Easy Pulled Beef Sandwich Recipe

Pulled beef sandwiches are a perfect option when you want something with a wow factor, but don’t want to put a lot of effort into preparing and serving. You can toss some chuck roast and Coca-Cola in your slow cooker in the morning with Worcestershire sauce and a clove of garlic and some spices you’ve got in your cabinet, and come home to shredded beef sandwiches.

Total hands-on time? About five minutes.

Then it’s just slow-cooker time while you’re at work, running errands, or picking the kids up from school.

Why This Pulled Beef Sandwich Works

The Coca-Cola Does Real Work

I know, I know… cooking with “soda” seems crazy. But trust me, you’re going to get a richer-tasting result than cooking chuck roast in just broth.

Coca-Cola adds a touch of sweetness and color as the sugar in the Coca-Cola caramelizes as it cooks. It also has enough acid to help tenderize the meat.

And, no, it doesn’t end up tasting like Coke.

Chuck Roast Is the Right Cut

Pulled beef calls for low-and-slow cooking, which is best with tougher cuts of meat like chuck. Chuck roast is a great choice since it is full of connective tissue and fat marbling, and cuts with lots of fat and connective tissue do well in stews and pot roasts, which is essentially what’s happening with pulled beef.

When the beef comes out of the slow-cooker, the meat will fall apart with a fork. Tear into long pieces with two forks so the meat can soak up all that delicious braising liquid.

Use some of that braising liquid as a dipping sauce for sandwiches, as a bonus, it is ready to go.

This recipe for Coca-Cola braised, slow-cooker pulled beef sandwiches is the ultimate crowd-pleaser, and comes together with minimum effort on your part. Yum!

The Cooking Liquid Doubles as Dipping Sauce

Don’t pour out the cooking liquid. It’ll make a delicious dipping sauce that tastes similar to au jus.

If you find it’s too thin, simmer on the stove for 5 minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavor. Serve pulled beef sandwiches with a bowl of the dipping sauce on the side.

It Scales Up Without Thinking

The recipe will yield enough sandwiches to feed 4 with a 1 pound roast. Double the recipe and use a 6 quart slow cooker to feed a crowd of 8.

You can easily feed a crowd with minimal time in the kitchen.

What You Need to Know Before You Start

The beauty of chuck roast

Beef can be intimidatingly expensive but chuck roast is relatively inexpensive and super delicious when slow-cooked until spoon-tender. Leaner cuts of beef will fare poorly here as the 8-10 hour cook would yield a dry, stringy result.

Chuck roast on the other hand will fall apart and yield juicy pulled beef sandwiches.

Low and slow is key

This recipe calls for a long, slow cook on LOW in your slow cooker. Don’t cheat here, especially if you’re short on time and tempted to cook on HIGH.

Your roast may appear to be perfectly cooked on high, but it’ll be very chewy as the fibers of the meat will have cooked and tightened up before ever getting the chance to soften up and yield to being shredded. It’ll be cooked but not done.

It needs to start in the morning

Speaking of rushing, don’t make this recipe if it’s already 4pm and you’re dreaming of sandwiches for dinner. This is a weeknight dinner if you start it in the morning.

If you’re dreaming of sandwiches in the afternoon, grab a burger instead.

The sear is optional, but good

Searing the meat is an optional step in the recipe. It is worth it though.

If you’d rather skip this step, you can. But if you don’t, your pulled beef will be even more flavorful because searing the meat triggers the Maillard Reaction which enhances flavor.

Here’s what you do: Heat 2 tsp. canola oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the roast and sear on all sides.

This will take about five minutes. Set aside.

Your Slow Cooker Size Matters

For this recipe I used a 1.5 quart slow cooker which is the perfect size for the 1 lb. roast. This allows the beef to get a real braise effect from the small amount of braising liquid.

