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Dutch Oven BBQ Beef

Tender, juicy, savory and sweet -- this Dutch Oven BBQ Beef transforms an affordable cut of meat into a delicious and satisfying lunch or dinner. 

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 633 kcal
Course: Lunch , Dinner
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 (3-lb.) boneless chuck roast
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, divided
  • 1 ½ tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter
  • 12 ounces beer (such as lager or pilsner)
  • 1 ½ cups ketchup
  • ½ cup Dijon mustard
  • ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 
  • Optional, for serving: sandwich buns

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 275° F.
  2. Mix the flour with ¼ cup of the brown sugar, smoked paprika, kosher salt, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin on a sheet of waxed paper. Pat the roast dry; dredge it in the flour mixture on all sides.
  3. Heat butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Brown the meat to give it nice color, but don’t let the sugars burn (about 3 minutes per side).
  4. Reduce the heat to medium and add beer. Cover with the lid and bake in the 275° F oven for 2 hours.
  5. After 2 hours, remove the lid and continue baking for another 45 minutes – 1 hour, or until the meat is fall-apart tender.
  6. Remove beef from Dutch oven and let rest while you prepare the barbecue sauce.
Make the Barbecue Sauce:
    Cup of Yum
  1. To the pan drippings in the Dutch oven, whisk in ketchup, apple cider vinegar, mustard, remaining ¼ cup of brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
  2. Shred beef using two forks. Toss shredded meat with about half of the barbecue sauce. Serve on buns, if desired, with extra sauce on the side.

Notes

  • Don't want to cook with beer? You can braise the meat in an equal amount of beef broth instead.
  • Use a pork butt or pork shoulder instead of the beef roast.
  • Spicy beef barbecue: add some cayenne to the dry rub, and serve the beef with crushed red pepper flakes, sliced jalapeños, or hot sauce.
  • Slow cooker bbq beef: while it's not my preference, you can use the Crock Pot instead of a Dutch oven to cook this barbecue. To do so, rub the beef with the seasoning blend, transfer to a slow cooker, add the beer, cover, and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours (or until the meat is fall-apart tender). Remove the beef from the slow cooker, shred with two forks, and then toss with your favorite barbecue sauce.
  • Don't want to make your own sauce? Toss the shredded beef with your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce. If you're using store-bought sauce, you'll need a total of about 3 cups.
  • Dredge the meat in the seasoned flour. This helps the beef caramelize and brown, while the flour also thickens the liquid in the pot.
  • Brown the meat. This is an extra step, but it's worth the effort. The caramelized surface gives the beef extra flavor, while the browned bits and drippings in the pot add even more flavor to the barbecue sauce.
  • For tender, juicy barbecue, it's important to cook the beef long enough to break down the tough connective tissue and fibers. If your meat is still tough after about 3 hours, cook it for a little bit longer.
  • Remove the lid from the Dutch oven during the final 45 minutes or so. This will allow some of the liquid to evaporate from the pot, condensing the flavor in the drippings, and creating a nice base for the barbecue sauce.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1/6 of the recipe Calories 633kcal (32%) Carbohydrates 40g (13%) Protein 45g (90%) Fat 33g (51%) Saturated Fat 13g (65%) Trans Fat 2g Cholesterol 162mg (54%) Sodium 1983mg (83%) Potassium 1102mg (31%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 32g (64%) Vitamin A 1464IU (29%) Vitamin C 3mg (3%) Calcium 85mg (9%) Iron 6mg (33%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 633

% Daily Value*

Serving 1/6 of the recipe
Calories 633kcal 32%
Carbohydrates 40g 13%
Protein 45g 90%
Fat 33g 51%
Saturated Fat 13g 65%
Trans Fat 2g 100%
Cholesterol 162mg 54%
Sodium 1983mg 83%
Potassium 1102mg 23%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 32g 64%
Vitamin A 1464IU 29%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 85mg 9%
Iron 6mg 33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.