Special thank you to our BBQ friends at Kamado Joe for allowing us to share this recipe created by Michale Perez, as part of our September 2026 Grilling for Gold tour through Germany.
Tender, smoky chuck roast is slowly smoked and then braised in rich, dark beer for maximum flavor. Caramelized onions add a sweet-savory punch, while homemade pretzel buns provide that soft-yet-chewy base. Finish it all off with a luscious, creamy beer cheese sauce, and you’ve got a slider that’s perfect for Oktoberfest, game day, or any celebration that calls for bold, hearty flavours.
- Serves: 5
INGREDIENTS:
🥩 Smoked & Beer-Braised Chuck Roast
- 3–4 lb chuck roast
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 cup dark beer
- 2 tbsp butter
🧅 Caramelized Onions
- 2 onions, sliced
- 1 tbsp butter
- Pinch of salt
- Splash of beer
🥨 Sourdough Pretzel Buns
- 1 cup sourdough discard
- ¾ cup warm water
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 10 cups boiling water
- ⅔ cup baking soda
- 1 egg (for wash)
- Coarse salt
🧀 Beer Cheese
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 cup beer
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups shredded cheddar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Pinch of salt + cayenne
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Smoke the Beef - Season your chuck roast with salt, pepper, and garlic. Smoke at 250–275°F for ~3 hrs until it develops a rich, smoky bark.
- Beer Braise - Transfer the roast to a pan with sliced onions, butter, and dark beer. Cover tightly and cook ~2 hrs until fork-tender (205°F internal). Shred the beef in its braising juices.
- Caramelize Onions - Melt butter, add onions and salt. Cook low and slow 30–40 min until golden brown. Deglaze with a splash of beer.
- Pretzel Buns - Mix warm water, yeast, and sugar; let sit 5 min until foamy. Add sourdough discard, flour, and salt; knead 5–7 min until smooth. Cover and rise 1 hr.
- Shape into buns, boil 30 sec in 10 cups boiling water with baking soda, brush with egg wash, sprinkle coarse salt, and bake 450°F for 12–15 min until golden brown.
- Beer Cheese - Melt butter, whisk in flour. Slowly add beer and milk until thick. Stir in cheddar, Dijon, salt, and cayenne until creamy.
- Build Sliders - Bottom pretzel bun ➤ pour beer cheese ➤ pile shredded beef ➤ caramelized onions ➤ top bun.
