Set-it-and-forget-it shredded beef for a crowd

When you want barbecue flavor without babysitting a smoker, a chuck roast in the crockpot is the answer. It cooks down low and slow into fork-tender, saucy shredded beef perfect for sandwiches.

A quick sear before it goes in the slow cooker is the one step worth not skipping — it builds a richer, beefier flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 Whitt's Place beef chuck roast (3–4 lbs)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup barbecue sauce, plus more to serve
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Season the roast generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat and sear the roast on all sides until well browned.
2. Lay the onion in the bottom of the crockpot and set the roast on top. Add the garlic.
3. Whisk together the barbecue sauce, broth, brown sugar, Worcestershire, and paprika, then pour over the roast.
4. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (or high for 5), until the beef shreds easily with a fork.
5. Shred the beef, stir it back into the sauce, and serve on buns with extra barbecue sauce and coleslaw.

Whitt's Tip

Skim the fat off the top before shredding, and let the beef sit in the sauce 15 minutes — it soaks up flavor as it rests.