Chefs moonlight as magicians, transforming simple ingredients into fancy feasts. That’s exactly what I did with my Pulled Beef Sandwich. You get heaven on a plate when you pair a basic chuck roast with my decadent seasonings. I love a good sandwich, especially when it’s stacked with BBQ beef and a buffet of jazzy toppings.
Give my Pulled Beef Sandwich a shot if you want an easy meal that the entire family will enjoy. Serve it for Sunday dinner or a fun game day meal. It’s sure to get everyone smiling!
Pulled Beef Sandwich | Heath Riles BBQ
This delicious Pulled Beef Sandwich uses two cooking methods for maximum flavor. The roast is smoked at a low temperature, then braised in a flavorful liquid. The result is a juicy, tender sandwich. Even though this recipe seems involved, it all happens on the Traeger.
The Ingredients
Chuck roast. This inexpensive cut of meat tastes like gourmet fare when prepared right. My chuck roast came in a package of two, and the total weight was about 3 pounds. I like purchasing roasts in smaller sizes because it takes less time to get to temp. You can find this particular roast at most grocery stores.
Heath Riles BBQ Beef Rub. I kept my seasoning simple by using just one blend. My Beef Rub is a hearty combination of paprika, garlic, pepper, salt, and chili powder. Its deep flavor complements beef to a tee, but you can also use it on chicken, pork, or seafood.
Beef broth. Beef broth is the base of my braising liquid. It gives the meat an authentic flavor without removing its natural goodness. You can use a lot of beef broth because the meat soaks up the liquid. Plus, you’ll want some of the au jus to dip your sandwich in.
Red cooking wine. This dark and mysterious cooking wine amps up the flavor of beef. The alcohol evaporates during the cooking process, leaving you with a smooth, tasty sauce. Your roast will take on a savory, robust flavor profile that you wouldn’t get otherwise.
Bear and Burton’s W Sauce. I love this Worcestershire sauce so much that I added it to my online store! This small business was birthed in 2020, basing its product on a 100-year-old family recipe. This sauce is like nothing you’ve ever tasted. It adds just the right amount of zest to any recipe.
Veggies. Onions, celery, garlic, and carrots permeate the braising liquid with spice and earthy flair. Pro tip: Add a few onion slices to your sandwich for extra pizazz.
Butter. Butter adds richness to the braising liquid and gives it that au jus taste. I prefer salted butter, but you can also use unsalted and get a similar result.
Heath Riles BBQ Sweet BBQ Sauce. I mixed a little of my Sweet BBQ sauce into the meat. Go light on this ingredient and mix it with a bit of au jus. Your beef will end up juicy but not saucy, which is exactly what we’re going for.
Sandwich toppings. You can assemble your sandwich the way you like, but if you need inspiration, here’s my go-to. I pile provolone cheese, beef, and a little mayo on a ciabatta bun. This combination is a classic and lets the meat shine.
The Smoker Setup
- Pellet grill/smoker. I used a Traeger Timberline 1300 to cook this recipe. I love the Traeger because it’s high quality, works like a charm, and is easy to use. It has all the bells and whistles, like a super-smoke button, a roomy interior, and an included probe.
- Pellets. For this cook, I used Royal Oak Charcoal pellets. I’m a huge fan of this company and the quality products they produce. Grab a bag if you’re looking for pure smoke without any fillers. You’ll be just as obsessed as I am.
The Process for Making a Pulled Beef Sandwich
You can see this recipe's detailed demonstration in the video and recipe card. For now, here’s a quick rundown of how I pulled this cook together.
- Fire up the pit. I stoked the Traeger with Royal Oak Charcoal and fired it up to 275℉.
- Season. While the grill heated, I removed my roasts from the package and seasoned all sides with a heavy layer of Heath Riles BBQ Beef Rub.
- Smoke the beef. I laid the seasoned roasts directly on the Traeger rack and let them cook until they reached 155℉ internally. My roasts reached temp in about 2 hours.
- Make the braising liquid. While the roasts cooked, I placed the beef broth, red cooking wine, and Bear and Burton’s W Sauce in a 5 ½ quart dutch oven. I whisked the mixture until smooth. Then, I added the onions, celery, garlic, carrots, and butter. To finish my braising liquid, I added another dash of Beef Rub. I set the pot on the grill to get the liquid up to temp.
- Braise. Once the roasts reached an internal temp of 155℉, I placed them in the warmed braising liquid. I ensured they were fully submerged and turned the grill up to 350℉. I let the roasts braise until they were fork-tender, which took about 2 more hours. I took the meat off the grill and let it cool for about 20 minutes.
- Shred and sauce. I transferred the meat to a heavy-duty aluminum pan and shredded it with two serving forks. Then, I used my gloves to remove large pieces of fat and gristle. Then, I drizzled a little of my braising liquid over the shredded beef. I finished the meat with a tad of my world-famous Sweet BBQ Sauce.
- Assemble the sandwiches. I buttered some ciabatta rolls and toasted them on the grill until barely crisp. To assemble the sandwiches, I halved the rolls and layered provolone cheese, a scoop of pulled beef, and another slice of provolone. I placed the sandwiches on a sheet pan, then let them melt for 10 minutes on the Traeger.
- Cool and serve. I let the sandwiches cool for a couple of minutes, then finished them off with a drizzle of mayo and a few braised onions. The only thing left was to eat up!
The Results
This sandwich was off-the-charts delicious. The combination of onions, mayo, beef, and cheese was incredible. You’ll dream of this sandwich for weeks! I recommend saving your braising liquid to use as au jus sauce.
Serving Suggestions for my Pulled Beef Sandwich
Serve these tasty sandwiches with home fries or potato chips, a bowl of coleslaw, and a beer.
Storing Leftover Pulled Beef
Leftover beef tastes great in a quesadilla. If you still have leftovers, you can store them in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze them for up to 4 months.
Equipment and Tools
Traeger Timberline 1300, Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Charcoal Pellets, Thermoworks ONE, insulated gloves for handling meat, metal tongs, 5 ½ quart dutch oven, Metal Measuring Cups, Aluminum Pan, Plastic Ladle, Thermoworks Silicone Pot Holders
