Crazy Delicious Pulled BBQ Beef
This scrumptious, fuss-free BBQ beef recipe is a crowd pleaser, perfect for everything from an easy family supper to a dinnertime gathering of friends. Tender bits of beef coated in lip-smacking good, made-from-scratch BBQ sauce and piled high on toasted buns is mealtime perfection. Grab an extra napkin or two and dig in!
Equipment
- Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 1 3 lb. arm or chuck roast boneless or bone-in, see note
- 2-3 TBLS oil
- 1 cup beef broth see note
- 1 cup dill pickle juice see note
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons dehydrated onion
- Freshly ground black pepper
BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup prepared mustard
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Frank’s Red Hot Sauce optional
- 10 hamburger buns toasted if desired
- Sliced pickles
- Sliced cheese
Instructions
- Begin heating the Instant Pot (or another electric pressure cooker) using the sauté function. Add the oil and swirl with a turner spatula to cover the bottom of the pan, heating just until the oil shimmers. Add the roast and sear the meat on each side when the oil is hot (but not smoking!). Be careful as the oil may spatter a bit. Using a splatter guard is an excellent idea if you have one on hand.
- When the roast’s sides are nicely browned, remove the roast from the cooker and set it aside. Add the beef broth and pickle juice to the pot, bringing to a simmer as you deglaze the pot, scraping up all the tasty brown bits. Once the pan is deglazed, turn off the sauté function.
- Return the meat to the pressure cooker. Sprinkle the roast with garlic powder, dried onions, and freshly ground black pepper. Using the pressure cook function, set the cooker to high pressure for one hour for a boneless roast or 1 hour and 15 minutes for a bone-in roast.
- When the time is done, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, and then press the release button to complete the pressure release. Remove the roast from the Instant Pot, and reserve the cooking liquid in a separate container. As soon as the meat is cool enough to handle, use two forks to shred the meat, removing any extra fat. Return the beef to the pot and set the Instant Pot to the keep warm function.
- Meanwhile, while the roast is cooking, stir together the ingredients for the barbecue sauce. Once the meat is shredded, mix the sauce into the meat. Add some cooking liquid back in, a little at a time, until the meat reaches the juiciness you prefer.
- Keep the BBQ beef warm in the cooker until ready to serve.
- Serve shredded BBQ beef piled high on a toasted hamburger bun spread with mayonnaise, sliced dill pickles, and a slice of cheese. Add a handful of potato chips to your plate and a side of coleslaw for a complete All-American summertime meal!
Notes
- A note on the roast cut: This recipe was developed using a boneless chuck roast, but I’ve also made it with a bone-in arm roast. Just increase the cooking time by 15 minutes if your roast has a bone in it and be aware that you won’t get quite as much meat off the same poundage of roast.
- A note on the beef broth: If you don’t have beef broth on hand, substitute 1 cup of hot water and 1 teaspoon of beef or vegetable bouillon (Better than Bouillon is my personal favorite for depth of flavor).
- A note on the pickle juice: not all pickles (and pickle juices) are created equal. For best results, use the juice from the brand of dill pickles that you enjoy the most (I prefer Great Value Hamburger Dills for their yummy flavor and simpler ingredients).