This 5-ingredient slow cooker Juneteenth supper is my kind of mid-June comfort food: rich, saucy, and totally hands-off. It leans into the spirit of the holiday with slow-braised, deeply seasoned beef that feels celebratory but still realistic for a busy workday. You literally load the slow cooker in the morning, walk away, and come back to fork-tender shreds of beef in a glossy, dark amber gravy that tastes like it took all day on the stove—because it did, just without you babysitting it.
I like to pile this saucy beef over white rice or creamy mashed potatoes, with a side of collard greens or green beans to nod to traditional Juneteenth spreads. Cornbread (sweet or not) is perfect for soaking up the extra gravy. If you’re feeding a crowd, tuck the beef into soft rolls for sandwiches and serve with a simple coleslaw and watermelon on the side. A splash of hot sauce on top and something cold and fruity to drink round everything out.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Juneteenth SupperServings: 6
Ingredients
3 to 3 1/2 pounds beef bottom round roast, raw
1 (1-ounce) packet onion soup mix
1 cup beef broth (low sodium if possible)
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (thick, smoky-sweet style)
2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium if possible)
Directions
Place the raw beef bottom round roast in the bottom of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. If there is a thick cap of fat on one side, place that side facing up so it bastes the meat as it cooks.
Sprinkle the onion soup mix evenly over the top and sides of the roast, pressing it in slightly so it sticks to the surface.
In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the beef broth, barbecue sauce, and soy sauce until smooth and combined. The mixture should look like a thin, dark amber sauce.
Pour the sauce mixture all around and over the roast in the slow cooker, making sure some of it runs underneath so the bottom is sitting in liquid.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, without opening the lid during cooking. The beef is done when it is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
Once the roast is cooked, use two forks to shred the beef directly in the slow cooker, pulling it into bite-size strands. Stir the shredded beef well so every piece is coated in the thick, glossy sauce.
Taste the beef and sauce, and if desired, add a pinch of salt or a splash more soy sauce to deepen the flavor. Let the shredded beef sit on WARM for 10 to 15 minutes so it can soak up even more of the sauce before serving.
Serve the saucy shredded beef hot, straight from the slow cooker, spooning plenty of the dark amber gravy over each portion.
Variations & Tips
You can tweak this five-ingredient base a few different ways without adding extra fuss. For a sweeter, more barbecue-forward flavor, use a sweeter BBQ sauce or stir in an extra tablespoon of barbecue sauce at the end. For more smokiness, choose a hickory-style sauce or add a few dashes of liquid smoke in place of part of the soy sauce (still keeping the total number of ingredients at five by swapping, not adding). If you prefer more gravy, increase the beef broth to 1 1/2 cups and let the shredded beef sit on WARM longer to soak it up. To keep sodium in check, choose low-sodium broth, low-sodium soy sauce, and a reduced-sodium soup mix, then taste before adding any extra salt. For a slightly leaner dish, trim obvious thick exterior fat from the roast before cooking, but leave some marbling so the meat stays moist. Food safety tips: Always start with a fully thawed roast; do not cook from frozen in the slow cooker, as it can sit too long in the temperature danger zone. Keep the lid on during cooking so the beef reaches a safe internal temperature quickly and stays there. The shredded beef should reach at least 145°F, but long, slow cooking will take it well above that into the safe range. Cool leftovers within 2 hours of cooking by transferring them (with some sauce) to shallow containers, then refrigerate and use within 3 to 4 days, or freeze for longer storage. Reheat leftovers until steaming hot all the way through before serving.
