Slow Cooked Barbecued Beef Sandwiches — The Kind of Meal That Says You're Home

Week 378. Year 8. Tommy is 41. Summer heat. The kind that makes the attic work brutal and the evening grill essential and the cold beer a medical necessity. Rémy (11) in school, cooking and fishing. Fishing trips continue — the bayou, the marsh, the same water that Joey fished and that Rémy fishes now with the same cast and the same patience and the different hands that hold the same rod.

Made corn and crab bisque this week — the kind of food that fills the house with the smell of Louisiana and the knowledge that whoever walks through the door is walking into a home where the stove is on and the food is ready and the welcome is unconditional. The meal was the day. The day was the meal. Both were good. Encore là — still here.

The bisque is the soul of the week, but the slow cooker running all afternoon is the backbone of summer — the thing that lets you climb into a hot attic or stand at the marsh bank with Rémy and know that when the day folds, supper is already waiting. These slow cooked barbecued beef sandwiches are that kind of food: low effort, deep payoff, the smell reaching you before you even open the door. It’s the meal that earns the cold beer at the end of it all.

Slow Cooked Barbecued Beef Sandwiches

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 8 hrs | Total Time: 8 hrs 15 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 3 lbs beef chuck roast, trimmed
• 1 cup barbecue sauce (your favorite Louisiana-style)
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 brioche or kaiser rolls, split and toasted
• Sliced pickles and coleslaw for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Season the beef. Pat the chuck roast dry and season all over with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
2. Mix the sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and apple cider vinegar until combined.
3. Load the slow cooker. Place the seasoned roast in the slow cooker and pour the sauce mixture over the top, turning once to coat.
4. Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on LOW for 7—8 hours, or on HIGH for 4—5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and pulling apart easily.
5. Shred the beef. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and shred with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Return shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir to coat with the cooking juices.
6. Rest and settle. Let the beef sit in the sauce on WARM for 10—15 minutes to absorb the flavors before serving.
7. Build the sandwiches. Pile the saucy beef onto toasted rolls and top with pickles and coleslaw if desired. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 520 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 45g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 740mg