If you make this recipe in a 6 quart slow cooker the braising liquid will be a little less effective because it’ll be dispersed throughout the cooker. If you’ve never seen a 1.5 quart cooker, they’re pretty nifty and don’t take up much storage space.

Great for smaller roasts or making things like dips and sauces.

Bread Choice Changes the Whole Experience

I highly recommend using hoagie rolls for this recipe. You can use french bread but hoagie rolls are the best.

Why? The beef is going to be juicy and delicious and a softer bread will fall apart.

By toasting the bread beforehand, the roll will have a nice, sturdy, golden brown crust that will complement the tender beef. Here’s what you do: Slit the rolls, butter the insides then place them in a dry skillet for a couple minutes on each side (about 2-3 min. total) until toasted.

Remove from heat and set aside.

Ingredients for Pulled Beef Sandwiches

For the Beef

• 1 lb. beef chuck roast

For the Marinade / Braising Liquid

• 1/2 c. Coca-Cola, see Ingredient Notes
• 1/8 c. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 Tbsp. white vinegar
• 1 tsp. beef bouillon granules
• 1/2 tsp. each: chili powder, ground mustard
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

For Serving

• Hoagie rolls

Ingredient Notes: Make sure to use regular Coca-Cola. Diet sodas don’t give you the same result because the sugar in this recipe does matter.

Other than the chuck roast, most of these ingredients are pantry staples.

How to Make Pulled Beef Sandwiches

Step 1: Mix the Marinade

Add Coca-Cola, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, vinegar, beef bouillon, chili powder, ground mustard, and cayenne pepper to a measuring cup or a small bowl and stir to combine.

Step 2: Brown the Meat

Pat chuck roast dry. Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is hot and shimmery.

Add the chuck roast, and brown on all sides, 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from heat.

Step 3: Load the Slow Cooker

Add the chuck roast to the slow cooker. Pour the cola marinade into the slow cooker over and around the chuck roast.

The liquid should come about half-way up the chuck roast. Cover.

Step 4: Cook Low and Slow

Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours. Resist the urge to lift the lid; it adds an additional 15-20 minutes to the cooking time each time it’s removed.

The beef should be completely cooked through when it offers no resistance in the center.

Step 5: Shred the Beef

Using two forks, shred the chuck roast. It should take less than 2 minutes.

Now you’re going to shred that beautiful meat. Pull it apart into big chunks first, then shred each chunk into thinner pieces with two forks or a couple of meat shredding claws.

How to Make this Recipe Easier and Faster:

• We used beef bouillon granules in this recipe because granules dissolve more easily than beef bouillon cubes. You can use a cube if necessary, crush it first. Any undissolved bouillon granules will dissolve during the cooking process.
• Browned meat adds depth of flavor and color. For best results, make sure meat is dry before browning by patting it down with paper towels, and make sure the entire side of the meat is touching the skillet. Do not move it around since you’re looking for a deep, browned color. Browning meat is optional.
• You’ll be busy during the day and won’t want to stand around babysitting beef in a skillet, which is exactly why we love this recipe because it’s easy, delicious, and leaves you free to get on with your day.

Tips for Serving Pulled Beef Sandwiches:

• We recommend using sturdy hoagie rolls for Pulled Beef Sandwiches. Soft dinner rolls won’t stand up to the task of holding the meat and acting as little boats for the delicious juices.
• To shred the meat, either remove it to a large bowl or a cutting board and shred using two forks.
• Serve with extra pan juices on the side for dipping.

Step 6: Toast the Rolls and Assemble

Slit the hoagie rolls apart. Spread a little butter on the cut sides.

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the rolls cut-side down until golden. Two to three minutes.

Remove from skillet, pile beef onto rolls, serve. You can always scoop some of the delicious cooking liquid into small bowls and serve those on the side, too.

Totally worth it as dipping juice.

Tips for the Best Pulled Beef Sandwiches

Don’t Trim All the Fat Off the Roast

You might be tempted to pare away as much of the fat from your chuck roast before cooking. Resist this impulse.

