If there’s one thing a slow cooker does exceptionally well, it’s turning a chuck roast into something people can’t stop eating. This Cowboy Beef is no exception. A situation where the crockpot does all the work for you, you end up with smoky, sweet, fall-apart beef bathed in barbecue sauce, bacon, a few other goodies, and just enough jalapeño heat to keep things interesting. I find this is best piled on a sandwich… the kind that’s messy in the best possible way! Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just looking for an irresistible but easy family dinner, this delivers every time. (And it practically makes itself.) Just make sure you have napkins. A lot of napkins.

What Ingredients Do You Need for Cowboy Beef?

You’ll need:

• A chuck roast. (The best cut for low-and-slow cooking.)
• Chili powder.
• Barbecue sauce. (Use your favorite!)
• Bacon, cooked and crumbled. (Half goes into the slow cooker, half goes on top!)
• A white or yellow onion, thinly sliced.
• Worcestershire sauce.
• Garlic.
• Brown sugar.
• Crispy fried onions.
• Tamed sliced jalapeños. (Just enough kick so this works for anyone!)

What is a chuck roast and why does it work so well here?
Chuck roast comes from the shoulder of the cow, which means it has plenty of fat and connective tissue running through it. In a slow cooker, all of that breaks down over hours of low, gentle heat and turns into incredibly tender, juicy, shreddable beef. It’s the ideal cut for this kind of cooking and it’s usually one of the more affordable roasts at the grocery store, which makes it even better.

How Do You Make Cowboy Beef?

The slow cooker does the real work here; your job is about five minutes of prep and then staying out of the way while your kitchen fills with the most incredible smell. Here’s how it all comes together:

Season the chuck roast all over with salt, pepper, and chili powder and add it to the slow cooker. Pour in the barbecue sauce, then add half the crumbled bacon, the sliced onion, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, brown sugar, and jalapeños right on top. Put the lid on and let it cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or high for 6 to 8, until the beef pulls apart effortlessly with a fork.

Shred the beef right in the slow cooker with two forks, letting it soak up all that smoky, sweet sauce. Drain off a little of the liquid if needed to keep things from getting too saucy. Then build your sandwiches — cheese first, then a generous pile of shredded beef, followed by the remaining crispy bacon, extra jalapeños if you like the heat, and a big handful of crispy fried onions on top.

This is not a dainty sandwich! It is a cowboy sandwich, and it earns the name.
(Pro tip: it’s equally great over baked potatoes.)