This slow cooker celebration simmer is the kind of hearty, no-fuss supper I lean on when the weather is hot but my heart still wants something rich and comforting. It uses just four ingredients and lets the slow cooker do all the work, turning inexpensive, gelatinous chunks of beef into tender, pull-apart bites bathed in a glossy mahogany sauce. It reminds me of the church potlucks of my Midwestern childhood, when someone would always bring a big crock of saucy beef that made the whole fellowship hall smell like home. This is meant for busy summer weekends, when you’d rather be out in the yard or at the lake than standing over a hot stove, but still want a dinner that feels like a little celebration at the end of the day.
Serve this rich, saucy beef over a bed of fluffy mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or simple white rice so all that glistening mahogany sauce has something to soak into. A crisp green salad or sliced garden tomatoes with a sprinkle of salt help balance the richness, and a side of buttered corn or green beans fits right in with a Midwestern table. Leftovers make wonderful sandwiches piled on soft buns, and a scoop of tangy coleslaw alongside keeps everything feeling light enough for a summer evening.
4-Ingredient Celebration SimmerServings: 6
Ingredients
3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into large 2- to 3-inch chunks (look for well-marbled, gelatinous pieces)
1 (1-ounce) packet dry onion soup mix
1 cup beef broth
1 cup barbecue sauce (thick, smoky-sweet style)
Directions
Pat the beef chunks dry with paper towels. This helps them brown a bit along the edges in the slow cooker and gives a better texture to the finished sauce.
Place the beef chunks in the bottom of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker in an even layer, nestling them together but not packing them too tightly.
Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the beef so the seasoning touches as many surfaces as possible.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the beef broth and barbecue sauce until smooth and combined. The mixture should look like a thin, deep reddish-brown sauce.
Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the beef in the slow cooker, making sure all the chunks are at least partially submerged. Do not stir; leaving the seasoning on top will help it melt down slowly into the sauce.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is very tender and the connective tissue has melted into a gelatinous, silky texture. The chunks should pull apart easily with a fork.
Once the beef is tender, use a large spoon to skim off any excess fat that has risen to the top of the sauce, if desired. Gently stir the meat in the sauce so the glistening mahogany coating clings to every piece, keeping some chunks intact while allowing a few fibrous strands to pull apart for that fall-apart look.
Taste the sauce and adjust if needed with a pinch of salt or a splash of additional barbecue sauce for sweetness and tang. Let the beef sit on the WARM setting for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the flavors to settle before serving.
Serve the gelatinous, slow-roasted beef chunks directly from the slow cooker, spooning plenty of the glossy mahogany sauce over each portion.
Variations & Tips
For a slightly sweeter, more crowd-pleasing flavor, use a honey or brown sugar style barbecue sauce; for a smokier, more robust taste, choose a hickory or mesquite variety. If you prefer a bit of heat, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes or a spoonful of hot sauce with the broth and barbecue sauce. You can also add 1 cup of sliced onions or 1 cup of baby carrots under the beef for a built-in side dish, but keep in mind that will take you beyond the four core ingredients. Pork shoulder can be substituted for the beef chuck; cook times remain similar, and the result will be tender, pull-apart pork in the same glossy sauce. For a slightly thicker sauce, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking on HIGH, or mash a few pieces of the tender meat into the liquid to naturally thicken it. Food safety tips: Always start with fresh, cold meat and keep it refrigerated until you are ready to load the slow cooker. Do not use frozen meat directly in the slow cooker, as it can spend too long in the temperature “danger zone” (40°F to 140°F). Make sure your slow cooker is at least half full but not more than two-thirds full so it can heat evenly. Cook the beef until it reaches at least 190°F to 200°F internally for that pull-apart texture and food safety. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers, and reheat until steaming hot before serving again.
