Easiest Tastiest BBQ Beef
So easy, so oniony, so tangy, so delicious! This recipe is a “must have” to add to your collection of “things that are so easy to make and so delicious that everyone loves it.”
Glo was a beloved neighbor and not only because she was a good cook! She knew how to make simple delicious food and astound us with how easy it was. This BBQ Beef recipe is one of her’s. I am a fan of shortcuts if the end result is as tasty as if everything were made from scratch. Homemade barbecue sauce? I tried it a couple of times and Sweet Baby Ray’s already had a better recipe, so why bother. Even Kraft had figured it out before I tried.
In my earlier days, I figured the best cooks would make everything from scratch which included the rolls or buns and yes mine were good, but not necessarily better than the bakery’s, so I threw mine over along with the notion that I had to make every article of clothing my children wore until I started comparing prices of fabric to clothes off the rack. I still have my sewing machine but only use it for costumes or curtains. And I still have my rolling pin, and use it most often just for the fun of it!
The secret to the depth of the flavor of this beef is the addition of Lipton’s Onion soup mix. This mix has been around for a long time - what would we have done without it once discovered that mixed with sour cream, it made a great chip dip. I still think that is better homemade - but I don’t dry out the onions myself nor concoct a powdered formula of spices and seasonings.
A BBQ beef bar is a fun way to serve this with perhaps even rolls of various sizes and types, and toppings like bacon bits, french onions, garlic aioli, sour cream, pickles, slaw, cheese…..and on and on. Have a contest to see who can make the tallest sandwich!
Barbecued Beef
3 pounds beef chuck roast
1 package Onion soup mix
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste
1 bottle favorite prepared BBQ sauce
Rolls to serve beef on
-Place oil in large dutch oven, or roasting pan. Heat oil over high heat until very hot. Add the roast and sear on both sides, about 5 minutes per side, liberally adding salt and pepper to each side. Remove pot from heat.
-Sprinkle the pouch of onion soup mix over the meat and add 2 cups water. Cover pot with lid and place in a 325 degree preheated oven. Braise meat for 2 1/2 hours, checking once or twice during baking to turn and see if more water is needed. (There should be plenty of water still in the pot with the meat.
-When beef is very fork tender, remove the roast to a plate. Place the pot back on the stove and cook over medium-high heat to reduce the liquid by about half (about 20 minutes.)
-Meanwhile, with forks,shred the beef removing fat and gristle as you do so. When the liquid in the pot has reduced, return the meat to the pot and add the bottle of BBQ sauce. Warm through over medium heat.
-To serve: Slice rolls in half (almost any type of roll works well - hamburger buns, hard rolls, slider-sized rolls, hoagie buns, ciabatta - depending on the size you want each serving to be. If serving a crowd, it is nice to serve with a selection of condiments so people can dress theirs as they like.
-Condiments could include: slaw, pickles, sliced roasted red peppers, french onions, bacon bits, mustard, raw onions, cheese slices, garlic aioli.
Shred cooked beef and remove fat and gristle.
Serve with condiments and let each person add their favorites!
Tender beef mixed with the perfect BBQ sauce - rich in flavor and not too spicy. People will be clamoring for more than one sandwich!
