Slow Cooker Beef on a Bun

If there are any guarantees in life, aside from death and taxes, it's that if you end up at any kind of event around Stampede time in Calgary, you'll be served Beef on a Bun. And this is a good thing! However, when I first moved to Calgary (30+ years ago), I really didn't have a true appreciation for it. But let me tell you, it grows on you... to the point that eventually you can't live without it. Given the absence of Stampede events the past couple of years, this year I decided that I needed to make my own Slow Cooker Beef on a Bun.

I LOVE slow cooker recipes (check out all my other slow cooker recipes HERE! ), especially ones like this slow cooker BBQ beef, where you can dump and go or set it and forget it! It takes about 10 minutes to put together, and you just let the slow cooker do all the work! It's also WW friendly.

🥘 Ingredient Notes

• Beef.  You can use an inexpensive cut of beef, such as a chuck roast or round roast.
• BBQ sauce. I used to use President’s Choice Gourmet, but they changed the flavor recently. I recommend you use your favorite. I've been using my homemade Bbq Sauce with ketchup.
• Chili sauce .*I use Heinz Chili Sauce (affiliate link).
• Brown sugar. With its higher moisture content, brown sugar keeps meat tender and juicy while adding a subtle molasses sweetness.
• Liquid smoke (affiliate link). Liquid smoke adds depth and complexity of flavors to this beef, mimicking the authentic grilled taste. But you need to be careful not to overdo it -less is more in this case! Only add the amount directed, or you'll end up with a very strange-tasting beef.

*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities

📖 Variations & Substitutions

• Buns: you can use my Dinner buns (Granny Buns) recipe, or use any type of bun (hamburger, Kaiser, etc) * I use hamburger buns OR make it WW friendly with a thin bun
• Beef - you can use sirloin tip or any economical beef roast 
• Chili sauce -you could substitute ketchup and 1 teaspoon extra chili powder
• Wine vinegar - use apple cider vinegar or regular vinegar with a splash (about 2 tsp) of white wine (if you have it) in place of wine vinegar
• Brown sugar - use white sugar and add 1 teaspoon molasses
• Liquid smoke optional- you can leave out the liquid smoke if you don't have it  (but I do recommend it - it makes a huge difference, and you can find it at almost any grocery store or online.
• Toppings- jalapenos, pepperoncini, or pickles, and some people put the coleslaw right on top (I personally love to do that).

🥗 Side dishes

Traditionally, beef on a bun is served with coleslaw and beans. It even feels weird to even suggest anything else, so here are a couple of coleslaw recipes and another side I think would pair well with this dish:

• Slow Cooker New England Baked Beans
• Healthy Artichoke & Roasted Red Pepper Coleslaw   (this is the coleslaw recipe I use for this shredded beef on a bun , but I leave out the artichoke and red peppers for this recipe).
• Skinny Coleslaw Recipe
• Quick Cucumber Kimchi

If you're looking for the perfect dessert to go with this dish, give my Easy Potluck Dessert-Black Forest Tiramisu a try!

🎥 Video

Using a stand mixer to shred or 'pull' your beef is a game changer - it's so much quicker! You could even use a hand mixer if you don't have a stand mixer (I have done this as well.)

VIDEO: Shredding Beef in a Stand Mixer

👪 Serving size

This recipe serves A LOT of people! So if you are making it for a crowd, then make the amount directed. However, if you are making it for a smaller group, you can reduce the servings. Simply click on the number of servings you need, and the amounts will adjust accordingly!

🌡️Storing

Make up to 2 days in advance and store in the fridge for up to 3 days after making.