One 3-pound chuck roast, rinsed and dried (also works well with brisket)
2 medium onions, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large tin whole tomatoes (500g or more, preferably plum tomatoes)
600ml of your favorite homemade barbecue sauce
Preheat oven to 300F/150C.
In a large, heavy pot, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, roughly chopping them in the pot. Add the barbecue sauce, increase heat to medium high and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the chuck roast. Cover and put in oven. Braise until fork tender, about 3-4 hours.
Remove the meat from the pot. Use a fork and knife to separate the roast into small pieces. Set aside.
Place the pot on medium/medium-high, uncovered, and reduce the liquid until thick. Stir often to prevent burning.
Return the meat to the liquid in the pan. Warm both thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve on buns.
BBQ sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup butter
1 chopped chile pepper, such as a serrano
1 medium yellow or white onion, grated
1 cup bourbon or whiskey
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup dark molasses
2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
Salt to taste
1 Heat the butter and oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heat.
2 Grate the onion through the coarse grate of a box grater, or finely mince the onion if you don’t have a grater.
3 Add grated onion and chile to the oil/butter combination and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, or until onions turn translucent. You do not want the onions to turn color.
4 Take the pan off the heat and add the bourbon. Return to the stove, turn up the heat to medium-high again and boil down the bourbon for 5 minutes.
5 Add the ketchup, lemon juice, vinegar, molasses, and the sugar. Mix well and return to a simmer.
6 Cook the sauce for a few minutes to combine the flavors and then taste test it. Is it salty enough? If not, add salt. Is it spicy hot enough? If not, add a little cayenne powder. Is it sweet enough? If not, add some molasses.
7 Let the sauce cook down slowly until it thickens, about 20 minutes.
