Who doesn’t want to spend time outside in the heat by the grill? Who doesn’t want to heat up your house by using the oven in July? Me…. that’s who?
Here’s one of our new favorite recipes for barbecue. It uses a beef roast and a slow cooker to make tender, shredded meat with that comforting flavor you love. Served on a bun as a sandwich or by itself, it’s an easy alternative to pork. It can also be put together in advance. If there’s any leftover it freezes well. We go traditional with baked beans, coleslaw and macaroni and cheese. How will you serve it?
Shredded Barbecue Beef
Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
This recipe is easily halved for smaller roasts.
1 – 4 to 5lb boneless beef roast cut into 2 pieces (or 2 smaller roasts equaling approx 4-5lbs)
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika – we use half smoked paprika and half regular paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup ketchup
1 and 1/4 cups coffee
1/4 cup dark brown sugar or molasses or sorghum
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon brown mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon hot sauce (we use Louisiana)
½ teaspoon liquid smoke
1 onion, thinly sliced
In the bottom of a slow cooker stir together ketchup, coffee, brown sugar, mustard, cider vinegar, hot sauce and liquid smoke until well mixed.
Place onion slices in the bottom of the slow cooker.
In a small bowl mix together chili powder, paprika and salt. Dry meat with a paper towel and rub spice mixture over it.
Put meat on top of the onions in the bottom of your pot.
Cook on low 7-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours until meat shreds easily with a fork. Shred meat and stir it back into the sauce with the onions. May be served with toasted slider buns or split sandwich rolls.
*For better flavor put together recipe in your slow cooker and refrigerate the insert with your meat and sauce for several days before cooking.