These smokey crock pot shredded beef sandwiches are the perfect quick weeknight meal. Served on toasty brioche bun with spicy arugula and a creamy horseradish sauce, you’ll be craving it all week.
Why We Love These Shredded Beef Sandwiches
These shredded beef sandwiches with melty cheese and mayo-horseradish sauce will make lunchtime a breeze.
- Great for gatherings. The slow cooker whips up a large batch of shredded beef so you have enough sandwiches for all your guests.
- Versatile. Swap the bread, add homemade pesto, or use up leftover veggies.
- Effortless. All you have to do is assemble the sandwiches because the juicy beef with hints of smokey cumin practically cooks itself.
- Mediterranean-inspired. There’s fresh arugula, creamy aioli, rosemary, and salty provolone in every bite.
Ingredient Notes
Rosemary and sage pair beautifully with the provolone’s savoriness and the aioli’s creaminess. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.
For the Shredded Beef & Sandwiches
- Beef shoulder – Make sure it’s boneless.
- Garlic powder – Feel free to use roasted garlic or onion powder.
- Smoked paprika – Sweet or spicy paprika work too.
- Rosemary – It can be fresh or dried.
- Sage – Fresh is best.
- Cumin – You can swap it for 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce or skip it.
- Salt and pepper – Go for kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper.
- Olive oil – Vegetable, corn, or canola oil are good swaps.
- Red onion – White or yellow onions are okay as well.
- Beef broth – Feel free to use veggie stock.
- Brioche buns – Regular hamburger buns work too.
- Provolone cheese – Any kind of melty cheese like mozzarella or cheddar will do.
- Arugula – Baby spinach is a great swap.
Horseradish Aioli
- Mayonnaise – I prefer full-fat to low-fat mayo.
- Prepared horseradish – Use your favorite.
How to Make Shredded Beef Sandwiches
These easy, juicy shredded beef sandwiches are an effortless lunch because the filling comes together in the slow cooker. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.
- Prep the beef. Pat the beef dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Whisk the spices, herbs, and seasonings in a small bowl until smooth. Sprinkle the mixture on all sides of the beef.
- Sear it. Place the beef on a hot skillet with olive oil. Cook it for 2-3 minutes per side or until lightly browned.
- Slow cook it. Place the seared beef, half of the onions, and broth in the slow cooker. Set it to LOW for 6-8 hours or until fork-tender and easily shredded.
- Prep the aioli. Whisk the mayo and horseradish in a small bowl until smooth. Set it aside.
- Assemble them. Preheat the broiler to HIGH. Place a slice of cheese over the buns and toast them until golden and melty. Spread horseradish on the bottom buns. Top with shredded beef and fresh arugula. Serve and enjoy!
Tips For Success
An herby pesto spread on top of the spicy horseradish aioli in these shredded beef sandwiches is simply heavenly.
- Swap the bread. Sliced sourdough, focaccia, or ciabattas are great swaps for brioche buns in this recipe. Any leftover savory bread works too.
- Make it crispy. Add 1-2 cups shredded beef to a large skillet with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Spread it out with a spatula and cook it for 6-7 minutes without stirring until it becomes slightly crispy. Stir and cook for another 4-5 minutes until crispy. Remove from the pan and serve in the sandwich as usual.
- Add spreads. Swap the horseradish aioli for my Homemade Basil Pesto or Roasted Red Pepper Pesto. If you love sauces and drizzles, add the aioli and some pesto.
- More veggies. Add sliced tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, or sliced onions to your sandwich for more texture and flavor.
Ways to Serve
These shredded beef sandwiches are an amazing lunch option on their own. You can also serve it with Sweet Potato Fries or Garlic Parmesan Fries. My Zucchini Fries are another great option. For refreshing salad ideas, try my Marinated Tomato Salad or Simple Arugula Salad.
How to Store & Reheat Extras
The leftovers must be fully cooled before storing to prevent spoilage.
- Fridge: Don’t store assembled sandwiches because the bread will soften too much. Store the beef, aioli, and sandwich components in separate airtight containers for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: This is only for the beef. Transfer it to a freezer bag in serving-size portions. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- To reheat it: Microwave the beef in 15-second increments until warm. You can also heat it in a pan over medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes.