All of that fat is going to slowly baste the meat as it cooks for 10 glorious hours. Without it, your beef could dry out.

As it cooks, those pockets of fat are going to melt into a liquid, anyway, so you can skim off some of the fat before serving.

Longer Is Almost Always Better

Cooking chuck roast for 8 hours in a slow cooker instead of a full 10 will save you just…two hours. But you’ll be missing out on TONS of flavor and tenderness.

Give your chuck roast the full 10 hours on LOW, and your meat will be perfectly tender and fall-apart without being overly mushy. Trust me, it’s worth the wait.

Add the Shredded Beef Back to the Juices

But it’s SO good to let that shredded beef rest in its own juice for at least 10-15 more minutes, or possibly longer. The meat will soak up the juices, making it even more flavorful, and it keeps it nice and warm.

Then you can assemble the sandwiches as needed. Totally saves time, especially if you’re feeding a crowd.

Toast Your Bread, It’s Worth the Two Minutes

Toasting the cut surfaces of the sandwich rolls will keep them from getting soggy as quickly, which is guaranteed to happen, since pulled beef is moist and tender and bread is soft unless toasted. They’ll be crunchy and delicious, and you’ll be grateful you toasted them, even if you’re not a bread person.

Use the Cooking Liquid

Save the cooking liquid – it’s basically beef au jus. If it’s a bit thin, heat it in a small saucepan over medium heat until it reduces a bit (5-8 minutes).

It may need a pinch of additional salt. Serve it in a small bowl for dipping, à la french dip sandwich.

One Honest Note About Slow Cooker Size

This recipe was designed with a smallish (1.5-quart) slow cooker in mind, in order to make sure there was enough braising liquid to properly braise a smallish, roughly one-pound roast. If your slow cooker is much larger than this, I would suggest doubling or even tripling the recipe to fill it more appropriately.

Otherwise, it’s ok to proceed with the recipe as written – the cooking time may be a tad shorter. However, position the beef on one side so the cooking liquid comes up at least halfway up the side of the meat.

Otherwise, the cooking liquid will be spread very thinly across the bottom of the cooker and won’t do its job as effectively.

Serving Ideas

• A simple, crisp, creamy coleslaw is the perfect accompaniment – its freshness and creaminess balances the richness of the beef. Serve the slaw on the sandwich, or on the side.
• Potato wedges or french fries are a natural accompaniment too, and they’ll be ready right about the time your beef is resting and ready to pull apart.
• On a warm day, corn on the cob is another easy and delicious choice.
• Pickle slices are great with beef sandwiches – the vinegar-based brine helps to cut through the fat of the meat. Try kosher dills.
• A simple green salad with a zippy vinaigrette would be delicious too – greens are always welcome alongside rich dishes like braised beef.

My favorite way to serve Pulled Beef is right in the slow cooker, on the counter. Have some rolls and toppings out and let everyone assemble their own.

This is the most effortless option for the hostess (me!) and the crowd loves building their own sandwiches.

Variations Worth Trying

BBQ Pulled Beef

To turn this recipe into BBQ Pulled Beef, drain most of the cooking liquid, stir in 1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce and WARM in the slow cooker for another 15 minutes or until the barbecue sauce is hot. This is delicious and has a wonderful smoky, sweet flavor.

My favorite way to serve these is on brioche buns with some pickled red onion.

Add a Spicy Kick

For a version with heat, stir some minced chipotle pepper into the marinade before cooking. The longer it cooks the spicier it will be, so start with a conservative amount.

The pepper adds another dimension of heat and smokiness that plays well with the beef and Worcestershire in this recipe.

Pulled Beef Tacos

Shredded Pulled Beef makes a great filling for corn tortillas. Serve with diced white onion, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

This is the answer when your crowd is divided between sandwich and taco fans. Make Pulled Beef and let everyone choose.

