Pulled BBQ Venison Sandwiches | The Ultimate Crockpot Recipe
This slow cooker BBQ venison is tender, flavorful, and perfect for pulled sandwiches, tacos, or BBQ plates.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pounds venison roast, or (shoulder, top round, neck, or boneless shanks)
- 4 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar (preferably raw)
- 1 cup barbecue sauce (choose your favorite sauce)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tbsp chili powder (Ancho is a good choice)
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
For Saucing the Meat
- Barbecue sauce (as needed)
Instructions
- Place the roast in the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Add the onion, garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, chicken stock, apple cider vinegar and one cup of BBQ sauce to a large bowl. Stir to combine
- Pour the mixture from the bowl over the venison.
- Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the meat is tender enough to fall apart. If you have time, flip the roast after about 4 hours.
- Once tender, let the meat cool in the slow cooker. After it has cooled, save one cup of the cooking liquid and set it aside. Discard the remaining liquid.Shred the meat and add enough of your favorite BBQ sauce to your liking.If the mixture looks dry, add a little bit of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten.Optional Smoker Finish: If you'd like to add a smoky flavor, remove the whole roast and place it on a sheet pan or in a baking dish. Smoke at 200°F for 1 hour. After 30 minutes, baste the roast with a little of the reserved cooking liquid to keep it moist. Once done, proceed with shredding.
- Taste the BBQ and season with salt and pepper if needed.
NOTES
- Use the right cut. Shoulder, neck, sirloin tip, boneless shank, or even stew meat all work here. Tougher or thicker cuts may need the full 10 hours on low to get fork-tender.
- Cook until it shreds easily. Do not go by time alone. The roast is ready when it pulls apart without resistance, usually 8 to 10 hours on low.
- Save some cooking liquid. Let the roast cool in the slow cooker, then reserve about 1 cup of the liquid before shredding. Add some back after saucing if the venison looks dry.
- Sauce after shredding. Shred the meat first, then add barbecue sauce to your taste instead of dumping in too much at the start. That keeps the pulled venison from turning heavy or overly sweet.
- Smoke it if wanted. For more smoke flavor, keep the roast whole after slow cooking and smoke it at 200 F for 1 hour, basting once halfway through with a little warm cooking liquid. Then shred and sauce.
- Use chicken stock only. Beef stock can overpower venison, while chicken stock keeps the flavor cleaner.
- Use the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 60 to 70 minutes, let the pressure release naturally, then shred and sauce as written.
- Store it with moisture. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. For the best reheated texture, store it with a little extra cooking liquid and warm it gently with a splash of broth or sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 656kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 86g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 296mg | Sodium: 1323mg | Potassium: 1692mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 2216IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 14mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
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