This easy slow cooker pulled beef recipe transforms a simple beef brisket into a melt-in-your-mouth, flavour-packed dish with minimal effort.
With just five minutes of prep and eight hours in the slow cooker, you'll have tender, pull-apart beef infused with a sweet, smoky, and tangy BBQ sauce-ideal for feeding a crowd or meal prepping for the week ahead.
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This slow cooker pulled beef brisket is incredibly versatile. Serve it in sandwiches, tacos, burritos, or alongside rice and vegetables, or pile it onto jacket potatoes straight from the air fryer for a delicious leftover meal.
It's a simple dump-and-go recipe, making it perfect to start in the slow cooker first thing in the morning and let it work its magic while you get on with the day.
A true lifesaver on busy weekdays, especially when the kids have after-school clubs or sports to rush to. If you enjoy this, you might also like my slow cooker BBQ pulled chicken recipe for another fuss-free family favourite.
Love easy slow cooker recipes? Try my simple slow cooker chilli con carne or slow cooker chicken chasseur next!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- Effortless slow cooker pulled beef - minimal prep, dump and go.
- Tender, flavour-packed beef with a sweet, smoky BBQ sauce, perfect for sandwiches, tacos, or wraps.
- Versatile family meal - serve with mash, rice, or jacket potatoes.
- Ideal for busy weekdays - set it in the morning and come home to a delicious dinner.
🛒 Ingredient notes
Beef Brisket - 1.5kg beef brisket joint.
Onion - one large onion peeled and roughly chopped.
Sauce - BBQ sauce, light brown sugar, cider vinegar, yellow American mustard (not English mustard - it's too hot!), smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, water).
🔪 How to make pulled beef in slow cooker
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Place the beef brisket joint in your slow cooker basin.
Two: Mix together the onion and sauce ingredients in a jug then pour over the beef joint.
Three: Cook on low for 8 hours. Take the beef out of the slow cooker and place it on a chopping board. Cut thick slices of beef with a sharp knife then shred the beef with two forks. Place the shredded beef back into the slow cooker and mix it into the sauce.
Top Tips
- Use American yellow mustard in this recipe. English mustard or Dijon are too strong and will overpower the other flavours in the sauce. You can usually find American yellow mustard next to BBQ sauce and tomato ketchup in the supermarket.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of thickening granules, or pour the sauce into a saucepan, bring it to the boil, and cook until it reaches your desired consistency.
- For extra flavour, allow the pulled beef to rest in the sauce for 10-15 minutes before serving - it helps the meat absorb all the BBQ goodness.
- Leftovers keep well and taste even better the next day, making this recipe perfect for batch cooking or meal prep.
🍴 Serving suggestions
There are plenty of ways to serve/use slow cooker pulled beef. Here are a few ideas!
- Wraps & Tacos: Soft tortillas, burritos, fajitas, or enchiladas
- Sandwiches & Buns: Classic sandwiches or served in burger buns
- Potatoes & Rice: Jacket potatoes, dirty chips, or a bed of fluffy rice
- Loaded Dishes: Nachos, pizza topping, or topped over a fresh salad
- Toppings & Sides: Pico de gallo, lime wedges, sliced red onion, and a dollop of sour cream
📖 Variations
- Make it spicy by adding a teaspoon of chilli flakes or chilli powder to the sauce.
- Swap beef for pork for a different but equally tender pulled meat.
- Experiment with flavourings: Italian seasoning, Chinese five spice, taco seasoning, or garlic powder.
- Cook in a pressure cooker instead of a slow cooker to save time.
- Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice for extra zest.
- Substitute cider vinegar with red wine vinegar for a slightly different tang.
- Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce and a tablespoon of tomato purée for a richer, savoury flavour.
🥡 Storage
Store - The slow cooker pulled beef can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat - Microwave until piping hot.
Freeze - Once cool, place the shredded beef into a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Although slow cookers are designed to cook food for long periods of time, you can still overcook beef in a slow cooker so try and keep an eye on it. Test it with a fork to see if it's falling apart and tender.
Yes you can!
Beef brisket or braising steak are both great for cooking long and slow in a slow cooker, and easy to shred with forks at the end of cooking.
😋 More slow cooker recipes
- Slow Cooker Chilli Con Carne
- Slow Cooker Pork Ragu
- Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole
- Slow Cooker Hunters Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
- Slow Cooker Pork Casserole
- Slow Cooker Beef Keema
- Slow Cooker Red Lentil Dahl
Tried it? Let me know what you think and rate it ⭐️ below. Tag me @effortlessf00d-I'd love to see! Don't forget to subscribe for more recipes.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Pulled Beef
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Equipment
- Knife
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg Beef Brisket Joint
- 1 Onion peeled and chopped
For the sauce
- 200 ml BBQ Sauce
- 3 tablespoon Light Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Cider Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Yellow American Mustard NOT ENGLISH MUSTARD
- 1 tablespoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne
- 20 ml Water
Instructions
- Place the beef brisket joint in your slow cooker basin.1.5 kg Beef Brisket Joint
- Mix together the onion and sauce ingredients in a jug then pour over the beef joint.1 Onion, 200 ml BBQ Sauce, 3 tablespoon Light Brown Sugar, 2 tablespoon Cider Vinegar, 1 tablespoon Yellow American Mustard, 1 tablespoon Smoked Paprika, 1 teaspoon Cayenne, 20 ml Water
- Cook on low for 8 hours. Take the beef out of the slow cooker and place it on a chopping board. Cut thick slices of beef with a sharp knife then shred the beef with two forks. Place the shredded beef back into the slow cooker and mix it into the sauce.
Notes
- Use American yellow mustard in this recipe. English mustard and Dijon mustard are too strong and will overpower the other flavours in the sauce. You can find American yellow mustard next to BBQ sauce and Tomato Ketchup in the supermarket.
Nutritional Information (Approximate)
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Dana says
This pulled beef has such a nice and tangy flavor! It also makes the house smell amazing while it's cooking. The perfect cozy comfort meal for rainy Sundays!
Tara says
Oh yum! You had me at sweet, smoky, and tangy BBQ sauce. This pulled beef looks so good and I love how easily it comes together in the slow cooker.
Biana says
This beef looks perfect for tacos! Thank you for sharing such an easy recipe.
Dannii says
We love making these for tacos. Perfect comfort food.
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
This beef looks so tender and tasty and can be used in so many meals with so little effort. Thanks for sharing this.