BBQ Shredded Beef Sandwiches Recipe

BBQ Shredded Beef Sandwiches Recipe

This BBQ Shredded Beef recipe features tender boneless chuck roast cooked to perfection with a flavorful brown sugar and spice rub, slow-cooked or pressure-cooked, then shredded and mixed with rich BBQ sauce. Perfect for sandwiches or as a hearty main dish, it’s a crowd-pleaser with minimal prep and versatile cooking methods.

CourseMain Course
CuisineAmerican
KeywordBBQ shredded beef, boneless chuck roast, slow cooker shredded beef, Instant Pot beef, barbecue beef recipe, beef sandwiches, easy BBQ recipe, Instant Pot
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time70 minutes
Total Time90 minutes
Servings8 servings

Ingredients

Beef and Seasoning

  • 4 pound boneless chuck roast
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Liquids and Sauce

  • 1/2 cup beef stock
  • 18 ounces BBQ sauce, storebought or homemade

Serving

  • 8 sandwich buns, optional

Instructions

  1. Cut your boneless chuck roast into 2 inch chunks. Remove any large pieces of fat or connective tissue from the roast pieces and place them into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and ground black pepper.
  3. Sprinkle the spice rub over the cubed beef and toss to coat all the meat evenly in the spice blend.
  4. Place the seasoned beef cubes into the Instant Pot’s inner pot and pour in the beef stock. Secure the lid and ensure the vent is set to ‘sealed.’ Select the ‘manual high’ pressure setting and cook for 50 minutes.
  5. After cooking, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. Then carefully switch the vent to ‘venting’ to release any remaining pressure before opening the lid.
  6. Remove the beef onto a large plate or cutting board and shred it using forks. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid from the pot; discard the rest.
  7. Return the shredded beef to the pot, add the BBQ sauce, and stir well to combine. If the mixture is too thick, thin it by adding some of the reserved beef stock. Keep warm on the Instant Pot ‘keep warm’ setting until serving if desired.
  8. Place the seasoned beef and beef stock in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours. Then remove, shred the beef, reserve 1 cup of liquid, discard the rest, mix the shredded beef with BBQ sauce, and thin with reserved liquid if needed. Serve warm.
  9. Spoon the BBQ shredded beef onto sandwich buns if desired and enjoy hot.

Notes

  • Allowing the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure helps the beef cook gently, making it more tender.
  • When quick release is required, carefully turn the vent to ‘venting’ as the steam is extremely hot.
  • If BBQ beef is too thick, thin it out gradually with reserved beef stock to achieve desired consistency.
  • Removing large fat pieces before cooking ensures a less greasy final dish.
  • Use store-bought or homemade BBQ sauce depending on preference for flavor customization.

BBQ Shredded Beef Sandwiches Recipe https://cookwithhailey.com/bbq-shredded-beef-sandwiches-recipe/ May 13, 2026