Description
Savor the rich flavors of smoky, tender Hawaiian BBQ Beef Sliders made with slow-smoked chuck roast and topped with melty pepper jack and cheddar cheeses on soft, toasted Hawaiian sweet rolls. Perfectly seasoned and infused with hickory wood smoke, these sliders are a crowd-pleasing meal ideal for gatherings or casual dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Seasoning
- 4-5 pounds chuck roast
- Your go-to BBQ seasoning blend, enough to coat roast
- Mustard, for spreading on roast
- Apple cider vinegar, for spritzing and 1/4 cup extra
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 3 large onions, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
Liquids
- 2 cups beef stock
Additional Ingredients
- Hawaiian sweet rolls, for slider buns
- 6 slices pepper jack cheese
- Barbecue sauce, for drizzling
- Shredded cheddar cheese, to taste
- Chunks of hickory wood, for smoking
Instructions
- Prepare the chuck roast: Spread mustard evenly over the entire chuck roast to help the BBQ seasoning rub adhere. Generously coat the roast with your favorite BBQ seasoning blend, covering all sides.
- Preheat the smoker: Heat your smoker to a steady 250°F. Add hickory wood chunks onto the heat source to create a rich, smoky flavor during cooking.
- Smoke the roast: Place the seasoned chuck roast on the smoker grate. Every 30 to 40 minutes, spritz the roast evenly with apple cider vinegar to maintain moisture and enhance flavor. Smoke the meat for about three hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Prepare the braising setup: In a heavy-duty foil pan, add the diced onions and minced garlic. Lay the smoked chuck roast inside the pan, pour in the beef stock and the remaining 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar. Seal the pan tightly with foil to trap steam and flavors.
- Braise until tender: Return the foil pan with the roast back to the smoker. Continue cooking until the meat becomes fall-apart tender, which will tenderize the beef further and infuse all flavors.
- Rest the meat: Remove the roast from the smoker and let it rest for 30 to 45 minutes. This allows juices to redistribute, resulting in moist and flavorful meat.
- Toast the rolls: Lightly toast the Hawaiian sweet rolls until the edges are slightly crunchy, giving a perfect texture contrast to the soft interior and juicy meat.
- Assemble the sliders: Pull the beef apart into shreds. On the bottom half of each roll, layer a slice of pepper jack cheese, a generous amount of shredded beef, drizzle with BBQ sauce, and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese. Top with the roll lids.
- Bake the sliders: Place the assembled sliders in a preheated oven at 415°F and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, allowing the cheeses to melt and the sliders to heat through thoroughly.
- Serve with pan juices: Plate the sliders and serve them hot alongside the pan juices from the braising liquid for dipping, enhancing each bite with flavorful moisture.
Notes
- Maintaining a consistent smoker temperature is key to achieving tender, smoky beef.
- Spritzing with apple cider vinegar prevents the meat from drying out and adds tangy flavor.
- The resting step is important for juiciness and ease of shredding the meat.
- You can substitute hickory wood with other smoking woods like apple or cherry for different flavor profiles.
- Use Hawaiian rolls for their signature sweetness which balances the smoky, spicy beef.
- Adjust cheese types or quantities according to preference.
