Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Recipe

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Make rich and hearty sandwiches with Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Recipe.  With very little prep, you will have fork-tender and flavorful beef that can be piled high into your favorite rolls.

Inspired by the ingredients of Korean BBQ, the pulled beef has a sweet/savory/spicy combination that provides amazing flavor.  Top your sandwich with a crunchy slaw combined with a dressing made with mayonnaise and rice vinegar.  An easy dinner after a busy day!

Why This Recipe Works

Slow Cooker Recipes - Hands-free, this is about as easy as a recipe can be.  With minimal effort, you will have a delicious meal full of interesting flavors.

Inexpensive and Tough Cut of Meat - Cuts of beef such as chuck roast or brisket benefit from braising in a slow cooker.  Cooking low and slow allows the collagen in tough cuts of meat to break down, resulting in incredibly tender and flavorful beef.

Adaptable - There are many uses for the meat - sandwiches, tacos, or nachos.  Add to rice bowls, along with some of your favorite vegetables.

Braising Meat

Any cut of meat that has a lot of connective tissue and marbling benefits from braising in liquid.  This helps to prevent the meat from drying out leaving it tender and juicy.

The first step in braising or slow cooking is to brown the meat, which dries the exterior surface and develops a delicious caramelized flavor.  As the meat slowly cooks, the connective tissue and collagen start to break down into gelatin.  The result is succulent and flavorful meat that easily breaks apart.

Best Cuts of Meat for Braising

1. Chuck Roast - From the shoulder area of the cow, a chuck roast has a lot of connective tissue.
2. Brisket - Located in the breast area of the cow, it is below the chuck and contains a lot of connective tissue as well.
3. Skirt - Near the belly of the cow, under the ribs. It is tough and benefits from marinades but has an intense beefy flavor.

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Ingredients

Cooking Liquid

The ingredients in the cooking liquid are inspired by the flavors of Korean BBQ.  It is a delicious blend of sweet, savory, and spicy.

• mango - Use a ripe mango to get a full, fruity sweetness in the marinade
• yellow onion - Because of the addition of fruit, use a standard yellow onion, not a sweet variety.
• fresh ginger root - Fresh works best in this recipe, rather than powdered ginger.  The flavor is a little spicier.
• garlic cloves - Again, french works better.  The sharp taste will mellow while the meat slowly braises.
• soy sauce - Adds umami and salty flavor
• gochujang - A thick fermented paste made with red chile flakes, it adds a funky fiery kick.
• light brown sugar - The touch of molasses in brown sugar is a great partner with the other ingredients.
• sesame oil - Adds a rich, nutty flavor.

Shredded Beef

• 2 ½ - 3 pound roast - I use a chuck roast in this recipe.  If you have a 2 ½-pound roast, use the specified amounts of the ingredients found in the recipe.  If you have a roast closer to 3 pounds, you may want to add slightly more marinade ingredients.

How to Make Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Recipe

Sear the Beef

• Season the roast liberally with kosher salt and pepper on both sides.  Have a cast iron skillet (or any large heavy skillet) over medium-high heat.  Once the skillet is hot, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan.  When the oil is smoking hot, carefully add the chuck roast to the skillet. The oil may splatter.

• Sear the meat for 6-7 minutes until there is a deep brown crust on the surface of the meat.
• Flip the meat over to the other side and sear the roast until dark brown, another 6-7 minutes.
• Place the roast in the slow cooker while you prepare the cooking liquid.

Prepare the Cooking Liquid

•  Cut the sides of the mango off from the flat pit. Remove the peel and chop the fruit into a medium dice. Place the mango in the bowl of a food processor.
• Cut half of an onion into thin slices. Add to the food processor bowl.
• Peel the piece of ginger and cut it into thin pieces. Add to the food processor.
• Peel the garlic cloves and smash them into large pieces. Add to the food processor.
• Add the soy, gochujang, light brown sugar, and sesame oil to the food processor. Puree for up to 1 minute until the liquid is combined.
• Start the slow cooker - Add the cooking liquid to the slow cooker, making sure some of it is under the meat.

• Set the slow cooker to high. Cook the roast for 4 hours.
• Occasionally, remove any fat that has risen to the top of the cooking liquid.
• Shred the roast - When the meat is ready, you should be able to pull it apart easily with two forks. You may find it easier to pull the meat apart on a cutting board. Add the shredded beef back to the slow cooker and stir to incorporate it with the reduced cooking liquid.

Crunchy Slaw

As the meat cooks, prepare the Crunchy Slaw which is thinly sliced vegetables combined with a dressing made with mayonnaise and rice wine vinegar.  I suggest using Kewpie Mayonnaise because its rich flavor works well with the other ingredients in the slaw.

Ingredients

• thinly sliced cabbage 
• shredded carrots
• thinly sliced red onions
• red bell pepper strips
• mayonnaise
• rice vinegar
• granulated sugar
• salt and pepper
• minced parsley
• sesame seeds

Prepare the slaw

• Mix the mayonnaise, rice vinegar, granulated sugar, kosher salt, and ground black pepper in a medium-sized bowl.
• Add the vegetables and toss to coat with the dressing.
• Add the minced parsley and sesame seeds to the slaw and mix.

Arrange sandwiches

• Toast the rolls or sandwich buns.  The bread will not get too soggy.
• Place ¾ cup of the shredded beef onto the bottom half of the roll.
• Add up to ½ cup of slaw on top of the shredded beef.

Suggested Uses of Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

I like to prepare easy sandwiches for a delicious dinner.  But here are a few suggestions for other tasty meals that will get rave reviews.

• Tacos - Add your favorite taco toppings such as sour cream, pico de gallo. lettuce, or tomato.  A squeeze of lime juice would be a nice touch.
• Nachos - Lay some fried corn tortillas or chips on a platter.  Top with the shredded beef and your favorite toppings.  A delicious snack!
• Rice Bowls - Top with bell pepper strips, cucumber salad, kimchi, shredded carrots, and a jammy 7-minute egg.

Tips

1. Adjust the amount of gochujang to your liking.  The amount in the recipe leaves a background hint of spice.  If you prefer more heat, add more gochujang.
2. The slow cooker can be set at low for 8 hours.
3. If Kewpie mayonnaise is unavailable, you can substitute it with your favorite brand.  

Dinner waiting for you

The whole family will smell the beef cooking in the slow cooker, just waiting for dinner time.

This Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Recipe will taste even better the next day.  The succulent and tender shredded meat is very versatile and can be easily adapted for many meals.  The Korean BBQ flavors are a flavorful combination of fruity and spicy that partner well with the braised meat.

Here is another recipe using the same flavor profile - https://tenpoundcakecompany.com/korean-barbecue-inspired-meatballs.

 

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