July Comfort: Just 5 ingredients. Perfect for busy summer days when I want a hearty meal without ever turning on the hot oven.

This 5-ingredient slow cooker vintage liberty shreds is my kind of July comfort food: rich, tender strands of slow-cooked meat in a glossy, golden, umami-packed broth, all without ever turning on the oven. It’s a simple, dump-and-go recipe that feels a little nostalgic, like the kind of shredded roast our moms and grandmas might have made for Sunday supper, just updated for busy summer days. You toss everything in the slow cooker in the morning, and by dinnertime you’ve got a pot full of fibrous, fall-apart protein strands ready to pile into bowls or onto buns.

Serve these liberty shreds in shallow bowls with a ladle of the golden broth over mashed potatoes, rice, or buttered egg noodles for a cozy, spoonable meal. On hotter days, we like to heap the shreds onto soft sandwich buns with a slice of provolone or cheddar and a few dill pickles on the side. Add a simple green salad, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, or some corn on the cob to keep things light but satisfying. The leftovers are wonderful tucked into quesadillas or over baked potatoes for easy lunches.

Servings: 6

3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat

Place the beef chuck roast in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. If the roast is very thick, you can cut it into 2 or 3 large chunks so it fits more easily and cooks evenly.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the beef broth, dry onion soup mix, and Worcestershire sauce until the soup mix is mostly dissolved.

Pour the broth mixture evenly over the roast in the slow cooker, making sure some liquid runs underneath so nothing sticks.

Dot the top of the roast with the pieces of butter, spacing them out so they melt and baste the meat as it cooks.

Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is very tender and easily pulls apart with two forks. The liquid should be simmering and the meat should look deeply browned and glossy in the golden broth.

Once the beef is done, use two forks to shred it directly in the slow cooker into fibrous strands, mixing it gently into the broth so every piece is coated and juicy. Taste and add a pinch of salt or black pepper if needed.

Turn the slow cooker to WARM and let the shredded beef sit in the broth for 10 to 15 minutes so it soaks up even more flavor. Skim off any excess fat from the surface with a spoon if you like.

Serve the liberty shreds hot, scooping both meat and some of the glossy broth into bowls or onto buns. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator, fully cooled and covered, with enough broth to keep the meat moist.

For picky eaters, you can use a milder cut like pork shoulder instead of beef chuck; the process and ingredients stay the same, though pork may cook slightly faster. If your family prefers less onion flavor, use only half the packet of onion soup mix and add a pinch of garlic powder instead. To make it a bit lighter, you can skip the butter and trim the roast more aggressively, then skim the fat from the broth before serving; the meat will be slightly less rich but still tender. For a sandwich-style meal, toast hoagie rolls, pile them with the shreds, and top with sliced cheese; place under a broiler for 1 to 2 minutes if you don’t mind briefly using a small appliance instead of the oven. For a more kid-friendly, gravy-like sauce, whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, then stir into the hot broth and let it thicken on HIGH for about 15 minutes before serving. Food safety tips: Always start with fresh, fully thawed meat; never put frozen roasts directly into the slow cooker, as they can stay too long at unsafe temperatures. Keep the lid on the slow cooker while cooking so the temperature stays consistent, and use a meat thermometer if you’re unsure—beef should reach at least 145°F, though this recipe goes well beyond that for tenderness. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking, storing the meat in its broth in shallow containers, and use within 3 to 4 days or freeze for longer storage.