Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Beef Sandwiches {Freezer Meal}
It was a very bad day when my husband left the shredded BBQ beef leftovers out overnight. I knew it was an accident but I REALLY liked these sandwiches and was REALLY looking forward to having them for lunch that day.
Mama Bear was REALLY not happy.
But accidents happen.
I guess.
But in all seriousness, this is one of the best slow cooker recipes I’ve had in a long time. I think the secret to it is in the sauce. The BBQ sauce that is. The homemade sauce that we have on our site is killer and a non-negotiable for this recipe in my opinion. But, if you are in a crunch, I guess you can use your bottled BBQ sauce. I can’t promise you it will be worth getting mad at your husband over but I empower you to make choices for your own life.
For me, the homemade sauce is where it’s at. 
So pretty much, this recipe is super simple. Season the meat and let it cook in some BBQ sauce for 7-8 hours in a slow cooker. It’s hard to mess up!
Also worth mentioning, this is a great recipe for a Freezer Club or Freezer Party (You can find out more about those in our book, From Freezer to Table!). It comes together really quick and freezes beautifully.
I did test this one in the Instant Pot but after cooking it, the BBQ sauce was thinned out quite a bit and I didn’t like it near as much. BUT, it is possible if you really want to do it.
You guys are going to love this one!
Print
Prep Time:
Yield:
Category:
Method:
Cuisine:
Print
PinDescription
Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Beef Sandwiches are worth the wait. So much delicious flavor from this slow cooker dish!
Ingredients
- 1 (3-pound) boneless beef chuck roast
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 cups of this homemade BBQ sauce or your favorite store-bought version
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper together.
- Rub the meat with the seasoning and place in the slow cooker.
- Pour BBQ sauce over the meat.
- Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until beef easily shreds.
- Using two forks, shred the beef.
- Remove excess liquid and serve on whole wheat buns.
Notes
Freezing Instructions
To Freeze: Rub the seasoning over the meat and place in a gallon size freezer bag. Pour the BBQ sauce over the meat, press the air out of the bag, and freeze next to a bag of wheat buns.
To Prepare: Let meat thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Cook in slow cooker as directed. Let buns thaw at room temperature. Enjoy!
This sounds delicious and I can’t wait to try it! One question: If I double the amount of meat, will the cooking time change for the crock pot?
Thanks!! So many great recipes on this site 🙂
I haven’t tested this as a doubled meal, since it already makes so much. But, my educated guess is that if you cut the meat into large chunks that are all about the same size, it should cook evenly and for about the same amount of time. If you just buy a much larger roast, it will likely take a little longer. You want the meat to shred easily when done. Hope that helps!
Can I make the sliders in advance 30/1hour b4 guest arrive or is it something you need to serve as your going to eat?
You can for sure make them in advance!
I’ll be honest when I taste tested the bbq sauce before pouring it over beef I was worried- wasn’t a fan. But I’m glad I kept going because 8 hours later im relieved that I’ll have great sliders to serve at my July 4th party and won’t have to worry about standing in the kitchen cooking while my guests are here!
★★★★★
Love to hear that, Brooke! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and review. Happy 4th!
Hi! I’m going to make this tomorrow for a small group of friends. I have 2 questions: What kind of rolls would you recommend? And can I make the BBQ sauce today so I can put in crock pot first thing in the morning? (I would assume so, but just wanted to check)
Thank you!
Really any roll is going to work. I personally like to use wheat hamburger buns. And yes, you can for sure make it in advance. Good luck!
This looks great! Do you think this would work with stew beef instead of chuck roast? I have some in my freezer I need to use ;). Thanks for any thoughts!!
I’m hosting a gathering for my boxers tomorrow (I teach boxing to people with Parkinson’s disease) and I’m going to double this recipe and serve it on Hawaiian rolls. Thank you for the homemade BBQ sauce recipe too. I really try to keep everything as preservative free as I can. 🙂
★★★★★
Oh great, I hope it worked out well!
Very yummy! I did a test recipe of this for my hubby and I and am making it tomorrow for a monthly community meal for families on the margins. Everyone will pitch in to help with the salad, yam fries, cut up fruit and Amish cookies, but this will be simmering away during the day and welcome everyone in. We have some crock pots that were donated. I’m always on the hunt for nutritious, family friendly meals that cross cultures well. Budget is important too of course so this is a bit of a splurge but at $4.99/lb for sirloin tip roasts this week (couldn’t find chuck roasts on sale) we will talk about the economies of scale as the leftovers can be worked into other main dishes in the days following these amazing beef buns. Thanks so much.
★★★★★
This is probably a dumb question, but I would love to cook this is advance for my (teacher) daughter, so she could just pull it out of the freezer COOKED, thaw it in the fridge that day, and just warm it up in the microwave for her crew that night. Do you think this would be okay? Thanks! I love your blog and recipes–I am not a cook but have prepared several recipes for my kids and they love them!
Hi Nancy. Great question. You can definitely cook this one, store in a freezer bag or container, and then thaw and warm. What a sweet idea for your daughter’s teacher. We love hearing that our freezer meals are lovingly shared with others. 🙂
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!! I found your website Tuesday on a google search for dinners that feed 15 to 20. I knew they were coming and had zero ideas besides the usual pizza delivery or packaged Italian beef sandwiches (too expensive). The BBQ beef was quick, delicious, and less than half the cost of take out.
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Susan. This is fantastic to hear that the recipe worked for his group. This is exactly why we keep doing what we do here at Thriving Home!