This recipe for Braised Beef Sliders with Citrus Slaw features tender, juicy sliced chuck roast slowly braised with citrus, soy, and fresh ginger. The rich beef is paired with a bright citrus slaw for a balanced, crave-worthy bite on soft slider rolls. It's perfect for entertaining, make-ahead meals, or family-friendly dinner.
Braising is a wonderful technique when using less expensive cuts of beef like for this Tender Braised Beef Shanks. The moist, moderately low cooking environment helps break the connective tissue and collagen of chuck roast down, creating tender, juicy beef. This recipe utilizes the same beef from Citrus Soy Braised Chuck Roast and pairs it with a bright and tangy coleslaw made with similar ingredients to the braising liquid, including lime, orange, and soy sauce. It's a simple yet elegant dish that is rich and delicious, but not overly heavy or fussy.
Why These Braised Beef Sliders Work
- Slow-braised beef is tender, flavorful, and reheats well.
- Citrus slaw cuts richness and keeps the sliders balanced.
- The beef and slaw share overlapping ingredients.
- All components can be made ahead and assembled quickly.
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Ingredients That Matter
This recipe is designed to utilize similar ingredients in the braised beef and the citrus slaw, meaning you don't need to find mystery ingredients at your grocery store.
- Chuck Roast. This cut comes from the shoulder area of the cow and is fairly tough, but has a good amount of fat and connective tissue, making it ideal for a low and slow braise.
- Citrus. Lime zest and juice, along with orange zest and juice, flavor both the braising liquid and the coleslaw dressing.
- Ginger. A knob of peeled fresh ginger provides robust flavor to the braising liquid. A bit of grated fresh ginger gives more bright notes to the slaw dressing.
- Fennel Seeds. Added to the braising liquid, fennel seeds provide a pleasant, mildly licorice flavor.
- Kosher Salt & White Pepper. Salt seasons the beef while the white pepper provides a unique flavor to the beef and coleslaw dressing.
- Tomato Paste. A big spoonful of tomato paste adds richness and depth to the braising liquid.
- Soy Sauce. Use in both the braising liquid and coleslaw dressing.
- Oil. A neutral oil works well for both searing the beef and making the slaw dressing.
- Cabbage & Carrot. Shredded cabbage and carrot provide the vegetables for the slaw, offering a pleasant crunch and touch of sweetness.
- Fresh Mint. This herb makes the slaw taste fresh and bright.
- Chicken or Beef Stock. Use either chicken or beef stock to build the braising liquid.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Braised Beef Sliders
This recipe takes a few hours total, but most of the time is hands-off. Here is how this recipe comes together.
- Braise the beef: Start by seasoning the chuck roast with kosher salt and white pepper then sear in a heavy-bottom pan or Dutch oven. Then build the braising liquid with tomato paste and fennel seeds. Add in strips from the lime and orange, fresh ginger, soy sauce, and chicken (or beef) stock. Cover and cook in a 300F oven until fork-tender, about 2 hours.
- Slice beef and make sauce: Rest the chuck roast on a cutting board for at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add braising liquid to a fat separator (or skim off the fat with a spoon), then strain back into the pot. Simmer over a moderately low heat until slightly reduced and thickened, about 15 minutes. Add the beef back to the pan and remove from heat; cover to keep warm.
- Make citrus slaw dressing: To a medium bowl, add lime and orange zest, some grated fresh ginger (optional), juice from the citrus, a pinch of white pepper, and soy sauce. Slowly whisk in olive oil.
- Toss together slaw: Add shredded cabbage, matchstick carrots, and sliced fresh mint to the dressing and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day ahead of time.
- Assemble sliders: Warm soft slider rolls in the microwave, toaster, or oven then cut in half. Add sliced beef and spoon on some of the citrus soy braising sauce.
- Top with citrus slaw: When ready to serve, top the beef with citrus slaw and spoon on more of the sauce. Serve immediately.
Adam's Pro Tip
Always cut beef against the grain for the most tender bite. Some larger roasts, like chuck roast, can have grain that runs in different directions throughout the cut. If this is the case, you can cut these sections apart and slice them against the grain separately. You can also shred beef with forks and roughly chop if the grain is difficult to identify.
Substitutions & Variations
This recipe is delicious as is, but there are plenty of substitutions and variations you can try based on your dietary needs or flavor preferences, including:
- Spicy Version - Fresh ginger can often taste sharp or even spicy (just ask my young daughters), but this recipe is not spicy at all. If you want to make it spicy, try adding a big pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the braising liquid, hot sauce or sriracha to the citrus slaw.
- Gluten-Free Variation - You can certainly use a gluten-free bun or bread, but this recipe tastes amazing as lettuce wraps, making it entirely gluten-free.
- Slaw Veggies - Feel free to swap in red cabbage in the slaw (try this Purple Cabbage Slaw). You can also make it with radishes, celery, or even arugula.
- No Mint - If you don't have fresh mint or don't want to use it, try fresh scallions, cilantro, or even chives.
