Sweet Smoky BBQ Pulled Beef (Printable)

Tender beef in sweet smoky BBQ sauce with crisp slaw, wrapped in warm tortillas for a satisfying meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ For the Pulled Beef

01 - 1.5 lbs beef chuck roast
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - ½ tsp black pepper
05 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
06 - 1 tsp garlic powder
07 - 1 tsp onion powder
08 - 1 cup sweet smoky BBQ sauce
09 - ½ cup beef broth

→ For the Slaw

10 - 2 cups shredded green cabbage
11 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
12 - 1 large carrot, julienned
13 - ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
14 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise
15 - 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
16 - 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
17 - 1 tsp honey
18 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ For Assembly

19 - 4 large flour tortillas
20 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped (optional)
21 - Pickled jalapeños (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 325°F.
02 - Pat beef chuck roast dry and season with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear beef on all sides until browned, about 2-3 minutes per side.
04 - Add BBQ sauce and beef broth to the pot. Cover tightly with a lid or foil.
05 - Transfer to the oven and cook for 2-2½ hours, or until beef is fork-tender and easily shredded.
06 - In a large bowl, combine green and red cabbage, carrot, and red onion. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to use.
07 - Remove beef from oven. Shred with two forks directly in the pot, mixing with the BBQ sauce.
08 - Warm tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave.
09 - Spread a generous portion of pulled beef onto each tortilla. Top with slaw, fresh herbs, and pickled jalapeños if desired. Roll up and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The beef basically cooks itself while you handle other parts of life, which I learned the hard way when my oven did all the work during a chaotic toddler afternoon
  • That slaw brings such a bright crunch against the rich beef, a trick I picked up from a food truck guy who swore by the contrast
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, though full disclosure, they rarely survive that long in our house
02 -
  • Dutch ovens retain heat differently than other pots, so if you’re using something lighter, check your beef about 30 minutes earlier than the recipe suggests
  • That slaw gets soggy if it sits too long in the dressing, so I toss it about an hour before serving, a timing mistake I made exactly once
  • The beef needs to rest for at least 10 minutes after shredding so the juices redistribute, otherwise you end up with a dry situation no amount of extra sauce can fix
03 -
  • Patting the beef completely dry before seasoning is the step most people skip, but it’s the difference between getting a proper sear and steaming your meat in the pot
  • Let your meat rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before searing, a restaurant trick I wish I’d known years ago

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