Slow Cooker Flat Iron Steak with Cherry Cola BBQ Sauce (Only 5 Ingredients!)

Looking for an easy July Fourth main dish that won’t keep you stuck at the grill? This slow cooker flat iron steak turns a flavorful, well-marbled cut into fork-tender shredded beef, coated in a sweet and smoky cherry cola BBQ sauce. It takes just five ingredients and about ten minutes of prep, and the slow cooker handles the rest.

It’s a great pick for cookouts, potlucks, and game days, or any night you want a crowd-pleasing dinner with almost no effort.

Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Flat Iron Steak

Only 5 ingredients. Steak, barbecue sauce, cherry preserves, cola, and cherry tomatoes.
Hands-off cooking. Load the slow cooker and walk away.
Perfect for a crowd. It stays warm right in the cooker, so it works for buffets and backyard parties.
Sweet and smoky flavor. Cherry and cola balance the BBQ sauce and give the beef a rich glaze.
Festive color. Tricolor cherry tomatoes burst into the sauce and add a pop of summer color.

Ingredients

2 to 2½ pounds flat iron steak, trimmed of excess surface fat
1½ cups thick, smoky or hickory barbecue sauce
¾ cup cherry preserves (or seedless cherry jam)
1 cup regular cola (not diet)
1½ cups tricolor cherry or grape tomatoes, whole

Why Use Flat Iron Steak in a Slow Cooker?

Flat iron steak comes from the beef shoulder (the chuck). It’s tender for a chuck cut and has plenty of marbling, so it stays juicy and full of flavor. Many people grill or sear it, but a long, gentle braise also works beautifully. The connective tissue melts down over several hours, and the beef becomes easy to shred, much like pulled pork but with a deeper, beefier taste.

How to Make Slow Cooker Flat Iron Steak

1. Load the slow cooker. Place the steak in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker in a single layer, folding slightly if needed. Scatter the whole tomatoes around it.

2. Whisk the sauce. In a medium bowl, combine the barbecue sauce, cherry preserves, and cola until smooth. It should be pourable but still a bit thick.

3. Pour and cover. Pour the sauce over the steak and tomatoes, pressing any exposed meat into the liquid. Cover with the lid.

4. Cook low and slow. Cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3½ to 4 hours, until the beef shreds easily with a fork. Try not to open the lid during the first few hours.

5. Rest and shred. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and rest it for 5 minutes. Skim any extra fat from the sauce, then shred the beef with two forks along the grain.

6. Return and warm. Stir the shredded beef back into the sauce and tomatoes. Taste, and add a pinch of salt or a splash more barbecue sauce if you like. Set the cooker to WARM for 10 to 15 minutes so the meat soaks up the flavor.

What to Serve with Cherry Cola BBQ Beef

Toasted buns for saucy sandwiches
Fluffy white rice or cilantro-lime rice
Roasted or mashed potatoes
Creamy coleslaw or a crisp cucumber salad
Corn on the cob, baked beans, or macaroni salad for a full cookout spread

Tips for the Best Results

Use regular cola. Diet cola lacks the sugar needed to caramelize into the sauce.
Choose a thick BBQ sauce. Thin sauces can make the final dish watery.
Thicken if you like. Remove the lid and cook on HIGH for 15 to 20 minutes after shredding to reduce the sauce.
Trim well. Removing excess surface fat before cooking keeps the sauce from turning greasy.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days, with plenty of sauce to keep the beef moist. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of water or cola if the sauce has thickened. For longer storage, freeze the beef and sauce in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different cut of beef?
Yes. Chuck roast is the most common substitute, though it usually has more fat to trim or skim. Flat iron gives a slightly more tender, steak-like result.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Absolutely. The flavor often improves overnight. Cool it, refrigerate it, and reheat it before serving.

What if I don’t have cherry preserves?
Seedless cherry jam works the same way. In a pinch, you can use another dark fruit preserve like blackberry, though the flavor will change.

Can I cook it on HIGH instead of LOW?
Yes. Cook for 3½ to 4 hours on HIGH, until the beef pulls apart easily.

How many people does this serve?
About 6 servings, and it scales up easily for larger gatherings if your slow cooker has room.

Final Thoughts

This slow cooker flat iron steak with cherry cola BBQ sauce delivers big flavor for very little work. It’s sweet, smoky, tender, and easy to serve, which makes it a strong candidate for your next holiday cookout. Give it a try, and let me know in the comments how you served it!

Slow Cooker Flat Iron Steak with Cherry Cola BBQ Sauce