The Best Crockpot BBQ Pulled Beef (Chuck Roast or Brisket)

This crockpot BBQ pulled beef is everything you want in a slow cooker dinner: rich, smoky flavor, tender shredded meat, and almost no hands on work. Made with your choice of chuck roast or brisket, the beef cooks low and slow with a bold blend of seasonings until it falls apart with a fork. It is the kind of pulled beef recipe you will want to keep on repeat for busy weeknights, casual get togethers, and game day spreads alike. Pile it onto buns for pulled beef sandwiches, wrap it up for pulled beef tacos, or serve it as the star of a simple family dinner. However you serve it, this crockpot pulled beef recipe delivers big flavor with minimal effort.

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Why this is the best Crockpot BBQ Pulled Beef recipe

It's easy to make. This Crockpot BBQ pulled beef requires very little hands-on work. Once everything is in the slow cooker, you can leave it alone while the beef cooks low and slow until it is tender enough to pull apart with a fork.

Crockpot pulled beef is incredibly tender. Slow cooking gives a tough cut of beef plenty of time to break down and become juicy, soft, and easy to shred. Chuck roast works especially well because its marbling keeps the meat moist during the long cooking time.

Crockpot pulled beef is packed with BBQ flavor. The beef cooks right in the seasonings and barbecue sauce, so every bite has plenty of smoky, sweet, and savory flavor. After shredding, the meat gets mixed back into those flavorful cooking juices so that it stays moist and delicious.

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It's great for feeding a family or a crowd. Serve Crockpot BBQ pulled beef on sandwich rolls, over baked potatoes or potato skins, in tacos, or alongside your favorite BBQ side dishes like creamy macaroni salad and loaded ranch potato salad. It works well for parties, potlucks, game day, and busy weeknight dinners.

The leftovers are just as useful as the original meal. Make a big batch of BBQ pulled beef, then turn the extra into sandwiches, quesadillas, nachos, sliders, wraps, or loaded potato skins later in the week.

What you'll need to make the best Crockpot BBQ Pulled Beef

Equipment

• Crockpot
• Garlic press - I love my garlic press. It's the best way to distribute that tangy fresh garlic flavor throughout your meat mixture. If you don't have a garlic press, you can smash the cloves with the wide edge of your chef knife, then remove the papery skin and cut the garlic as fine as you can possibly get it with the sharp side of the knife.

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See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

Ingredients

• Chuck roast or beef brisket - You don't need to use an especially tender cut of meat because it is going to cook so long that any cut will turn out tender and delicious. You should cut it into 5-6 pieces.
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Smoked paprika - This contributes to the BBQ flavor.
• Red chili flakes - You won't notice heat because we're using such a small amount.
• Cumin - Cumin reminds me of chili, and it will give your pulled beef a delicious flavor.
• Olive oil
• Red onion - Any kind of onion will work.
• Fresh garlic - pressed or smashed
• Beef broth - This keeps your beef moist in the crockpot.
• BBQ sauce - We add just a little in the beginning to flavor the beef, and then we'll add more at the end. Barbecue sauce is made with brown sugar, so there's no need to add any sweeteners to your beef.

How to make easy Crockpot BBQ Pulled Beef

1. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel and season it evenly on all sides with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, red chili flakes, and cumin.
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2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the beef for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned.
3. Place the beef, sliced onions, and pressed garlic at the bottom of the slow cooker.
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4. In a small bowl, stir together the BBQ sauce and beef broth,
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   then pour it over the chuck roast.
5. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours, until the beef is tender and shreds easily.
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6. Remove the beef from the Crockpot and shred it with two forks. 
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7. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and cover with the lid. Mix with additional BBQ sauce and let it sit on WARM for 15-20 minutes to absorb the flavors.

Cook's Tips

You can make pulled beef using the oven, but it will take most of a day, and you will have to babysit it by covering it with foil and then basting it every hour or so in order to prevent the moisture from drying out. It's a process.

You can also make pulled beef using your Instant Pot, but I don't currently have instructions for that.

Beef is safe to eat at an internal temperature of 145ºF but a roast doesn't become tender until it's much higher, like 200ºF or more. That's why we can leave it in the slow cooker all day and have a great result.

Substitutions & variations

My favorite cuts of beef for slow cooker BBQ pulled beef are beef chuck roast or brisket. Beef roast has plenty of marbling and becomes exceptionally tender in the slow cooker, while brisket has a slightly firmer texture and rich beef flavor. Shoulder roast also works well, though it has less marbling and doesn't get as tender. They all work well, so use whichever cut you prefer or can find at a good price.

You can change the BBQ sauce to completely change the flavor of the finished beef. Try a sweet and smoky sauce, spicy BBQ sauce, honey BBQ sauce, a tangy Carolina-style sauce, or even a homemade BBQ sauce.

Feel free to add a tablespoon or two of Worcestershire sauce or a can of beer with the BBQ sauce and beef broth. Both will give your beef a nice flavor.

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For spicy pulled beef, add cayenne pepper, extra crushed red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or diced jalapeños. If you're serving kids or anyone who prefers mild food, keep the beef mild and put hot sauce on the table instead.

For an even smokier flavor, add a small amount of liquid smoke. A little goes a long way, so start with just a few drops and add more if needed.

You don't have to serve this pulled beef as a sandwich. Spoon it over baked potatoes or potato skins, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, rice, or nachos, or use it as a filling for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and sliders.

Storing leftover pulled beef

Store leftover shredded beef in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve frozen beef, move it to the fridge overnight to thaw before reheating.

My favorite way to reheat pulled beef is in the microwave.

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Check out more great recipes with BBQ flavors

• BBQ Meatloaf Muffins
• Smoky BBQ Chicken Sliders
• BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza
• Pittsburgh Style BBQ Ham Sandwiches
• The Best Grilled BBQ Hamburgers
• The Best BBQ Chicken Enchiladas
• Beef BBQ Biscuit Cups Recipe

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