Ingredients

Check off ingredients as you go

For 6 people

• 1.3kg (2.9 lbs) beef (chuck, brisket, short ribs, or boneless plate)
• 3 sliced onions
• 2 tbsp neutral oil

For the barbecue sauce

• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 100g (5 heaping tbsp) ketchup
• 120ml (1/2 cup) soy sauce
• 80g (1/3 cup) brown sugar (or honey)
• 1 level tbsp paprika (sweet, smoked, or hot according to taste)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp vinegar (apple cider or wine)
• 120ml (1/2 cup) water
• 2 tbsp mustard
• Pepper

If you change the number of serving, consider adjusting cooking times!

1. In a large skillet, sear the piece of meat on all sides with the 2 tbsp of oil over high heat. Set the meat aside and sweat the onions in the same skillet for a few minutes.

2. In a saucepan, add all the sauce ingredients except the mustard, and cook for about ten minutes, until the sauce thickens and the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust to your liking (if it’s too sweet add a bit of vinegar, if it’s too acidic add sugar). Pour into the baking dish, mix with the mustard, and coat the meat well with this sauce. Add the sautéed onions.

3. Cover the dish tightly (a glass dish with lid is perfect) and bake in the middle of the oven at 150°C (300°F) for 4h30. The meat should be very, very tender and fall apart on its own, otherwise extend the cooking time (if the sauce seems too concentrated, add half a glass of water).

4. Serve in slices or shredded with a fork, mixing well with the barbecue sauce diluted with a little water.

I love serving this pulled beef in delicious bao steamed buns or with mashed potatoes or rice.

Tips and variations

• You can also choose a very low temperature cooking: 8 hours at 120°C (250°F) or 6h30 at 140°C (285°F).
• This recipe will work the same way in a slow cooker.
• The advantage of homemade barbecue sauce is being able to adjust the sugar and acidity according to your taste. You can use up to 100g sugar if you like it sweeter and 4 tbsp vinegar if you like it more acidic.