Shredded Beef Sliders

This meal is easy and almost hands-free. I love making it for friends and family because I stick it in the crockpot and forget about it. A simple rub and Au Jus sauce give the beef so much flavor and after several hours of cooking, the tender beef easily shreds for sliders.

The caramelized onions and garlic mayo dressing are simply amazing with the beef and take the sliders to a whole other level. The onions cook separately in a little butter for the last hour or so on low and just need a few stirs. The garlic mayo dressing, easy to prepare with garlic, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper, combined with the caramelized onions delivers a ton of flavor. This is a definite must-make for family and friends!

For another easy meal, try my Italian Sausage and Broccoli Pasta, a weekday family favorite ready in under 30 minutes!

You will need the following ingredients:

• 3-pound boneless beef chuck pot roast
• 1 ¼ teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 ⅛ teaspoon pepper, divided
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 packet Au Jus Gravy seasoning mix (1 oz)
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 large yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• ¼ cup butter
• 12 slider buns

I know what it’s like when you don’t have everything on hand and the last thing you want to do is run to the store and pick something up. Here are a few ideas to substitute items on the ingredients list if needed:

1. A boneless chuck roast is best for this dish. It has the best marbling and fat which makes it ideal for pulled beef and flavor. A round steak or blade steak could be substituted if needed.
2. In place of an Au Jus packet and water, beef stock with beef bouillon or dry onion soup mix could substitute. Also, beef consomme or brown gravy could replace the Au Jus mix.
3. If you don’t like caramelized onions, you could omit them or cook the onions with the roast if you prefer.
4. You can omit the mayonnaise, or the garlic from the mayonnaise, but the garlic mayonnaise does add great flavor.
5. You could use just salt and pepper or different seasonings for the rub on the roast.
6. Larger hamburger buns could be substituted for the slider buns for larger serving sizes.

Step 1. Rub the salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder into the roast on all sides before placing in the slow cooker.

Step 2. In a small bowl, whisk together the Au Jus mix and the water.

Step 3. Pour the Au Jus sauce over the roast and cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 9-10 hours.

Step 4. While the roast is cooking, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate before serving time.

Step 5. 45 minutes to an hour before the beef is done, add thinly sliced onions and butter to a heavy pot and cook on low, stirring occasionally to caramelize the onions.

Step 6. Transfer the cooked beef to a cutting board and shred the beef with two forks, discarding any fatty pieces. Return the beef to the sauce in the slow cooker. When ready to serve, using a slotted spoon, heap a serving of beef onto the slider roll, top with a tablespoon or two of caramelized onions, and spread the garlic mayonnaise on the bun. Serve immediately so the bun doesn’t get soggy.

• I used Pepperidge Farm slider buns, but other brands of slider buns work well. I like these better than the Hawaiian rolls with this dish since they have a little more structure and substance to hold up to the shredded beef. I’ve also used Brioche slider rolls that work well.
• The garlic mayo is basically garlic aioli and it is flavorful and versatile. Try making extra or use any leftovers as a dip for vegetables, fries, or chips!