If you love smokehouse BBQ restaurants but don’t want to spend the money to go out, or maybe you have a smoker at home but don’t have 16 hours to wait, this Smokehouse style slow cooker beef recipe brings those aromas, flavors, and tender cuts of beef to your kitchen. Use the servings slider to easily change the amounts in the recipe.
Trim the steak of any of silver skin, gristle, and excess fat. If the steak is large, don’t be afraid to cut it into smaller pieces so it fits in the crock pot.
Mix the rub ingredients (salt, pepper, and mesquite spice) together in a small bowl. Rub both sides of the steak with the spice mix and let it sit while you work on the rest of the recipe. At least 15 minutes should do.
Pour the water, liquid smoke, and Better Than Bouillion in the crock pot, mix together, and turn on high.
Sear the outside of the steak until browned; this can be done on the grill or in a pan on the stove. Don’t worry if the steak is cooked all the way through, you’re just trying to get a nice browned crust on the outside.
Add the browned steak to the crock pot, cover, and cook on high until tender and delicious. Time will vary depending on how thick your cut of beef is but figure on about 4 hours. I start checking it after about 3 hours. Check it by pushing on it with the back of a spoon. You can cook it just until tender or keep cooking it until it falls apart for more of a pulled beef style.
Serve the beef using a slotted spoon to drain off all the juices. I like to save the beef broth and use it when reheating the meat to pour over and moisten the beef. You can also use the beef broth as a gravy or a soup.