Put this raw beef flat iron steak in your slow cooker alongside 4 other ingredients for a meal so incredible your friends will demand the recipe.

 This 5-ingredient slow cooker July Fourth feast is built around a raw beef flat iron steak and a handful of pantry staples, transforming an affordable cut into something tender, saucy, and worthy of a backyard gathering. Flat iron, cut from the shoulder, is well-marbled and holds up beautifully to low-and-slow cooking, soaking in bold flavors without drying out.

Here it’s nestled into a slow cooker with a tangy barbecue sauce, sweet-tart cherry preserves, a splash of cola, and bright pops of tricolor cherry tomatoes that echo the festive colors of the holiday. The result is a set-it-and-forget-it main dish so good your friends will absolutely ask how you made it.

Ingredients gathered for slow cooker flat iron steak

Serve the shredded flat iron over soft brioche or potato buns with a crunchy slaw—classic cabbage, vinegar-based, or even a simple bagged coleslaw dressed up with extra black pepper and celery seed. On the side, think traditional July Fourth staples: grilled corn on the cob, a simple green salad, or a chilled pasta salad.

The sauce is slightly sweet and smoky, so it pairs nicely with something bright and acidic like pickles or quick-pickled onions. For drinks, a cold lager, iced tea with lemon, or a cherry-lime spritzer will echo the flavors in the pot without overwhelming them.

5-Ingredient Slow Cooker July Fourth Flat Iron FeastServings: 6

Ingredients

Ingredients

2 to 2 1/2 pounds raw beef flat iron steak, excess surface fat trimmed

1 1/2 cups thick barbecue sauce (smoky or hickory style)

3/4 cup cherry preserves (or seedless cherry jam)

1 cup cola (not diet)

1 1/2 cups tricolor cherry or grape tomatoes, whole 

Raw flat iron steak arranged in a slow cooker

Directions

Place the raw beef flat iron steak flat in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. If the steak is very long, you can fold it slightly so it fits, but keep it in a single layer as much as possible. You should see the steak centered with space around it for the other ingredients.

Scatter the whole cherry or grape tomatoes all around the steak in the bottom of the slow cooker. They should form a loose ring or cluster of small, brightly colored spheres around the meat. Leaving them whole lets them soften gently and burst into the sauce as they cook.

Cherry tomatoes scattered around steak in slow cooker

In a medium bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, cherry preserves, and cola until smooth and evenly combined. This mixture should be pourable but still a bit thick; the cola thins the sauce and helps with caramelization during the long cook.

Pour the barbecue-cherry-cola mixture evenly over the steak and tomatoes, making sure the beef is mostly coated and the tomatoes are nestled in the sauce. Use a spoon to nudge any exposed spots of steak down into the liquid so everything cooks evenly.

Barbecue cherry cola sauce being poured over steak

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the flat iron steak is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork. Avoid opening the lid during the first few hours so the cooker maintains a steady temperature.