You’re in for a royal treat today! Oh my goodness! 😀

This is part 3 of the Versatile Crock Pot Beef series that I decided to do, because, let’s face it, we all like different things. And I think I’m married to one of the pickiest husbands in the world! I love that man more than my pink Kitchen Aid mixer, but he can be QUITE the pistol when it comes to anything food.

His mom was a FABULOUS southern cook from Georgia, but he said she did only make mostly meat ‘n potato types of dishes. What we all grew up eating and loved, but still, very limited flavors.

His ex-wife was a HORRID cook. (hee hee!) She was a genius at Hamburger Helper, though. When she actually bothered to open a box and not hit the nearest drive-thu window. (giggle snort! 😉 )

So, he just wasn’t exposed to very, how do I put this… “creative”(?) cooking at home. NOT dissing his mom. I would’ve given ANYTHING to have met her and cooked with her and learned from her!

So anyways, I wanted to help not only us have a little fun, but other families who have very different palates, so that everyone can enjoy things the way they like them without having to cook two completely different meals! (I used to know someone who actually used to do this! I bend, but not THAT far!) 😉 😀

So quickly recapping, I started with a chuck roast that I cooked in the crock pot and pulled into tender, juicy, chunks of succulent beef! (*The complete recipe is included below, but you can visit the links provided at the bottom of this post to parts 1 and 2 if you’d like to see the other sandwiches created from this same starter beef. )

The first sandwich made was Mexican-Style, and the second one was Mediterranean-Style!

For the third sandwich, I decided to go all-out American-Style! This was going to be one designed special, just for the hublet! He’s a burger fanatic, and doesn’t mind a little bbq now and then, either, so that was the inspiration for this one. 😉

So, to get started, I warmed the pita bread and heated the beef with some bbq sauce!

I piled on the juicy chunks and beef, then added just a drizzle more of the bbq sauce.

Next up, we definitely needed some cheese! I thought that co-jack was a nice choice! So I folded a slice in half corner-to-corner and let in melt over the warm beef and hot pita bread!

I had already sautéed the last of some meaty, sliced mushrooms I had hanging out in the fridge in just a little butter. They were very happy to join the party! 😀

Bacon = happy hubby.

Done! 😉 😀

But I knew I needed to sneak in a LITTLE healthiness. Lettuce always fixes that…..

….along with some juicy slices of tomato! 😉

Ok, it’s sorta “salad” now…right?

I still had some gorgeous mild, sweet, red onion left, so onto the pile it went! 😀

One last thing to do, especially over the …uhm…”salad” part…..is to always add some salt and pepper. It really adds a ton of flavor and actually helps to bring out the flavors of the veggies!

And there you have it! Part 3 of my little series that I hope you find very helpful!! 3 very different, economical ways to make everyone at the table happy, that actually use minimal ingredients, and some of them common throughout! 😀 Sorta kinda like an international “pulled beef pita bar”! 😀

My hubby LOVED it, and plowed through his sandwich like he was half-starved. No better compliment than that! 😉

Stay tuned!! Two more coming that’ll knock your socks off! 😀

*And if you’d like to see the others that have already been created, you can quickly find them here:

Versatile Crock Pot Chuck Roast Part 1 / Mexican-Style Pulled Beef Pitas!
Versatile Crock Pot Chuck Roast Part 2 / Mediterranean-Style Pulled Beef Pitas!
Versatile Crock Pot Chuck Roast Part 4 / Asian-Style Pulled Beef Pitas!
Versatile Crock Pot Chuck Roast Part 5 / Italian-Style Pulled Beef Pita Pizzas!

Versatile Crock Pot Chuck Roast - Part 3 / American-Style Pulled Beef Pitas!

Ingredients

2½ - 3 lbs. chuck roast, (mine weighed 2.71 lbs.)
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
4 tsp. dried oregano
1 (10½ oz.) can beef consommé
4 large garlic cloves, grated

For 1 American-Style Pita Sandwich:

1/2 - 1 cup pulled beef
1 Tbl. bbq sauce, or as much as you like
1 - 6" pita bread round, warmed in microwave
1 slice co-jack cheese
2 large, thickly sliced mushrooms, (sautéed in 2 Tbl. butter)
2 crisp-cooked thick slices lean quality bacon
1/3 cup shredded lettuce
3 thin slices tomato
thinly sliced red onion to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Pat one side with half of the seasonings.

In crock pot, add beef consommé and grate in garlic. Stir.

Place roast in seasoned side-down.

Season other side with rest of seasonings.

Place on lid and turn crock pot on to High for 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to Low, and continue cooking until fall-apart tender, about 6 hours.

Remove meat to a baking sheet, pour juices from crock into a large glass measuring cup, and refrigerate juices.

Shred meat with 2 forks, or leave in bite-sized chunks if preferred. Cover to keep moist.

When fat has solidified on top of juices, remove, then pour most of the juice over the meat to keep it from drying out.

Use what you need, and freeze the rest for later uses.

For 1 American-Style Pita Sandwich:

Warm 1/2 - 1 cup beef with 1 Tbl. bbq sauce, or as desired. Set aside. Warm pita bread in microwave wrapped in damp paper towel until soft and pliable. Top pita bread with beef, drizzle with more bbq sauce, and top with co-jack cheese, mushrooms, bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion and salt and pepper. Fold like a taco and enjoy!