BBQ beef combines two wonderful comfort foods – beef stew and slow-cooked bbq sauce. It is delicious, comforting and very filling.
The idea for this recipe came to me when I was staring at the beef stew meat I had in the fridge, wondering if I could make something different with it. Something a bit more exciting than plain stew.
Don’t get me wrong – I love simple beef stew, and I also love beef bourguignon and pot roast. But sometimes you need to make something different!
Combining two favorites into one stew
Then it occurred to me – beef stew is such a classic comfort food. And the same is true for pulled pork and pulled chicken. So I was curious to see what would happen if I combine the two, slow-cooking the beef with homemade barbecue sauce?
The resulting BBQ beef is amazing – rich, flavorful, filling and comforting. I’ve been making it often, especially in the winter, the perfect season for enjoying a warm stew.
The ingredients needed to make this recipe
You’ll only need a few ingredients to make this tasty stew (the exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below):
BBQ sauce: I use a homemade bbq sauce. It’s easy to make, it requires no cooking, and it’s delicious. But you can opt for store-bought instead. Just keep in mind that store-bought sauces are often quite sugary.
Beef stew meat: You can cube it by yourself, but I’m lazy so I buy the cubed meat labeled as “stew meat” at Whole Foods.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you might want to reduce the amount you use. A teaspoon of kosher salt weighs less than a teaspoon of regular salt.
Olive oil: I love this flavorful oil. But if you’re unsure about cooking with it, you can use avocado oil instead. It has a higher smoke point.
Cornstarch: Helps to thicken the sauce. I use very little of it in this recipe, so it doesn’t add a significant amount of carbs per serving.
How to make BBQ beef
It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Brown the beef in olive oil on all sides and transfer it to your slow cooker. This is my least favorite part of this recipe, but I find that it does improve the texture and flavor of the meat.
Pour the BBQ sauce on top of the meat and stir to combine. Then cover and cook on low for 7.5 hours.
Add the cornstarch (mixed with a little cold water) and cook on high for 30 more minutes to thicken the sauce.
How to serve BBQ beef
I like to serve it over cauliflower rice, with a side of microwave steamed broccoli. The cauliflower rice works really well to soak up the yummy sauce. You can serve the beef pieces whole, or you can shred them.
Another great bed for this dish is mashed cauliflower. And you can also serve in on a bed of raw young spinach leaves. The warm sauce will melt the spinach just enough to lightly cook it.
How to store the leftovers
Leftovers keep very well in the fridge for 3-4 days, in an airtight container. Gently reheat them in the microwave, covered, on 50% power, to prevent splatters and also to prevent the meat from drying out.
You can also reheat the leftovers in a 300F oven for about 15 minutes (or for as long as it takes for them to be heated through in your oven).
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BBQ Beef
INGREDIENTS
Barbecue sauce:
- 1 (7 oz) jar tomato paste, no salt or sugar added (3/4 cup)
- ¾ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (not fine table salt)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons sweetener of choice (I used erythritol; sugar or honey will work too)
Beef Stew:
- 2 lb. extra lean beef stew meat (boneless chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (not fine table salt)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (use organic to avoid GMOs)
- 2 tablespoons cold water
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Season the beef with the kosher salt and black pepper.
- Heat a very large, 14-inch skillet, or a double-burner griddle, over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes. Brush with half the olive oil. Add half the beef in a single layer and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer the browned beef to your slow cooker and repeat with the remaining olive oil and the remaining beef.
- Pour the barbecue sauce over the beef and stir to combine. Cover, and cook on low for 7.5 hours.
- Whisk the cornstarch with the water until smooth. Stir into the beef mixture. Set to high, cover, and cook 30 more minutes, until the sauce thickens.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.