What to Serve with Braised Beef Sliders
This recipe has Asian-inspired flavor, but actually goes well with a wide variety of sides, including:
- Crispy Air Fryer Red Potatoes
- Coconut Cilantro Rice
- Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Bok Choy
- Charred Broccolini with Chili and Garlic
- Skillet Charred Corn on the Cob
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating
This recipe works great for meal prep as the beef can not only can be made ahead of time, it actually tastes better if it rests in the braising liquid overnight in the fridge. To make this recipe ahead, braise the beef then rest at room temperature until it's no longer hot. Transfer the beef (unsliced) along with the braising liquid to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight, or up to 3 days.
The next day, thinly slice the beef against the grain, skim off the fat from the liquid and strain into a saucepan. Reduce the liquid to a slightly thickened sauce, simmering for about 15 minutes. Reheat the beef right in the saucepan with the sauce. You can freeze the beef, sliced and stored with the braising liquid, for up to 2 months.
You can also make the slaw ahead of time and store in the fridge for up to 1 day. If you store it longer the cabbage will get soft. You can make the slaw dressing up to 3 days ahead and simply dress the cabbage and carrots just before serving.
FAQ
Yes! Braised beef actually tastes better stored in the braising liquid. When ready to serve, skim the fat off the liquid, reduce the sauce in a saucepan, slice the beef, then add the beef to the sauce and gently warm.
Choose a large cut with lots of connective tissue and a good amount of fat, like brisket, chuck roast, oxtail, shanks, short ribs, or cheeks.
To keep slider buns from getting too soggy, serve immediately after assembling and do not over-sauce the beef.
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Sides
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Recipe
Braised Beef Sliders with Citrus Slaw
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 8 sliders 1x
Description
This recipe for Braised Beef Sliders with Citrus slaw features tender and juicy sliced chuck roast slowly braised in a rich and flavorful broth with citrus, soy, and fresh ginger. The rich beef is paired with a simple bright citrus coleslaw, providing a mouthwatering bite piled high on soft slider rolls. It's perfect for entertaining, make-ahead meals, or family friendly dinner.
Ingredients
Braised Beef
- 2 ½ - 3 lbs. chuck roast, fat trimmed
- 1 tsp. Kosher salt
- ½ tsp. ground white pepper
- 1 Tbsp. avocado or vegetable oil
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tsp. fennel seeds
- 1 medium orange
- 1 medium lime
- 3 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 3 cups chicken or beef stock
- thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Citrus Slaw
- zest and juice from ½ lime (about 1 Tbsp. juice)
- zest and juice from ½ orange (about 3 Tbsp. juice)
- ¼ tsp. ground fresh ginger
- 1 ½ Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp. avocado or other neutral oil
- 4 cups shredded or thinly sliced green cabbage (from ½ head cabbage)
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 8 leaves fresh mint, thinly sliced
- 8 soft slider buns
Instructions
Braised Beef
- To make the braised beef, position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 300F. Pat the chuck roast dry and sprinkle evenly with kosher salt and white pepper.
- Heat oil in a large heavy bottom pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chuck roast and cook, undisturbed, until well browned on one side, 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until well browned, another 3-4 minutes. Brown all sides then carefully transfer to a plate. Reduce the heat to low.
- Pour out fat from pan to a heat-proof dish then add tomato paste and fennel seeds and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Use a vegetable peeler and peel 2 long strips each of the orange and lime and add to the pan. Squeeze half the orange and half the lime into the pan and add the soy sauce and chicken stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Return the beef to the pan, cover, and transfer to the oven. Cook until a fork inserted into the center meets little resistance, about 2 hours.
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven and transfer the beef to a clean cutting board. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Simmer the braising liquid over medium heat until slightly reduced, about 15 minutes (avoid vigorous boiling). Remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer and spoon off as much fat as possible. Return the sauce to the pan to keep warm.
- Cut the orange and lime half into slices. Cut the beef into ½-inch thick slices against the grain.
Citrus Slaw
- To make the citrus slaw, whisk together in a medium bowl the lime zest and juice, orange zest and juice, ground ginger, and soy sauce until well combined. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Add the cabbage, carrots, and fresh mint and gently toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day ahead of time.
- To assemble sliders, warm beef in the braising liquid in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Warm slider buns briefly in the microwave or toaster (optional). Add 3-4 slices of beef, spoon about 1 tablespoon of the sauce on top, then top with about ¼ cup of the coleslaw and the top but. Spoon on more sauce, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Store leftover braised beef in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. I recommend storing the sauce separately.
- Braised beef tastes best after resting in the refrigerator overnight. Consider placing the chuck roast in the braising liquid overnight then slicing the beef the next day and reducing the sauce. Warm the beef in the hot sauce until warmed through.
- You can leave out the fennel seeds and instead use ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon or ½ teaspoon Chinese five spice.
- To make this recipe spicy, try adding a big pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or a hot fresh pepper to the braising liquid, or add a teaspoon or two of hot sauce or sriracha to the citrus slaw.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: American
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