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Pulled Beef Sandwich Recipe

Pulled Beef Sandwich

Tender, slow-cooked beef, simmered in a rich and tangy tomato sauce, shredded to perfection and served in soft brioche buns with a crunchy homemade slaw.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 8 sandwiches
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 895
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 kg beef chuck roast or brisket, tied if necessary
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large onions finely sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika hot or sweet
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 250 ml beef stock
  • 80 ml cider vinegar
  • 3 tbsp dark brown soft sugar
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 8 brioche buns for serving
For the Slaw (Optional)
  • 1/4 red cabbage shredded
  • 1/4 white cabbage shredded
  • 2 carrots grated
  • 3 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp cider vinegar
  • A handful of sliced gherkins or pickles for serving

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan). Pat the beef dry with kitchen paper and season it generously on all sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based casserole dish or Dutch oven over a medium-high heat. Carefully place the beef in the hot pan and sear for 3-4 minutes on each side, until it's deeply browned all over. Don’t move it around too much while it’s searing. Once browned, remove the beef and set it aside on a plate.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the sliced onions to the same pot. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft, sweet, and starting to caramelise. Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, and cumin, and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  4. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for a minute more. Pour in the cider vinegar to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. I find this step adds so much flavour.
  5. Add the chopped tomatoes, beef stock, dark brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir everything together and bring to a gentle simmer.
  6. Return the seared beef to the pot, nestling it into the sauce. The liquid should come about halfway up the side of the beef. Pop the lid on.
  7. Transfer the pot to the preheated oven and cook for 3 to 3.5 hours. Check it after 2 hours; if the sauce looks like it's reducing too quickly, add a small splash of water or stock. The beef is ready when it is completely tender and you can easily pull it apart with a fork.
  8. Carefully remove the beef from the pot and place it on a large board or in a shallow dish. Using two forks, shred the meat, discarding any large pieces of fat.
  9. While you're shredding the beef, you can place the pot with the sauce back on the hob over a medium heat. Let it bubble away for 5-10 minutes to thicken slightly if you wish. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or sugar as needed.
  10. Return the shredded beef to the sauce in the pot and stir gently to coat everything. Let it sit for a few minutes to soak up all that lovely flavour. To serve, lightly toast the brioche buns, pile them high with the pulled beef, and top with crunchy slaw and a few slices of gherkin.

Notes

The pulled beef is even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.