Instant Pot BBQ Shredded Beef
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Get ready to savor the ultimate comfort food with our Instant Pot BBQ Shredded Beef recipe! This mouthwatering dish is a game-changer, combining tender, fall-apart beef infused with smoky barbecue flavor. Slab it on a toasty bun for weeknight dinner or gathering. Just set it, forget it, and let your Instant Pot do the magic!
“I just made this recipe for my husband’s Friday night fellowship group. There were a dozen hungry guys and they ate all 5 pounds of beef!. Thank you. Thank you. THANK YOU!!” – Susan
Reasons You’ll Love this Recipe
- It’s EASY! Simply season the beef and cook it in the Instant Pot with Homemade BBQ Sauce (or whatever your favorite store-bought brand is).
- It’s freezer-friendly. Shredded beef is a great recipe to double and freeze before cooking. You can also fully cook it and freeze it in small portions.
- It feeds a lot of people. When served on buns, this recipe can easily feed 10+ people. Here are 25+ Slow Cooker Recipes for a Crowd if you want more idea
- It’s an Instant Pot dump-and-go recipe. We know people love those. Gives you time to whip up some Skillet Green Beans to go with it.
- It can also be made in the slow cooker. Try our Crock Pot BBQ Shredded Beef Sandwiches.
Ingredients
Only a few ingredients are needed to make this pot of melt-in-your-mouth sandwich filling.
Ingredient Notes:
BBQ Sauce – You can make homemade BBQ Sauce or use store-bought. We use this on our Crockpot BBQ Drumsticks as well.
Chuck Roast – An affordable beef cut from the shoulder, neck, and upper arm, transforms into tender, juicy perfection when cooked in the Instant Pot. Opt for grass-fed beef for better nutrition, with a healthier fat profile.
How to Make BBQ Beef in the Instant Pot
Here’s the quick and dirty overview for making shredded beef in the pressure cooker. See the recipe below for more details.
Step 1: Make dry rub with your seasonings.
Step 2: Cut meat into 2×2 inch pieces. Pat dry and toss with the seasonings in the Instant Pot.
Step 3: Pour 1 cup BBQ sauce over the top.
Step 4: Cook at high pressure for 30 minutes with a natural release.
Step 5: Shred the meat and stir back into the sauce.
Step 6: Serve the meat on toasted buns with more BBQ sauce.
How Long Do I Cook a Chuck Roast in the Instant Pot?
While researching for our cookbook, we quickly learned that there are a LOT of varying opinions on how long to cook a chuck roast in the Instant Pot.
- Cut a beef chuck roast into evenly sized smaller chunks, trimming the fat off as you go. We recommend 2 x 2-inch pieces.
- Cook at high pressure for 30 minutes and then use a natural release for at least 10 minutes. After that, you can quick release the rest of the pressure.
We found that this method works well every single time. However, cooking a whole chuck roast takes at least an hour if not more to tenderize somewhat in the Instant Pot.
Even then, our roasts often weren’t very easy to shred. So we stand by the “cut your beef into small chunks first” method all day!
Pro Tips for Cooking Beef in the Instant Pot
As I mentioned, we tested this recipe A LOT for our cookbook called From Freezer to Cooker. Along the way, we learned several tips for the perfect BBQ shredded beef in the Instant Pot.
- Be sure to cut your roast into evenly-sized smaller chunks. We recommend 2×2 inch pieces. This yields perfectly tender, shreddable meat at the end of 30 minutes.
- Trim off as much excess fat as you can, or ask your butcher to do it for you.
- You must include at least 1 cup of liquid in a 6-quart Instant Pot (and at least 1 1/2 cups of liquid in the 8-quart Instant Pot) to allow pressure to build. So, feel free to add more BBQ sauce if you have a larger pressure cooker than a 6 quart.
- Serve the shredded meat on toasted buns (see our instructions in the recipe below). This prevents soggy buns… NO ONE LIKES SOGGY BUNS. Lol.
How to Freeze BBQ Shredded Beef
BBQ Beef makes a great freezer meal. You can prep it ahead and freeze before cooking OR you can fully cook it and freeze AFTER cooking. Both options work great.
Freeze For Later: Follow steps 1 and 2. Place the seasoned meat, the beef broth, and 1 cup of the BBQ sauce in a gallon-sized freezer bag or round container. Seal, toss to combine, and freeze (if using a freezer bag, set it in a bowl or round container with a diameter similar to the Instant Pot so it will fit in the pot when frozen). Pour the remaining 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce into a small bag/container and seal. Freeze the sauce and buns alongside the meat.
