BBQ Beef

Square close up side shot of a tray of Dutch oven bbq beef sandwiches.

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5 from 6 votes

Tender, juicy Dutch oven BBQ beef is slow-cooked in a sweet and tangy sauce for the best shredded sandwich filling.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword barbecue beef, bbq beef, bbq beef recipe, bbq beef sandwich, shredded bbq beef

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 30

Servings people

Calories 633kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

1 (3 lb.) boneless beef chuck roast
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 ½ tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon salted butter
12 ounces beer (such as lager or pilsner)

Optional Homemade BBQ Sauce (or Use Store-Bought BBQ Sauce if Preferred)

1 ½ cups ketchup
½ cup Dijon mustard
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Optional, for serving: sandwich buns

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 275°F. Mix the flour with brown sugar, smoked paprika, kosher salt, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin on a sheet of waxed paper or in a shallow dish. Pat the roast dry; dredge it in the flour mixture on all sides.
Heat the butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Brown the meat to give it nice color, but don’t let the sugars burn (about 3 minutes per side).
Reduce the heat to medium and add the beer. Cover with the lid and bake in the oven for 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove the lid and continue baking for another 45 minutes – 1 hour, or until the meat is fall-apart tender. Remove beef from Dutch oven and let it rest while you prepare the optional barbecue sauce. If you don't want to make the sauce, you can shred the meat with two forks and toss with your favorite store-bought bbq sauce.

For the Optional Barbecue Sauce

To the pan drippings in the Dutch oven, whisk in the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat; simmer until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
Shred the beef using two forks. Toss the shredded meat with about half of the barbecue sauce. Serve on buns, if desired, with extra sauce on the side.

Notes

Make Ahead: The beef can be cooked a day in advance. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in a slow cooker on the "warm" setting for 2-4 hours.

Crockpot: Rub the beef with the seasoning blend, transfer to a slow cooker, add the beer, cover, and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours (or until the meat is fall-apart tender). Remove the beef from the slow cooker, shred with two forks, and then toss with your favorite barbecue sauce.

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