Slow Cooker BBQ Shredded Beef Sandwiches

Ingredients
1 (5 pound) boneless beef chuck-eye roast, trimmed and cut into 4 pieces
4 slices bacon, chopped fine
1 onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 ¹⁄₂ cups brewed coffee
1 ¹⁄₂ cups ketchup
¹⁄₄ cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons brown mustard
1 tablespoon hot sauce (I used Sriracha.)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar (I used some amazing Red Apple Balsamic Vinegar.)
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
Salt and pepper
Sandwich rolls, split

Instructions
1. Place beef in slow cooker insert. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to slow-cooker insert. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pan and cook onion in remaining bacon fat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder and paprika and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in coffee, ketchup, sugar and 1 tablespoon mustard and simmer until reduced slightly, about 10 minutes. Add half of sauce to slow-cooker insert and refrigerate the remaining half. Cover and cook on LOW heat until meat is tender, 9 to 10 hours (or cook on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours).

2. Using slotted spoon, transfer meat to large bowl and cover with foil. Transfer cooking liquid to large skillet, skim fat, and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced to 1 cup, about 15 to 20 minutes. Off heat, stir in reserved sauce, remaining mustard, hot sauce, vinegar, and liquid smoke.

3. Pull meat into large chunks, discarding any excess fat or gristle. Toss meat with 1 ¹⁄₂ cups sauce and let sit, covered, until meat has absorbed most of sauce, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve on rolls, passing remaining sauce at table. 

Comments
This recipe is from the 2007 Cook’s Country Annual and Art was kind enough to let me give it a try.  He’s not a fan of pot roasts and this came pretty close!  But he loved the barbecue sauce so he was a happy enough camper.  Lance and I both thought the meat was great and I wouldn’t hesitate to say that this is the best rendition of barbecue I’ve ever gotten out of a crock pot. 

Shown here with Crunchy Potato Wedges.

Update: Leftovers the following day were even better!

Cook’s Country 2007