Description
These Hawaiian BBQ Beef Sliders are a mouthwatering combination of smoky, tender chuck roast slow-smoked with hickory wood and infused with rich BBQ seasoning, then layered with melty pepper jack and cheddar cheeses on sweet Hawaiian rolls. Perfect for crowd-pleasing gatherings, they feature a beautiful balance of smoky, sweet, and savory flavors, with juicy beef pulled to fall-apart tenderness and finished with a quick bake to meld all the toppings together.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Seasoning
- 4-5 pounds chuck roast
- Mustard, for spreading
- Your go-to BBQ seasoning blend, amount as needed
For Smoking and Braising
- Apple cider vinegar (for spritzing during smoke and 1/4 cup extra for braising)
- Three large onions, diced
- Five garlic cloves, minced
- Two cups beef stock
- Chunks of hickory wood for smoking
For Assembly
- Hawaiian sweet rolls
- Six slices pepper jack cheese
- Some shredded cheddar cheese, amount to preference
- Barbecue sauce, for drizzling
Instructions
- Prepare and Season the Meat: Spread mustard evenly all over the chuck roast to help the BBQ seasoning adhere. Generously coat the roast with your favorite BBQ seasoning blend for maximum flavor.
- Heat and Prepare Smoker: Preheat your smoker to 250°F (121°C). Add chunks of hickory wood to create a smoky aroma that will infuse the meat.
- Smoke the Chuck Roast: Place the seasoned chuck roast in the smoker. Spritz it with apple cider vinegar every 30 to 40 minutes to keep it moist and add tangy flavor. Continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), approximately 3 hours.
- Braise with Onions and Garlic: Combine the diced onions and minced garlic in a foil pan. Nestle the smoked roast inside the pan, pour in the beef stock and the extra 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, and tightly cover with foil to seal in moisture.
- Continue Cooking to Tenderness: Return the foil pan to the smoker and cook until the meat becomes fall-apart tender. This may take additional time beyond the initial smoking phase.
- Rest the Meat: Remove the roast from the smoker and let it rest for 30 to 45 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Prepare the Rolls: Toast the Hawaiian sweet rolls lightly until the edges are just slightly crunchy for texture contrast.
- Assemble the Sliders: Pull apart the beef into shredded pieces and build your sliders by layering pepper jack cheese slices, shredded beef, a drizzle of barbecue sauce, and shredded cheddar cheese on the bottom half of each roll. Cap with the roll lids.
- Bake the Sliders: Place the assembled sliders in a preheated oven at 415°F (213°C) and bake for 12 to 15 minutes to melt the cheese and warm the sliders through.
- Serve: Plate the sliders and serve alongside the pan juices from the braised beef for dipping, enhancing flavor and juiciness.
Notes
- Smoking the chuck roast low and slow with hickory wood imparts a distinctive smoky flavor essential to authentic BBQ sliders.
- Spritzing with apple cider vinegar throughout smoking keeps the meat moist and tender.
- Using Hawaiian sweet rolls adds a subtle sweetness that balances the smoky and savory flavors.
- Resting the meat after braising ensures juicy, tender beef that pulls apart easily.
- Baking the assembled sliders melts the cheese perfectly and melds all flavors together.
- Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
