Crockpot BBQ Beef

My dad gave us a crockpot recipe book for Christmas (thanks, Dad) and I spent a couple hours browsing through it the other night while Chad played ping pong on the Move... as if that wasn't entertaining enough. I found several good recipes, but one in particular caught my eye.  Not because if looked amazing but because it was a good idea.  Crockpot pulled beef... their recipe didn't look awesome, I have a feeling it would have been more sour than sweet, and watery.  Nothing grosses me out more than watery beef.  However, the title challenged me to come up with my own crockpot BBQ beef, and try I did.  I think it was a raving success and for once, every member of my household readily agreed without complaint.  That says something...

1 2-3 lb chuck roast, thawed
1 tsp Liquid Smoke
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (we only use Head Country in this house)

In a cast iron skillet, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil on high almost until smoking.  Season the roast generously on both sides with salt and pepper.  Sear in the skillet about 2 minutes per side, until a good crust is formed.  In a small bowl, mix 1 cup of BBQ sauce with the liquid smoke.  Put half into the bottom of the crockpot.  Lay the roast on top, and pour the remaining 1/2 cup of smoke/bbq sauce mixture on top.  Cover and cook on high 4-5 hours.  Remove roast to glass bowl and dump all remaining liquid out of the crockpot.  Using two forks, pull beef to shred, discarding any fatty pieces.  Return to crockpot, mix in all remaining BBQ sauce (about 2-3 cups, depending on bottle size) and mix well. Turn crockpot on low and cover for thirty minutes.  Mix before serving.

I like this recipe because it means we can have BBQ in the dead of winter, when it's too cold outside to use the grill.  It also means I have a go-to recipe for the summer when we have barbecue parties and guests come over that won't use up the stove space or grill space and I can be free to cook other things that are more time consuming.  This pulled beef tastes like it came from the grill to the bowl to your bun.  Perfect!