Barbecue Beef Sandwiches - Slow Cooker

All the ingredients for these yummy sandwiches are in the slow cooker and ready to go within 12 miutes! What could be easier. These are great for a pot luck or informal get-together. This also freezes well.

• Ready In: 8 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 12 sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1 (3 lb)  boneless beef chuck roast or 1 (3 lb)  thick sliced  round steaks
• 1 3⁄4 cups  your favorite barbecue sauce, divided
• 1⁄2 cup apricots or 1⁄2 cup  peach preserves
• 1⁄2-1  whole bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1  onion, thinly sliced
• 1  tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2  teaspoons  packed brown sugar
• 12  kaiser rolls or 12  hamburger buns, split

Directions

1. Trim excess fat from beef. Cut beef into 4 or so pieces and place in a 4 to 5 quart slow cooker.
2. In medium bowl, mix 1 cup barbecue sauce along with the other ingredients, except buns.
3. Pour over beef in crock pot.
4. Cover, cook on low setting 7 to 8 hours or until beef is very tender - where it can be shredded with two forks (I usually start it off on high for an hour or so -- but I have a very, very old crock pot).
5. Remove beef and as many onions and peppers as you can. Shred beef and place in another pan or bowl.
6. This is where personal taste comes into play . . . . . there will quite a lot of juice in the crock pot. I only reserve about 3/4 cup of it and then add the remaining 3/4 barbecue sauce to it. I then add the shredded meat back into the new juice mixture.
7. Some people like their meat for their sandwiches a little on the drier side, while others like more sauce on theirs. I also always use Sweet Baby Rays barbecue sauce -- use your favorite brand and flavor.
8. I've also removed some if the shredded meat immediately after shredding and set aside to use in burritos and tacos. You can add some taco sauce or seasoning to it and it makes a great shredded meat for Mexican dishes.