Shredded Beef Sandwiches with Balsamic Coleslaw

I love pot roast. I love it in the traditional carrot and potato sense, and I also love the limitless possibilities of other ways to prepare a good roast. Last week, Joy the Baker made shredded roast beef sandwich of sorts and it looked fantastic. It inspired me to put one on the menu for our house for a nice Sunday dinner, and the recipe that Chris and I ended up coming up with was absolutely delicious. It felt like comfort food, but in all reality, was not that bad in the bigger scheme of health-conscious food choices.  Even better, this beauty simmers all day in the slow cooker, so there really is little to no "real" work involved for you!

Chris really has a talent when it comes to sauces, marinades, and preparing meat, in general. Some of the concoctions he comes up with sound absolutely bizarre, but they always turn out amazing. The subtly sweet flavors in the roast paired perfectly with the slight tang of the coleslaw we topped it with. Anyways, the main point of this little side note is that this recipe is really more of Chris's than mine, but since he doesn't blog about food like I do, it's getting posted on my site! He was happy to share, of course. J

Here is what you will need to make Shredded Beef Sandwiches with Balsamic Coleslaw:

For the meat:

-          3 lb. beef roast (use your favorite cut, the less fat the better)

-          32 oz. (one large box) reduced-sodium beef broth

-          1 sweet onion, peeled and sliced into wedges

-          1 tsp. garlic powder

-          1 tsp. black pepper

-          1 tsp. seasoned salt

-          1 tsp. paprika

-          3/4 cup brown sugar

-          2 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

-          2 tbsp. worchestire sauce

-          2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

-          2 tbsp. honey

For the coleslaw:

-          1 regular size bag of Dole Coleslaw Mix (dressing packet included)

-          1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

-          1/4 cup olive oil

-          1/4 cup brown sugar

-          2 tbsp. dressing mix from Dole included in bag

Also:

-          8 whole wheat hamburger-style buns

-          Oven fries for a delectable side

1.       Set your slow cooker on high. Rub all sides of the meat with the garlic powder, black pepper, seasoned salt, and paprika. Place the meat into the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover with the entire 32 oz. of beef broth and the onion wedges. Add the brown sugar, soy sauce, worchestire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and honey and give everything a little stir. Cover with the slow cooker lid and let cook for 3 hours on high.

2.       After 3 hours has passed, reduce heat to low. Pull out the roast and shred into bite-sized pieces. Put the shredded meat back into the broth mixture and continue to cook for another 3-4 hours on low. This will allow the meat time to really soak up all the goodness that the flavored broth has to offer.

3.       After your meat is done, mix the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and brown sugar in a small bowl or jar. Pour the bag of coleslaw mix into a medium bowl and gradually add the balsamic mixture until you have the desired flavor, then again slowly add the dressing mix until the balance of flavors is suited to your taste. We liked ours with a little more tang to contrast the sweetness of the roast.

4.       Toast up your whole wheat buns by placing them in the oven for just a minute or two to give them a nice crisp. Top each bun with shredded beef and coleslaw, then enjoy! As mentioned above, I definitely recommend the oven fries recipe shared earlier as a perfect side for this hearty sandwich. The sandwiches were also delicious with just a tiny spread of barbecue sauce on the bottom/meat side of the bun.

Let me know what you think of this super easy and delicious meal! Our whole family enjoyed this one all around, and we all felt full and satisfied after devouring our sandwiches.

What are some of your favorite slow cooker meals?