More Sandwich Recipes
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- Cucumber Sandwiches
- Grilled Avocado Caprese Chicken Sandwich
Crock Pot Shredded Beef Sandwiches
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 10 mins
- Yield: 6–8 cups of shredded beef 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Crockpot
- Cuisine: American
Description
This crockpot shredded beef sandwiches recipe with fresh arugula and homemade aioli is an effortless weekday lunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Shredded Beef:
- 3–5lb. beef shoulder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon dry rosemary
- 1/2 tablespoon dry sage
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 red onion, cut into quarters
- 1 cup beef bone broth
Horseradish Aioli:
- 1/2 cup of mayo
- 2 Tablespoons of horseradish
Sandwiches:
- brioche buns
- provolone cheese (optional)
- arugula (optional)
Instructions
Shredded Beef:
- Pat beef dry with a paper towel.
- To a small bowl add, garlic powder, smoked paprika, rosemary, sage, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix together.
- Season both sides of beef shoulder with spice blend.
- Heat a large skillet to high heat.
- Add olive oil to the pan and immediately add seasoned beef. Do a quick sear on both sides for 2-3 mintues.
- Add seared beef to a crock pot, along with 1/2 red onion and beef bone broth.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Until beef is tender and you are able to shred easily.
Horseradish Aioli:
- Add mayo and prepared horseradish to a small bowl, mix together.
Shredded Beef Sandwich
- Preheat broiler to 550°F. Add brioche bun halves to a baking sheet inside facing up. Add a slice of provolone cheese to the top halve of the bun.
- Broil bun halves for 1 -2 minutes until cheese is melted and buns are toasted.
- Remove from oven. Add 1 tablespoon of the horseradish aioli to the bottom bun half. Top with shredded beef and a handful of arugula. Serve.
18 comments on “Crock Pot Shredded Beef Sandwiches”
You forgot the amount of garlic for the aioli. By definition, there must be garlic.
Hey Carolyne, I actually didn’t add any garlic to this. But if you want to, to stay true to definition you could add 1 minced garlic clove. 🙂
I used a basic American type ale. It was Audible Ale by Red Hook, it has a little more flavor to it than the mass produced ones (Miller, Coors, Bud). I also threw in some mushrooms too.
Ok… YUM! I totally need to try that next time I make this, my husband would love that addition. I love the mushroom addition too!
This is really good, one slight change I made was replaced the water with beer for a little extra flavor. Let’s face it, a beer goes perfectly with this sandwich
Um.. yeah! That sounds like it would be awesome! Love the beer addition. Did you use a light or dark beer?
Oh heck yes!
Looks crazy good. Like you & your Mike, I would wind up chowing on this all week. That’s generally how I use my crock pot, to make meals for the whole week. I’ve only once used my crock pot for meat, a roasted chicken. It came out excellent. This looks excellent too. The bread has to be chosen very specially to make this one really rock the house. A nice sourdough baguette. mmmmm.
Oh Mike, you have to make meat in it more often. Its the best way to tenderize it. Soooo good. I bet that chicken was awesome, I made it once and had great flavor. I hope you end up liking these sandwiches. Definitely make the horseradish aioli, gives it a nice kick.
Wow, now that looks amazing! I want to sink my teeth into that! 🙂
Oh… it is definitely teeth sinking worthy! Definitely a fall fan favorite at our house.
I have got to learn how to use a crock pot! I have one, I just never think to use it…silly me 😉 Those sandwiches look absolutely amazing Krista. I love me some good shredded beef, I just usually stick it on the stove for 3 hours. I will need to give this a try, especially since McCormick was nice enough to take the MSG out of their seasoning!
I know right! I’m like you too, I don’t use it very often but on occasion when I do I think, why don’t I use this more. The house smells awesome and the food is done! So easy! Thanks for stopping by and the sweet comments Lisa.
OK, it’s official: I MUST get my hands on a crockpot!!
Well.. go get you one girl! 🙂
I love using my crock pot, and this meal would make me VERY happy, especially with that horseradish aioli!
Yeah, the horseradish aioli is the best part for sure! We love the kick it gives and definitely clears out our sinuses. 🙂
I’m drooling!!!!!!!!!! I am pretty sure I have told you before about my obsession with shredded meat. I have wanted to make this for a long while but every time we try it it’s a flop. Could be the cut of meat- but I just printed this off- telling the hubs that this IS on the menu for the weekend. I’m totally dying over this right now- I’m just short of jumping in the car in my jammies to go pick up the ingredients right now.
hahaha… I can just picture you jumping in your jammies now! {your the weirdo in the carpool line.. arent you? haha} I was drooling smelling it cook in the crock pot. The smell is irresistible, plan to be out of the house while its cooking. 🙂 I hope this one works for you Gina. Just so you know, I used a 3.5lb shoulder and cooked it for 7 hours and it was perfect. 🙂 Let me know what you and the fam think.