Should I cook this roast on low or high?

Cook on low for 71⁄2 hours or on high for 4 hours․ The cooking instructions on the package include both options, and fork softness is the preferred way to test for doneness with this cut of meat․ The package advises against turning off the slow cooker after the recommended cooking time if the meat isn't fork-tender․ Cover the slow cooker while cooking to maintain heat․

Can I use chuck roast instead of tri-tip?

Yes, chuck roast and London broil are substitute meats for tri-tip roast․ This recipe calls for all three beef cuts in the same slow cooker recipe․ The tri-tip roast and other beef cuts will be ready when fork-tender․ Two pounds of chuck roast or London broil are suggested for this recipe to provide the proper amount of sauce․

What can I substitute for red onion?

White and yellow onions can be used in place of red onions in this recipe․ You can use any type of onion in this recipe․ Chopped onion is one of the ingredients in the BBQ sauce․ Fresh garlic is suggested, but one teaspoon of garlic powder is listed as an alternative to fresh garlic․ Mix the onion and garlic ingredients with other sauce ingredients before adding the beef․

Can I double this BBQ beef recipe?

Yes, the recipe says to double to serve more people․ To double this recipe and serve the same sauce with beef, double all measured sauce ingredients․ Make sure there is room in the crockpot for the lid to cover the food․ Plan for different cooking times to make sure the beef is tender when doubled, though it may cook in a different amount of time than a single recipe batch․

How should I serve leftover BBQ beef?

Serve roast beef with mashed potatoes, a side salad or other vegetables, or in buns․ These serving ideas showcase different textures of roast beef without changing the way the roast beef was prepared․ To store leftovers, allow them to cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container․ Add some sauce when reheating leftovers to avoid a dry taste․

Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Roast With Fork-Tender Tri-Tip

By Liam CarterOct 4, 2026

Prep

5 min

Cook

450 min

Total

455 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Low cooking temperatures make this beef tri-tip roast‌ fork-tender․ It is served with homemade‌ barbecue sauce․ This slow cooker recipe makes a shredded, barbecue-flavored,‌ fork-tender beef tri-tip roast․

Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Roast With Fork-Tender Tri-Tip

Sauce ingredients consist of‌ chopped red onions, minced garlic, ketchup, brown sugar, chili powder, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth․ Stirring the sauce helps‌ distribute flavor throughout․ One-third of the sauce is set‌ under the roast to season it while it cooks, and the remaining two-thirds is set on top of the roast to season it while it cooks․

When cooking a beef‌ roast, cook until it is fork tender rather than just tender enough to slice across the grain․ Fork tenderness is a‌ sign of a well-cooked roast․ You could describe fork tenderness as the ability to‌ easily poke a fork into the meat and lift it away․ The biggest mistake made‌ when cooking a roast is taking it off the heat too soon․ If your‌ roast is not fork tender, continue to cook it․

Serve beef with mashed potatoes and‌ a salad or other vegetables or make sandwiches with beef on toasted buns․ Store leftover prepared dishes‌ in a covered container in the refrigerator once cooled․ Consider doubling the‌ quantity of beef when preparing this recipe for a large group of people․

Why you'll love this recipe

Slow-cooking tri-tip beef makes‌ it tender․ Cooking tri-tip beef for seven‌ and a half hours lets the BBQ sauce soften it․
Stirring the sauce before adding it to the crockpot helps baste the meat with ketchup, mustard, vinegar, and other seasonings and broth on all sides․
One-third of the sauce is poured under the roast before baking to season the bottom as well as the top․
The recipe includes a high-heat direction that enables the roast and sauce to be cooked in four hours for quicker service, if wanted․
Fork tenderness is a way to test whether a beef roast is done and ready to pull apart․ You do not need to guess whether the roast is ready to pull apart․
Tri-tip and chuck roast are other beef cuts you can use in this slow cooker recipe that aren't used in the barbecue sauce recipe․ London broil is another option․

Instructions

In a small bowl, add all ingredients except for the beef roast and mix until well combined.

Pour one-third of the sauce into the bottom of the crockpot.

Place the beef roast on top of the sauce, then pour the remaining sauce over the roast.

Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on low heat for 7 1/2 hours or on high heat for 4 hours, until the beef is fork tender.

Serve with creamy mashed potatoes, a salad, or vegetables, or serve on toasty buns for sandwiches.

FAQ

It is fork tender if the beef is soft enough to pull apart with a fork․ Roast beef should not be firm or resistant to the touch of a fork․ If you can slice the roast beef into solid pieces, it is not fork tender․ Test the middle of the roast, not just the gravy-covered edges․

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Dinner Beef American Slow Cooker