Crockpot Beef and Cheddar Sandwiches
These crockpot beef and cheddar sandwiches are made with a chuck roast that cooks until it shreds with a fork. Piled on a toasted bun with melted sharp cheddar, they taste like a deli sandwich you made at home.
8
servings15
minutes8
hoursA chuck roast cooks low and slow in a tangy onion broth until it shreds. Pile it on toasted buns with sharp cheddar and dip in the juices.
Ingredients
3 lb boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut in 3 pieces
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 large yellow onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 1/2 cups beef broth
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
8 sandwich buns, split
8 slices sharp cheddar cheese
2 tbsp butter, softened
Directions
- Pat the chuck roast dry and season all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear each piece of roast 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Move the meat to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Scatter the onion and garlic around the meat. Whisk the broth, Worcestershire, vinegar, brown sugar, paprika and thyme together and pour it over the top.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. The beef is ready when it shreds with no resistance from a fork.
- Lift the meat onto a cutting board and shred with two forks. Skim the fat off the liquid with a spoon.
- Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir it into about a cup of the juices. Cook on HIGH for 15 minutes so it soaks up the flavor.
- Heat the broiler. Spread butter on the cut sides of the buns and toast them under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pile the beef on the bottom buns and top each with a slice of cheddar. Broil 1 minute until the cheese is melted.
- Add the tops and serve right away.
- Strain some of the leftover juices into small cups for dipping.
Notes
- If the beef is not shredding, give it another hour. Pork shoulder works the same way with the same time. Store shredded beef in its juices in the fridge up to 4 days. Freeze in portions with juices up to 3 months. Serve with pickles and mustard on the side.
Why chuck roast wins here
Chuck is full of connective tissue, which melts into the broth over long, gentle heat. That is what gives you juicy, silky strands instead of dry shreds. It is the kind of dinner that smells amazing from lunchtime on.
The vinegar and Worcestershire add tang, so the beef tastes bright against rich cheddar. A pan cannot hold this heat steadily for eight hours the way a crockpot does. The meat also reheats well, so leftover sandwiches on Tuesday taste as good as the first batch. Because the beef cooks in liquid, it never dries out even if you hold it on WARM for an extra hour while the family gets home.
Ingredient notes
Chuck roast: Look for good marbling and a roast about 2 inches thick. Lean cuts like round turn stringy. Cut it into three or four big pieces so it browns evenly and cooks through at the same rate.
Sharp cheddar: Buy a block and slice it yourself or ask the deli for thin slices. Sharp cheddar stands up to the beef where mild disappears. Cheddar from a block melts cleaner than the pre-shredded kind, which is coated to resist clumping.
Beef broth: Use low-sodium. The juices reduce in the pot and can taste salty otherwise. Reduced sodium also lets you adjust the salt at the end, after the juices cook down.
Onion: A big yellow onion melts into the juices and gives a sweet backbone. You can leave the slices in the pot, since they break down into the sauce and give the beef sweetness.
Buns: Sturdy ones, like brioche or kaiser rolls, hold the juicy beef without falling apart. Skip hot dog buns here. They split under the weight and the juices.
Tips for the best sandwiches
Sear the meat: Browning builds the dark, savory flavor you cannot get from just simmering. It takes ten minutes and changes the whole pot. Use a heavy skillet and do not crowd the pieces, or they steam and turn grey.
Skim the fat: The most common mistake is stirring greasy liquid back into the beef. Spoon off the fat first and the sandwiches taste clean, not heavy. A fat separator or a large spoon works. Tilt the pot and skim from the corner where the fat pools.
Toast the buns: A buttered, toasted bun resists the juices and tastes better too. Another good habit is to warm the cheese slices on the bun for ten seconds so they melt faster, which prevents overcooking the bread.
Swaps and variations
Use provolone or Swiss for a milder sandwich, or pepper jack to add heat. A splash of hot sauce in the broth works well too. For a lighter dinner, serve the beef over a salad. A spoon of horseradish stirred into mayo makes a sharp spread that pairs well with cheddar and beef.
Do not add the cheese to the slow cooker itself. It turns oily and the sandwiches lose their melted layer.
What to serve with it
Coleslaw, kettle chips and dill pickles make an easy deli plate. A bowl of tomato soup on the side turns it into a cozy dinner. A glass of cold iced tea or a crisp pickle spear keeps the plate balanced, and a pan of baked beans makes it a cookout menu.
Storing, freezing and reheating
Keep leftover beef in its juices in a sealed container for up to 4 days. The juices are what stop it from drying out. Cool the meat quickly and pack it with plenty of juice, so it does not dry out. Label the bag with the date before you freeze it.
Freeze in meal-size portions for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat gently on the stove or in the slow cooker on LOW with a splash of broth.
Crockpot Beef and Cheddar Sandwiches at a glance
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 8 hours
- Servings: 8 servings
- Ingredients: 15, led by boneless chuck roast, vegetable oil, kosher salt, black pepper
Tips for Crockpot Beef and Cheddar Sandwiches
If the beef is not shredding, give it another hour. Pork shoulder works the same way with the same time. Store shredded beef in its juices in the fridge up to 4 days. Freeze in portions with juices up to 3 months. Serve with pickles and mustard on the side.
Crockpot Beef and Cheddar Sandwiches FAQ
How long does Crockpot Beef and Cheddar Sandwiches take?
Crockpot Beef and Cheddar Sandwiches takes 8 hours of cooking after 15 minutes of prep.
How many people does Crockpot Beef and Cheddar Sandwiches serve?
This recipe makes 8 servings.
What do I need to make Crockpot Beef and Cheddar Sandwiches?
15 ingredients, led by boneless chuck roast, vegetable oil, kosher salt, black pepper. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
