Slow Cooker Beef Barbecue (Easy Shredded BBQ Beef)

3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Beef Barbecue (Easy Shredded BBQ Beef)

Servings: 8
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8–10 hours (LOW) or 4–5 hours (HIGH)
Total Time: ~9 hours

This 3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Beef Barbecue is the ultimate hands-off comfort meal. Tender chuck roast cooks low and slow in bottled BBQ sauce until it’s fall-apart soft and perfect for shredding. With just three pantry staples, this crockpot BBQ beef is ideal for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or feeding a crowd.

Ingredients

3–3½ pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat

2 cups bottled barbecue sauce (any favorite brand or flavor)

½ cup beef broth or water

Directions

Add Beef to Slow Cooker
Place the beef chuck roast into the slow cooker. If large, cut it into 2–3 chunks so it fits easily and cooks evenly.

Mix the Sauce
In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the barbecue sauce and beef broth until well combined.

Cook
Pour the sauce over the beef, turning the pieces once to coat. Cover and cook on LOW for 8–10 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the beef is very tender and shreds easily with a fork.

Shred the Beef
Transfer the beef to a cutting board or bowl and shred with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat.

Finish & Rest
Skim excess fat from the sauce if needed. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning—add more BBQ sauce if desired. Let sit on WARM for 10–15 minutes to absorb extra flavor.

Serve
Serve on buns, over baked potatoes, rice, or however you like.

Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days

Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months in freezer-safe bags

Meal prep: Portion with rice or veggies for quick lunches

Variations & Tips

Sweet vs. smoky: Choose BBQ sauce based on preference—brown sugar-style for sweet, hickory or mesquite for smoky.

Add heat: Stir in crushed red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or chipotle in adobo at the end.

Leaner option: Use bottom round roast for a leaner result (slightly less rich).

Party sandwich bar: Keep warm in the slow cooker and serve with slider buns, pickles, coleslaw, red onion, and shredded cheese.