Elaine's Sweet and Tangy Loose Beef

I got this recipe from www.allrecipes.com. That is one of my favorite recipe websites. It allows you to adjust the ingredient list to suite the serving size you need. I cut the recipe as you see it in half.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Hours Servings: 28

Ingredients:

• 7 pounds beef chuck roast
• 1 cup water
• 3 TBsp white vinegar
• 4 TBsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 4 TBsp Worcestershire
• 3 cups ketchup
• 2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 6 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:

1. Place the roast into a slow cooker along with the water. Cover, and cook on LOW for 2 to 4 hours, or until beef can be easily shredded with a fork. (I found that after 6 hours my roast was still hard to shred. So either my slow cooker is about to go capoots or my raost was just a rough cut of meat. Next time I think since I am up until 1am anyway, I will just put the roast on low all night long.)
2. Shred the beef, removing fat as you go. REmove 1/2 cup of the broth from the slow cooker, and reserve for later. Add vinegar, brown sugar, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup. Mix in the salt, pepper, cayenne, and garlic. Stir so that the meat is well coated.
3. Cover, and continue to cook beef on low for an additional 4 to 6 hours. Add the reserved broth only if necessary to maintain moisture. Serve on toasted buns. The meat can be frozen for future use.

After our dinner I sealed the remaining BBQ beef in Food Saver bags. When we want BBQ beef again we just put a pouch in boiling water, let boil for a few minutes. If you boil frozen it takes a little longer. Cut pouch and serve....easy peasy!