Spicy Shredded Beef Sandwiches!

Ever make something that you intended to be something else but it turned out pretty tasty anyway?    Yea?  OK, well that happened to me.  And I liked it!  I love happy accidents.  My history with BBQ anything, isn't stellar to begin with. 

Let me tell you about my preconceived notion of the letters B=B and Q.   My mind immediately goes to cheap, gross, BBQ sauce from a bottle that is swallowing up some mystery meat you throw on a bun. It drips, and your sandwich is soggy and you get enough BBQ sauce in one bite to make your will to live decrease by at least half. Ok so that might be a bit of a dramatization but you get what I am saying. I have one BBQ sauce I will eat and it is only available here in Nebraska that I am aware of and it is Cookies BBQ Sauce. 

When we were recently in Georgia, my husband saw this road side BBQ place.  "Ida Mae's, North Carolina Style BBQ".  He nearly had an accident pulling into the parking lot.  I, admittedly, am not a huge fan of the BBQ, anything.  However, I decided I would try it, to appease the hubs and heck, I might actually like it.  I was served up this pulled pork sandwich, not a lick of sauce to be found.  "Hey honey", I said, "I may just dig this place"!  He had his with coleslaw on top I had mine plain.  I raised my sandwich to my mouth and what I tasted was nothing short of divine!  In that moment I think all of my BBQ fear went away.  North Carolina BBQ..........mmmm-mmmmm-gooooddd!  Thanks  Miss Ida Mae!

So anyway, the point is, I accidentally grabbed a beef chuck roast instead of a pork one.  I decided to try it anyway.  Though it was NOTHING like Miss Ida Mae's it was pretty dang tasty and I deemed it good enough to share with all!  This admittedly has alot of ingredients.  I don't know what to say about that, but it turned out fab.  Make sure if you substitute ingredients you use something close in flavor.  I tried to add some alternatives to brands I used.  This is a bit spicy.  Cut out all the spicy stuff in red if you want it mild. 

 Dry Ingredients
2 tbsps Northwoods Seasoning from Penzeys Spices (any all purpose bbq seasoning)
1/2 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsps onion powder
1/2 tbsp dried parsley

Liquid Ingredients
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp ketchup
3 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp Worcestershire
2 tbsp hot sauce
1/2 cup beef stock or bouillon will work fine just dissolve cube in 1/2 cup water instead of 1 cup

1/3 cup hot sauce set aside for after meat is shredded.


4 lb chuck roast or roast of your choice
2 large onions sliced (optional)

Mix dry spices and herbs together in a small bowl  Repeat with wet ingredients in a separate bowl.  Put roast in the crock pot and salt liberally.  Pour liquid over the top and then sprinkle with the dry herbs.  If you choose to use onions, lay them on top and then let cook on high in the crock pot for 9-10 hours.  Using 2 forks shred meat. When meat is shredded add in hot sauce you set aside and combine completely.  It will be a little zap but nothing horribly spicy.  Top your sandwich with the slow cooked caramelized onions!  You can also serve some of your favorite BBQ along side for those who love it!

Enjoy!

Your "no BBQ sauce for me please" chefwannabe