiches are a favorite, along with these Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Sandwiches or this Crockpot BBQ Pulled Chicken.

I first came across this recipe many years ago when I was looking for something that would be easy to serve a crowd.

And I fell in love.

I’ve made it so many times now that this is the 4th time I’ve reposted it here on Taste and Tell. That’s how much I love it.

It’s super easy – it only takes a few minutes to chop up some veggies, make an easy homemade bbq sauce, then get it all into the slow cooker. Then, when the meat is finished cooking, just a few more minutes of hands on time before you have a delicious bbq beef sandwich to serve up to your family or friends.

This recipe is originally based off of a sandwich served at a drive in in Minnesota – Ting Town. It has been closed for many years, so I can’t say how authentic the recipe is. I’ve adapted a few things through the years, and even if it’s not the exact same, I would say this is still a pretty darn good bbq beef sandwich!

The Homemade BBQ Sauce

This is what I call a cheater sauce, because it is a homemade sauce, but it’s made with other sauces. But just taking a few minutes to mix these ingredients together instead of just throwing in a bottle of bbq sauce makes all the difference. Here is what goes into this bbq sauce:

• ketchup
• bbq sauce
• mustard
• apple cider vinegar
• Worcestershire sauce
• brown sugar
• chili powder
• salt and pepper

How to Make Them

1. SLOW COOK: Cook the meat by placing the roast in the slow cooker, top it with the celery, onion and garlic, then pour the bbq sauce over the top.
2. SHRED: Once the meat has cooked and is falling apart, remove it and shred the meat.
3. SAUCE: Take the sauce from the slow cooker and transfer it to a pot. Cook over medium heat until it has thickened.
4. COMBINE: Put the beef back in the slow cooker, along with the thickened sauce and stir to combine. Serve on buns.

Tips and Tricks

Wondering what kind of meat is used for bbq beef? I like to use a chuck roast. It is fatty enough to give you lots of flavor and to keep the meat moist, and it shreds really well.

This recipe would work well with chicken instead of beef. I would suggest chicken thighs instead of breasts, though, for more flavor and better texture.

This recipe doubles very easily! As long as you have a large enough slow cooker, this is easy to make for a crowd.

Wanting to make it ahead? The finished beef freezes well. Make the beef and let it cool completely before transferring to a freezer safe container to freeze. To serve, let it thaw in the refrigerator the reheat it on the stove.

What to Eat with Shredded BBQ Beef

• This Bow Tie Pasta Salad is always a hit. Something a little bit different, but definitely addictive.
• If serving this in the late summer, this Grilled Corn Salad is always a favorite.
• You can never go wrong with a classic Broccoli Salad.
• These Easy Baked Beans with Bacon are a summertime favorite that are actually really good all year long!
• One of my favorite fruit salad recipes is this Crown Ruby Fruit Salad. Pretty and delicious!

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Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Sandwiches

5 from 2 votes

Author: Deborah Harroun

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 7 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 7 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

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Adapted from an old drive in in Minnesota, these Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Sandwiches have slow cooked beef that is covered in a sweet barbecue sauce then cooked until it is falling apart, then served sandwich style.

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1/2 cup ketchup
• ▢ 1/2 cup prepared barbecue sauce
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
• ▢ 1 tablespoons cider vinegar
• ▢ 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 2 – 2 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast trimmed of fat
• ▢ 1 stalk celery sliced
• ▢ 1/2 large onion chopped
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 8 hamburger buns

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, combine the ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard, cinder vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, chili powder, salt and pepper.
• Place the roast in a large slow cooker.  Place the celery, onion and garlic over the top of the roast. Pour the sauce evenly over the top.  Place the cover on the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours, then reduce for low and continue to cook for 4 more hours, or until the roast is very tender.
• Remove the roast from the slow cooker to a cutting board.  Shred the meat.
• Pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a pot and cook, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes.
• Place the shredded meat back in the slow cooker and cover with the thickened sauce.  Stir to combine.  Keep warm in the slow cooker.
• Serve the shredded beef on the hamburger buns.

Recipe Notes:

adapted from allrecipes.com

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should only be used as a general guideline.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1sandwich, Calories: 460kcal (23%), Carbohydrates: 55g (18%), Protein: 46g (92%), Fat: 9g (14%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 90mg (30%), Sodium: 957mg (42%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 14g (16%)

Keywords: bbq beef, beef sandwiches, slow cooker sandwich