Description
This Slow Cooker Pulled Beef recipe features tender, flavorful beef chuck roast cooked low and slow with aromatic herbs, garlic, onions, and a splash of beer. Perfect for sandwiches or served over mashed potatoes, this comforting dish is easy to prepare with minimal hands-on time.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 pounds beef chuck roast
- ½ tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1½ teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Crockpot Additions
- 2 small yellow onions, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup light beer or stout beer
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
Optional for Sandwiches
- Provolone sliced cheese
- Hoagie rolls
Instructions
- Prepare and Season Beef: Pat the beef chuck roast dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, then evenly season all sides with salt, oregano, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Sear the Beef: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned beef on both sides until it develops a deep brown crust, about 4 minutes per side, to lock in flavor.
- Sauté Onions and Garlic: Remove the beef and place it in the slow cooker. In the same skillet, add chopped onions and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, taking care not to burn it. Transfer the onions and garlic into the slow cooker.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Pour beef broth, beer, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and dried thyme into the slow cooker. Cover with the lid.
- Cook the Beef: Cook on high heat for 4 hours or low heat for 8 hours until the beef is tender and easily shredded.
- Strain and Shred: Remove the beef from the slow cooker and set it on a cutting board. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve to remove solids and fat, reserving the au jus.
- Shred Beef and Recombine: Shred the beef with two forks and return it to the slow cooker, adding some of the strained liquid to keep the meat moist.
- Serve: Serve the pulled beef hot, either on hoagie rolls with provolone cheese for sandwiches or over mashed potatoes as a hearty main dish.
Notes
- To thicken the leftover au jus, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 1.5 tablespoons of flour to form a paste.
- Slowly whisk in 1–2 cups of strained au jus and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes until thickened, then remove from heat and let it sit.
- Use this thickened au jus to drizzle over the shredded beef for extra richness.
- You can substitute the beer with additional beef broth if preferred.
- For a more intense flavor, sear the beef well and be sure not to skip sautéing the onions and garlic in the same pan.
- This recipe yields tender, flavorful pulled beef perfect for meal prepping or family dinners.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
