For all you other busy moms out there, I know it comes as no surprise that I love easy and delicious recipes. If it uses my slow cooker and has only a couple ingredients? I'm likely to love it even more. It's why this 4 ingredient shredded beef sandwich recipe is one of our absolute favorite recipes.

I love my slow cooker. What busy mom doesn't? I use it to make homemade yogurt with this easy crockpot yogurt recipe. I use it to make 5 ingredient Mexican chicken which I can quickly toss in on a busy day.

And this crock pot recipe for shredded beef? It's definitely another reason I love my slow cooker!

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All you need is a roast, a couple of seasoning packets and some water to make perfectly tender and delicious seasoned shredded beef. I keep au jus and Italian seasoning packets (that's the secret ingredient) in my pantry so I can make this roast in a hurry. When chuck roast goes on sale for $2.99/lb (my stock-up price), I buy several for the freezer so we can enjoy this meal several times.

I've tried a lot of other shredded meat recipes but this one? There is something about the combination of the au jus seasoning and Italian dressing that works perfectly. It's probably why some people call them Italian shredded beef sandwiches. I don't know how truly Italian they are but I do know that once you try these easy shredded beef sandwiches, you'll fall in love with them too.

This recipe can easily be doubled to make shredded beef sandwiches for a crowd. In fact, I've filled two crock pots (like this one) with chuck roasts and let them simmer all day to make big pots of shredded beef for a family reunion. Since this shredded beef freezes great, it's a perfect recipe to make ahead of time. Whenever you are ready to serve, just reheat the shredded beef on low in your slow cooker.

This recipe can also be used to make a roast. Sometimes I cook the recipe with the seasonings, toss a couple potatoes in and serve it as a roast (without shredding). Andy likes it that way. Then, I shred the leftover beef and put it back in the delicious crock pot gravy for shredded beef sandwiches the next day.

Shredded Beef Ingredients:

2.5 – 4 lb chuck roast
1 package (1 ounce) dry au jus mix
1 package (0.7 ounce) dry Italian dressing mix
1-2 cups water

Directions for Making Shredded Beef Sandwiches:

Put the chuck roast in the bottom of your slow cooker. Sprinkle dry au jus over the roast. Sprinkle dry Italian dressing over the roast.

Pour in 1 to 2 cups of water, erring on the side of more. Make sure the bottom of the crock pot is covered with water. I usually just pour some water in until it looks good to me. After a time or two making this recipe, you'll be able to estimate it as well.

Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or until the beef easily falls apart.

Lift the roast out of the crock pot and shred with two forks, removing the fat as you go. The beef should fall apart easily. Put the shredded beef back into the broth in the crock pot for delicious pulled beef sandwiches. Serve on buns.

Additional Pulled Beef Sandwich Notes:

This recipe makes a tasty and delicious roast. Sometimes, I serve it as a roast the first night and shred leftovers for shredded beef another night. Do save the broth because it makes a great gravy (with the roast) and keeps your shredded beef perfectly moist.

Shredded beef freezes very well. If you make a large roast, you can easily freeze some beef for another meal in the future. Again, just be sure to freeze the meat with the seasoned broth! I would recommend reheating it in a slow cooker on low.

Wondering what to serve with shredded beef sandwiches?

If you want something cold, a simple, homemade potato salad is always good. My homemade potato salad recipe can easily be adapted, whether you are serving 8 people or 50 people!

If you want to serve something hot with your shredded beef sandwiches, I like to serve cheesy potato casserole. Potato based sides seem to pair well with this shredded roast beef sandwich.

5 ingredient apple snickers salad is a quick side dish to make that everyone loves.

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4 Ingredient Shredded Beef Sandwich Recipe

Shredded Beef Sandwich Recipe - Only 4 ingredients! Seriously, the best shredded beef sandwich I have ever eaten.

This shredded beef recipe makes the most delicious shredded beef sandwiches you will ever eat. With only 4 ingredients, this freezer friendly recipe is sure to become a family favorite!

  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 8 hours
  • Total Time: 8 hours 5 minutes
  • Category: Slow Cooker
  • Cuisine: American
  • 2.5 – 4 lb chuck roast
  • 1 package (1 ounce) dry au jus mix
  • 1 package (0.7 ounce) dry Italian dressing mix
  • 1–2 cups water
  1. Put the chuck roast in the bottom of your slow cooker.
  2. Sprinkle dry au jus over the roast. Sprinkle dry Italian dressing over the roast.
  3. Pour in 1 to 2 cups of water. Make sure the bottom of the crock pot is covered with water.
  4. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or until the beef easily falls apart.
  5. Lift the roast out of the crock pot and shred with two forks, removing the fat as you go. The beef should fall apart easily.
  6. Put the shredded beef back into the broth in the crock pot for delicious shredded beef sandwiches. Serve meat on buns.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1