Prepare From Frozen: Set the extra sauce and buns out on the counter to start thawing. Set the Instant pot to “Saute”. Transfer the frozen meat and sauce to the pot and cook for 5 minutes to release some liquid. Press “Cancel”. Follow steps 4-8 (the meat will cook at the same time length as when fresh!).
Instant Pot Cooking Times Chart
After testing hundreds of Instant Pot recipes, we have honed in on the best timing and methods for cooking different types of meals in the Instant Pot.
Recipe FAQs
Chuck roast is a popular choice for BBQ shredded beef due to its rich flavor and ability to become tender when slow-cooked. Other options include brisket or short ribs.
Yes, you can make BBQ shredded beef ahead of time and freeze it for later use. Be sure to store it in an airtight container or freezer bag, and it should stay good for several months.
BBQ shredded beef is versatile and can be used in various dishes. Serve it on sandwich buns, over rice, in tacos, on nachos, or as a topping for baked potatoes. It’s a great addition to mac and cheese, too!
More Easy Instant Pot Dinners
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Instant Pot BBQ Shredded Beef
Seasoned, tender shredded beef covered in a homemade BBQ sauce takes minutes in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Freezer meal instructions included.
Find our Slow Cooker BBQ Beef recipe here.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 (approx. 3 pound) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat
- 1 1/2 cups BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup of beef broth (sub: chicken broth)
- 8–10 whole wheat hamburger buns
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
Make It Now:
- In a small bowl, combine the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Cut the meat into 2×2 inch pieces, trimming off excess fat as needed. Pat dry with a paper towel and rub all over with the seasonings.
- Add the meat, beef broth, and 1 cup of BBQ sauce to the Instant Pot. Toss to combine.
- Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
- Transfer the roast to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Add the meat back to the juices in the pot to keep moist.
- Position the top rack of the oven 6 inches below the broiler. Preheat the broiler.
- Place the buns on a baking sheet with the insides facing up. Broil the buns for 1-2 minutes, until golden (watch them closely!).
- Using a slotted spoon or tongs, top each bun with some of the meat. Spoon over some of the remaining BBQ sauce and enjoy.
Freeze For Later: Follow steps 1 and 2. Place the seasoned meat, the beef broth, and 1 cup of the BBQ sauce in a gallon-sized freezer bag or round container. Seal, toss to combine, and freeze (if using a freezer bag, set it in a bowl or round container with a diameter similar to the Instant Pot so it will fit in the pot when frozen). Pour the remaining 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce into a small bag/container and seal. Freeze the sauce and buns alongside the meat.
Prepare From Frozen: Set the extra sauce and buns out on the counter to start thawing. Set the Instant Pot to “Saute”. Transfer the frozen meat and sauce to the pot and cook for 5 minutes to release some liquid. Press “Cancel”. Follow steps 4-8 (the meat will cook at the same time length as when fresh!).
Notes/Tips
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- Be sure to cut your roast into evenly sized smaller chunks. We recommend 2×2-inch pieces.
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- Trim off as much excess fat as you can, or ask your butcher to do it for you.
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- You must include at least 1 cup of liquid in a 6-quart Instant Pot (and at least 1 1/2 cups of liquid to the 8-quart Instant Pot) to allow pressure to build.
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- Serve the shredded meat on toasted buns. This prevents soggy buns.
What is the max you can fit in a 8 qt insta pot for this recipe? Could you do it x3 or x4?
Hi Saige. We use 6-quart Instant Pots so can’t truly speak to what would fit in an 8-quart. Because meat doesn’t cook evenly when it is stacked, I wouldn’t try more than 3x the recipe. Let us know how it turns out if you do try 3x the recipe.
I don’t have an instant pot…can this same recipe be used for a crock pot?
Hi Kerri. At the very top of this post, you’ll see a link to https://thrivinghomeblog.com/slow-cooker-shredded-bbq-beef-sandwiches-freezer-meal/. The recipe is pretty much the same, but this one is tailored for the slow cooker.
Quick and easy recipe. Great taste. Will definitely make it again.
All the words we love to hear when describing our recipes! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review Frances.
Family loves this. I also added a 1/2 c of beef broth since my BBQ sauce was thick.
Thanks for the review and tip AJ!
Great tasting, easy to prepare. Family loved this bbq
A little more time consuming but it was well worth it. I should’ve started earlier but a great recipe, I would add in the directions about adding liquid (most people know w/ instapots but I was testing it). I added Beef broth and then poured into a bowl after cooking and added as I needed it to the final sauce with more bbq sauce.
Thanks for the tips and review, Danielle. I will add the info about adding in more liquid. You’re right…the BBQ sauce can be too thick to work as the liquid and beef broth can help.