Easy Slow Cooker Beef and Cheddar Sandwiches
Recreate the classic comfort food Beef and Cheddar sandwich at home with minimal effort using your slow cooker. Tender, savory beef is cooked low and slow, then mixed with tangy Arby's sauce and creamy cheddar cheese sauce and piled high on soft rolls.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Cutting board
- Large bowl
- Forks
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 pound chuck roast 2-3 pounds; perfect for slow cooking
- 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1.5 cups Arby's sauce plus more for topping
- 1 cup cheddar cheese sauce such as Ricos brand
- 6 onion rolls or other sturdy rolls/buns
Instructions
- First things first, grab your chuck roast. You can trim off any excess large pieces of fat if you like, but a little fat helps keep it moist and adds flavor as it cooks.
- Place the chuck roast right into your slow cooker insert.
- Sprinkle the dried minced onion and Montreal steak seasoning evenly over the roast.
- Pour the tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce over the top.
- Now, pour in the 1 ½ cups of Arby's sauce. Make sure it gets all around the roast.
- Put the lid on your slow cooker.
- Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours, or on HIGH for 4-5 hours. You'll know it's ready when the beef is super tender and easily falls apart with a fork. Cooking low and slow is usually my preference for maximum tenderness!
- Once the beef is cooked, carefully remove it from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board or in a large bowl. Leave the liquid in the slow cooker for now.
- Using two forks, shred the beef into bite-sized pieces. It should shred very easily if it's cooked properly. Discard any large pieces of remaining fat or connective tissue.
- Put the shredded beef back into the slow cooker with the cooking liquid.
- Now, stir in the 1 cup of cheddar cheese sauce. Stir it well until the cheese sauce is fully combined with the beef and sauce mixture. It should be wonderfully gooey and coated!
- Let the mixture hang out on the WARM setting for about 15-20 minutes, or on LOW for just a few minutes, stirring occasionally, to ensure everything is hot and the cheese is fully melted into the mix.
- While the beef and cheese mixture is staying warm, grab your onion rolls. You can lightly toast them under the broiler or in a skillet if you like, but it's not strictly necessary.
- To serve, pile a generous amount of the hot beef and cheese mixture onto each onion roll.
- Don't forget the extra Arby's sauce! Serve additional sauce on the side for dipping or drizzling over the top. Enjoy your delicious homemade Beef and Cheddar!
Notes
Substitutions: Chuck roast can be substituted with rump roast or brisket. Cheddar cheese sauce can be replaced with provolone, spicy queso, or homemade cheese sauce. Onion rolls can be substituted with kaiser rolls, potato rolls, sturdy hamburger buns, or toasted French bread.
Additions: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce for heat. Add a chopped onion and a few cloves of garlic to the slow cooker at the beginning for extra flavor.
Tips: Avoid frequently opening the slow cooker lid. Shred beef while warm. If the mixture is too thick, add beef broth or more Arby's sauce; if too thin, simmer lid-off to reduce liquid. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.
Storage: Let beef and cheese mixture cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave. Store rolls separately at room temperature.
FAQs: Thaw frozen beef completely before slow cooking. If Arby's sauce is unavailable, use a copycat recipe or BBQ sauce (flavor will differ). Using pourable cheese sauce provides the classic gooey texture; shredded cheese can be used but won't incorporate the same way.
Additions: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce for heat. Add a chopped onion and a few cloves of garlic to the slow cooker at the beginning for extra flavor.
Tips: Avoid frequently opening the slow cooker lid. Shred beef while warm. If the mixture is too thick, add beef broth or more Arby's sauce; if too thin, simmer lid-off to reduce liquid. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.
Storage: Let beef and cheese mixture cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave. Store rolls separately at room temperature.
FAQs: Thaw frozen beef completely before slow cooking. If Arby's sauce is unavailable, use a copycat recipe or BBQ sauce (flavor will differ). Using pourable cheese sauce provides the classic gooey texture; shredded cheese can be used but won't incorporate the same way.