Crock Pot Balsamic Beef Sandwiches

I was sitting at the kitchen table hammering out emails the other day when I realized I’d been hunched over my computer screen for at least an hour in a laser-focused state of concentration. Ouch!

I sat back, stretched my arms up as high as they would go, then inhaled deeply.

That’s when it hit me. Oh my gosh, I whispered. What is that smell? That savory, luscious smell? Are the neighbors cooking? Who in world is cooking something that smells so intoxicatingly delicious that the scent is wafting over the fence, through the windows, and into our kitchen at his hour? WHO?

Oh right, ME!

Well, my crock pot anyway! The heat had apparently just hit the Crock Pot Balsamic Beef Sandwiches with Blue Cheese, Crispy Shallots, and Easy Au Jus inside, and the resulting scent started swirling through my kitchen at the exact moment I’d reached up for that delicious stretch.

My mouth began to water and it didn’t stop until the sandwiches were assembled 8 hours later.

Long Cooking Crock Pot Recipe

Crock Pot Balsamic Beef Sandwiches with Blue Cheese, Crispy Shallots and Easy Au Jus are for the 8+ hour crock pot recipe seeker crowd. The ones who are looking for the convenience of a crock pot meal that slow cooks all day long while they’re at work or school.

No matter your situation, it’s impossible to resist balsamic-braised beef piled onto buns or hoagie rolls then topped with crispy pan-fried shallots, crumbled blue cheese, sweet balsamic drizzle, and an easy au jus made from the crock pot cooking liquid.

These sandwiches taste even better than they look! Messy, sticky, savory, tangy, slap you in the face with flavor crock pot beef sandwiches.

While the balsamic beef for this recipe is slow cooked all day, we’re talking anywhere from 8-9 hours, there are a few additional steps including making the balsamic glaze, slightly reducing the au jus, and crisping up some fresh shallots — but I think it’s totally worth it.

Start with a 2-3lb chuck roast. Cut away any big pieces of fat then cut the roast into large pieces.

Toss the chuck roast hunks into a 6 quart crock pot then add 1 sliced sweet onion, 4 peeled garlic cloves, and a mixture of 1 cup beef broth, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 Tablespoons honey, and 2 Tablespoons gluten-free tamari (or soy sauce if not GF).

Finally add 1-1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary and lots of salt and pepper. Place a lid on top then cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until the meat shreds easily.

• Tip: you can add everything to the crock pot the night before then pop it onto the base the morning you want to cook it.

Shred the meat then return to the crock pot with all the juices and cook on low for 1 more hour. This makes for the most tender shredded meat.

Meanwhile get the reduced balsamic glaze drizzle going, which is just boiled balsamic vinegar that morphs from sour to thick and sweet. It’s irresistible!

Pour 1 cup balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the vinegar is thickened and sweet tasting, about 20 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when you scrape the bottom of the pot with a spatula and the vinegar stays parted for a second or two.

Pour the reduced balsamic vinegar, aka balsamic glaze, into a serving dish.

Next, strain the juices from the crock pot through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into the same pan we used for the balsamic glaze, leaving a little bit of juice in the bottom of the crock pot. Add the beef back into the crock pot with the lid on to keep warm.

Add more beef broth to the pan then simmer until the vinegar taste has mellowed, about 20 minutes. This is the mind-melting easy au jus. I love the depth of flavor it has!

Last step is to make the crispy shallots, which are like fried onion rings without the batter.

Thinly slice 2 large shallots into rings then separate the rings.

Pan fry the shallots in 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat in two batches until golden brown then remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining shallots.

Pile the balsamic beef onto gluten-free buns or hoagie rolls then top with the crispy shallots, blue cheese crumbles, balsamic drizzle, and ladle up a steamy cup of savory au jus on the side. Dinner is served!

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Gluten-free Crock Pot Balsamic Beef Sandwiches

5 from 1 vote

by Kristin Porter

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 7 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total: 7 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Servings: 5

GFGluten FreeDFDairy FreeEFEgg Free

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Crock Pot Balsamic Beef Sandwiches with Blue Cheese, Crispy Shallots and Easy Au Jus is a meal that you won't believe came out of your crock pot!

Equipment

• Cheese cloth
• 6-quart Crock Pot

Ingredients

• 2-3 lb chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into large pieces
• 14 oz can beef broth, divided
• 1-1/4 cups balsamic vinegar, divided
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 Tablespoons gluten free reduced-sodium Tamari, or soy sauce if not GF
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large shallots, sliced into rings then separated
• 2 oz crumbled blue cheese
• gluten-free sandwich or hoagie buns

Directions 

• Add chuck roast, 1 cup beef broth, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, onion, garlic cloves, soy sauce, honey, dried rosemary, salt, and pepper into a 6 quart crock pot. Place a lid on top then cook on low for 7-8 hours or until meat shreds easily. Shred meat then return to crock pot and cook on low for 1 more hour.
• Meanwhile bring remaining 1 cup balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan then turn heat down to medium and simmer until vinegar is thickened and slightly sweet tasting, about 20 minutes. You'll know it's done when you scrape a spatula across the bottom and the vinegar stays parted for a second or two. Pour reduced balsamic vinegar into a serving dish. (Can do this ahead of time - microwave reduced balsamic vinegar for 15-20 seconds to get it to pouring consistency.)
• Strain the cooking liquid from the crock pot through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheese cloth into the same saucepan, leaving a little bit of liquid in the crock pot to keep the meat juicy. Put the meat back into the crock pot and place a lid on top to keep warm. Add remaining beef broth to the saucepan then bring mixture to a boil and then turn heat down to medium and simmer until reduced and vinegar taste has mellowed, 20 minutes. Pour the au jus into a serving dish.
• Heat oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the shallots then saute, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain then sprinkle lightly with salt and repeat with remaining shallots.
• Pile meat onto buns then top with crispy shallots, blue cheese, and reduced balsamic vinegar. Serve with au jus on the side.

Nutrition

Calories: 578kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 40g, Fat: 35g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 19g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 134mg, Sodium: 996mg, Potassium: 854mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 112IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 133mg, Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.

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