This delicious smoked chuck roast sandwich is based on the classic Beef Suya, hailing from the streets of Nigeria. Step into incredibly warming flavors with this Beef Suya Shredded Beef Sandwich. Let’s face it, you might be here for the Chile Peanut Sauce.
Bright flavors, meet beef.
Smoked meat is a blank canvas for all sorts of delicious combinations, that’s why I love barbecue so much. Shredded beef is so delicious and savory, loaded with umami and deep-roasted flavors. This recipe for spiced shredded beef with chile peanut sauce brings bright flavors, texture, and compels me to roll my eyes with each bite.
Eye-rolling means it’s amazing.
Let’s take a quick tangent to discuss. Bright spices, shredded beef, peanuts? What the heck am I thinking?
West African BBQ
Studying global barbecue is a hobby of mine, a method of trying to understand different flavor combinations that I have not yet consumed. It’s no secret that West Africa has been getting much more love in recent years.
Last year I created my first recipe inspired by those flavors, using ingredients that are locally available in the States: my interpretation of Beef Suya. Authentic & traditional are words that aren’t used very often in my work. “Inspired by” is a much healthier approach, and more accurate, as I’m completely intoxicated by the research of spice and flavor combinations.
Bold flavors of chiles, ginger, turmeric, and roasted peanuts came together, inspiring this new spin on beef suya. Thankfully we have access to delicious spice blends, making the creation accessible.
Simple start with chuck roast.
Smoked chuck roast is the best for shredding beef. There, I said it. The BEST.
It’s affordable, which in my opinion goes a long way when we’re discussing the quality of meats for shredding. It has fat, also important for flavor. It’s ridiculously simple to make!
You can use any type of shredded beef you’d prefer: Brisket, beef cheeks, or even shoulder clod. I highly recommend using chuck roast for simplicity and consistency.
Simply swap out the spices used and you’ll be ready to rock for this spiced shredded beef sandwich. The Master recipe linked above is your guide, no, your sage to the most succulent shredded beef. Print it off, memorize it, and eat it.
OK, don’t actually eat the recipe. Eat the sandwich.
Don’t forget the chile peanut sauce.
This sauce is not anything traditional, it’s inspired by salsa de cacahuate (peanut salsa) and flavors used in West African cuisine. You can use roasted peanuts or peanut butter, chunkiness will vary. Personally, I like roasted peanuts but I can stand behind either variation.
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Beef Suya Shredded Beef Sandwich
Step into incredibly warming flavors with this Beef Suya Shredded Beef Sandwich. Serving it with sliced red onions and fresh tomatoes will brighten all of the flavors.
- Total Time: 7 hours
- Yield: 6–8 people 1x
Ingredients
- 1 chuck roast (3–4 lb)
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp Pumpkin spice
- 1 tbsp Harissa powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/2 onion, sliced thin
Chile Peanut Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 6 dried arbol chiles, stemmed
- 1/2 cup white onion, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1” fresh ginger, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 c peanut butter
- 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tsp allspice powder
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- water (about 1/2 cup, or as needed)
Instructions
Spiced Pulled Beef
- Season the beef on all sides generously. Allow it to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
- When you’re ready, preheat your smoker to 250°F.
- Place the beef on the grates and cook for about 3 hours, spraying with beef broth at least once an hour. This will help build flavor and keep the edges from drying out.
- The internal temperature will stall around 165°F, around the 3-hour mark. This is completely normal, meaning that the temperature will seem like it’s not going up anymore. Increase the smoker temperature to 265-280°F. Place the chuck roast into a skillet or foil pan, adding in the beef broth and onions. Cover the skillet or pan with foil and continue to cook.
- You will be cooking until your thermometer or probe has little to no resistance when checking the temperature, between 200-205°F. Each piece of beef will be slightly different.
- Remove the beef from the liquid and shred. Strain the fat from the liquid, and add the meat back into the juices.
For the sauce
- Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add chiles, onion, garlic, ginger, and thyme and cook, stirring a few minutes until the onion is soft. Transfer mixture to a blender and add the peanut butter, pepper, allspice, apple cider vinegar, turmeric, salt, and about 1/2 cup of water. Blend until smooth and allow to cool.
Notes
Read the guide for Smoked Chuck Roast if you need detailed tips and tricks.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Beef
- Method: Smoking
- Cuisine: Sandwich
Keywords: smoked chuck roast, shredded beef, pulled beef, beef suya, chile peanut sauce, sauce, chile, spicy, pumpkin spice