Pulled Beef Over Rice or Mashed Potatoes

If you’re looking for a more traditional dinner option, shredded beef is delicious spooned over white rice or mashed potatoes. Top with some of the cooking liquid from the beef for additional flavor.

How to Store and Reheat Pulled Beef

Refrigerator Storage

Leftover Pulled Beef will keep for up to 4 days in an air-tight container in the fridge. To retain moisture, add a few spoonfuls of the cooking liquid to the container.

Freezer Storage

Pulled Beef freezes well. Allow the beef to cool, then transfer to a freezer-safe container along with some of the cooking liquid.

Freeze in meal-time portions for easy reheating.

Place in freezer safe container or freezer bag, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. I find it helpful to date everything I put in the freezer because inevitably, I’d forget what’s in those bags otherwise.

Reheating

The best way to reheat this recipe is in a small saucepan on the stovetop over low heat with some of the reserved cooking liquid or beef broth. Reheating should take about 5 minutes and will require an occasional stir.

You can also nuke it in the microwave in a pinch, just cover it with a dampened paper towel to retain some of the moisture/steam so it doesn’t dry out. Use 30 second bursts and stir in between.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different cut of beef?

This recipe calls for chuck roast which is great for pulled beef recipes because it has higher fat and connective tissue contents which breakdown and melt during the longer cooking time making for more tender and juicy results. Connective tissue melts into gelatin and beef chuck has a lot of it.

Brisket could be used and results are almost identical. Bottom round roast can also be used but does run drier so keep an eye on the cooking times as it will require a shorter cook than chuck roast.

Avoid using cuts that are very lean like top round or sirloin cuts.

Can I cook this on HIGH instead of LOW?

You can but results are much better when cooked on LOW. Meat behaves differently than vegetables and requires more time to cook properly and become tender.

When you cook meats on HIGH, the muscle fibers contract faster than the collagen can melt making for tough, chewy results. Expect the recipe to take about 4-5 hours and check on it sooner than usual as each crock pot cooks differently.

Can I make this without Coca-Cola?

You can use beef broth with about 1 tsp brown sugar to recreate similar results. Root beer can be used but will have a different flavor.

Some people prefer Dr. Pepper because it’s got more of a flavor than cola.

If you want to go without sweetness altogether, just use beef broth.

How do I know when the beef is done?

Once your recipe’s recommended cooking time has passed, it’s important to do a shred test: pierce the meat with two forks and twist them in opposite directions. The meat should fall apart easily.

If there’s much resistance in the center or the meat mostly holds its shape, keep cooking.

At this point, the internal temperature should be 200°F; this ensures the collagen will be completely broken down. Believe me, the two-fork test is just as reliable as a meat thermometer.

What kind of bread to use for pulled beef sandwiches

• Crusty baguettes or French bread
• Sturdy hoagie rolls

Avoid soft hamburger buns because they will turn to mush in a hurry. You want something that’ll stand up to all that beef and the inevitable dipping action.

Ciabatta rolls are another option. Their spongy texture (open crumb) soaks up the juices, but doesn’t get mushy.

These are perfect for a crowd since people can serve themselves.

Can I prepare the recipe in advance?

• Mix together marinade and store overnight in a jar in the refrigerator.
• Add chuck roast and marinade to slow cooker insert, cover, and store overnight in refrigerator. In the morning, allow 15-20 minutes for insert to come to room temperature before setting on slow cooker base and turning on.

Can I make more for a crowd?

Absolutely, just double the ingredients and make sure you’re using at least a 6 quart slow cooker. A 3 lb. roast, with the ingredients in this recipe doubled, will be plenty for 6-8 sandwiches.

As a general rule of thumb, plan on about 3-4 oz. of cooked, shredded beef per sandwich. Keep in mind that meat will reduce by about 30% as it cooks, so a 3 lb. roast will yield about 2 lbs. shredded.

Leave on WARM throughout the party for a help-yourself option.