Description
Mexican pulled beef sandwiches blend tender, slow-cooked meat with zesty spices for an authentic culinary experience. Hearty flavors and simple ingredients create a memorable meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs (1.36 kg) beef chuck roast (or brisket)
- 1 cup (240 ml) beef broth
- ½ cup (120 ml) barbecue sauce
- 2 tbsps Worcestershire sauce
- 6 brioche or hamburger buns
- ½ cup (120 ml) coleslaw (optional, for topping)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp mustard (yellow or Dijon)
- Extra barbecue sauce (for drizzling)
Instructions
- Preparation: Thoroughly dry beef and create a flavor-packed seasoning mixture using salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Searing: Heat a large skillet over medium-high, add olive oil, and expertly sear the seasoned beef for 2-3 minutes per side, developing a caramelized crust that intensifies the meat’s natural flavors.
- Slow Cooking: Transfer seared beef to a slow cooker and infuse with a harmonious blend of beef broth, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and mustard, creating a complex flavor profile.
- Transformation: Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours until the beef becomes incredibly tender and easily falls apart with minimal effort.
- Shredding and Finishing: Remove beef from cooking liquid, shred using two forks, then reunite the meat with its rich sauce, ensuring each strand is thoroughly coated with the deeply developed flavors.
- Serving: Toast buns for added texture, pile high with succulent pulled beef, top with crisp coleslaw, and finish with an extra splash of barbecue sauce for a final flavor explosion.
Notes
- Moisture Management: Pat beef completely dry before seasoning to promote perfect caramelization and prevent steaming instead of searing.
- Seasoning Strategy: Create a balanced spice blend with even distribution, pressing seasonings firmly into meat’s surface for maximum flavor absorption.
- Slow Cooking Precision: Monitor liquid levels during cooking to prevent drying out, adding extra broth if needed to maintain meat’s tenderness and juiciness.
- Texture Enhancement: Let beef rest briefly after shredding to allow sauce absorption and flavor melding, ensuring each bite delivers maximum taste complexity.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg