Smoky BBQ Pot Roast

Tender shredded barbecue beef with potatoes and carrots in a red Dutch oven

Tender chuck roast cooks low and slow in a covered Dutch oven with onions and a smoky homemade rub, then gets shredded and mixed with barbecue sauce and savory cooking juices.

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Barbecue Beef Pot Roast, Dutch Oven Pot Roast, Shredded Barbecue Beef

Author: Sandy Clifton

Equipment

Ingredients

Spice Rub

½ teaspoon Table Salt
2 ½ teaspoons Smoked Paprika
2 ½ teaspoons Brown Sugar
1 ¼ teaspoons Coarse Black Pepper
1 ¼ teaspoons Cumin
1 ¼ teaspoons Chili Powder
1 ¼ teaspoons Sweet Paprika
1 ¼ teaspoons Garlic Powder
1 ¼ teaspoons Onion Powder
¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Roast and Cooking Liquid

3–4 pound Chuck Roast
1 cup Low Sodium Beef Broth
¾ cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
4 teaspoons Liquid Smoke
1 large Yellow Onion thickly chopped

Optional Vegetables

1 pound Small Potatoes approximately; adjust as desired
3 Carrots cut into thick chunks (approximately; adjust as desired)

Topping

1 cup BBQ Sauce divided (approximately; adjust the final addition to taste)

Instructions

Prep

Heat the oven to 300°F.
Mix together all of the spice rub ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels. Season all sides with most of the spice rub, reserving a little for the top. Let the seasoned roast sit while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
In a bowl or large measuring cup, stir together the beef broth, soy sauce, minced garlic, and liquid smoke.
Chop the onion and spread it over the bottom of a Dutch oven.
Place the seasoned roast on top of the onion. Pour the broth mixture over the roast, then sprinkle the reserved spice rub over the meat.
If using potatoes and carrots, prepare them and arrange them around the roast.
Cover the Dutch oven with its lid and bake for about 2-3 hours for a smaller roast, or about 3-4 hours for a larger roast.
Brush ½ cup of the barbecue sauce over the roast. Cover and return to the oven for about 1 more hour, or until the beef is very tender and pulls apart easily with a fork. Total cooking time is about 3–4 hours, depending on the size and thickness of the roast. Continue cooking if needed until tender.
If using potatoes and carrots, transfer the cooked vegetables to a serving dish and cover to keep warm.

Defat and Finish

Leave the roast in the Dutch oven and use a spoon to skim the excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Alternatively, ladle the liquid into a fat separator, reserving the defatted juices. There is no need to remove the roast.
Shred the beef in the Dutch oven with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Stir in the remaining barbecue sauce, about ½ cup or to taste. If you used a fat separator, add back enough of the reserved cooking juices to reach your desired consistency. Serve warm.

Notes

Cooking Time: The listed cook time is 3 hours, but larger or thicker roasts may need 4 hours or longer. The final hour with barbecue sauce is included in the total cooking time.
Spice Rub: Use the entire small batch. The ½ teaspoon salt is for the entire recipe and is mixed into the rub.
Optional Vegetables: About 1 pound of small potatoes and 3 carrots is a guide; adjust the amounts to fit your Dutch oven.
Servings: Yield is approximately 6–8 servings, depending on the size of the roast, trimming, and portion size.

Nutrition