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Chuckie Advice

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    Chuckie Advice

    So long story...after moving back to Ohio from Iowa I had to find a new beef supplier. Timing couldn't have been worse as everyone I could find was backed up for months (thanks again, COVID). Found out through casual conversation with a father from another kid on my son's soccer team that his brother owns a processing center in West VA. He offered to get me what I need, so now I am feeling somewhat back to normal with a half beef in my freezer. Problem is, as was I was unfamiliar with the butcher/processor I ended up with some very different cuts (not unusual at all when moving to a new guy/gal).

    All that to say, I have about a half dozen chuck roasts, 3-5 pounds each, that are cut like giant steaks. A touch less than 2 inches thick, 5-7 inches wide, and 8-10 inches long. So now I'm puzzled...do I roll them? While not thick when compared to a typical roast, the thickness would make trying to roll them difficult. I'm thinking sous-vide-que is the best way to go, but if so do I leave them as is? I should be able to vacuum seal them (one may be too big for my vacuum sealer), but do I try to roll them first? Or cut them smaller? I was hoping to do one sliced (with the chimichurri recipe posted by HouseHomey in the thread recently revived) and another pulled, because yum, but I'm thinking I will need to sous-vide them first. They just seem way to thin to be able to stay on the smoker long enough for the magic to happen. Could be these are cut how everyone expects and I just had them different in Iowa, but I am used to 3-4 inches thick, 3-4 inches wide, and around 6 inches long. I wanted to check with all you experts to give myself the best shot at not ruining these as they are new to me.

    Appreciate all the help I can get!

    #2
    I would either roll and SVQ, or cube and do poor mans burnt ends. Yum.

    Comment


      #3
      I think the poor man burnt ends is a great idea.

      Comment


        #4
        As forgiving as chuck is, my first inclination would be you could probably still just smoke it like normal as long as you go by temp instead of time. I just smoked one yesterday that was probably only barely thicker than 2”. If shredded beef is normally what you do with chuck, I’d at least try it with one. You could always grind it too for great burgers, but you probably have a bunch of ground already with a half.

        EDIT: Maybe wrap in foil after 2-4 hours. I do Mexican shredded that way. Sam The Cooking Guy also has a InstaPot Mexican Beef recipe that’s really good. I think it was ‘Rolled Beef Tacos’.

        EDIT 2: Found STCG video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QerxkwRlqhQ
        Last edited by glitchy; August 25, 2021, 08:02 AM.

        Comment


        • Rod
          Rod commented
          Editing a comment
          Definitely Sam's rolled tacos. We've done this a couple of times. They are incredible!

        • Rfhd69
          Rfhd69 commented
          Editing a comment
          Just watched the video. Those look awesome and I’m going to try them soon

        • DogFaced PonySoldier
          DogFaced PonySoldier commented
          Editing a comment
          Oh man, I watched Sam's video on these - that is freaking AWESOME! I am soooooo gonna do that.

        #5
        I would also recommend wrapping with some braising liquid to finish. Done some thin ones this way and they came out good.

        Comment


          #6
          I've actually tied 2 together, one on top of the other, to make it 4" thick. It turned out really good.

          Comment


            #7
            I knew you guys wouldn't disappoint. Those rolled tacos I think just took first place, but I have enough roasts that I will try some of everything. Thank you all - hope I don't forget pictures again!

            Comment


              #8
              You could also cube it for stew or use some of it up in chili if you run out of other things to do with it.

              Comment


                #9
                Numerous options here. I'm a big fan of SVQ and QVQ for chuck roast, I hardly ever cook it any other way. Here's an example of one, I cook mine medium rare like roast beef. You can also take the option of cooking it in the bath at 160* for a more conventional finish. Either way it comes out super tender and beefy, one of my favorite cuts and a great bargain to boot.

                QVQ Rare Chuck Roast

                Click image for larger version

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                Comment


                  #10
                  My local grocery store does the same thing, it's irritating to me. I just stack two - one on top of the other, untied cuz gravity and all - and it makes a more cubical roast. The good news is doing that you can salt the "inside", the 2 layers that meet.

                  Comment


                  • holehogg
                    holehogg commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Gravity Rules.

                  #11
                  In the 16 years I've been back in Iowa I've had beef processed by at least 7 or 8 different places, plus hogs at a couple more. Partly because the family I bought beef from would line up from 2 to 4 places each year and give me my choice. Some of the places I really liked closed or stopped butchering for the public. And then I moved and had to start over. So I feel your pain. They all do it a little different. Main thing is I have to make sure they don't grind the brisket into hamburger. But most of my Chuckies are more the size you got this time around. Maybe because I tell them I want big roasts and as many of them as possible. A fair number of mine become burnt ends. But a lot of the time I smoke them like a brisket. I've never doubled them up, I want as much surface area exposed to smoke as possible.

                  Comment


                    #12
                    So now as I add up everything I want to do with these I realize I do not have enough of them for everything...which brings me back to my normal territory - you can never have enough meat. Can't thank everyone enough for their advice. I was worried these would dry out in the smoker, but it seems that won't be the case. The new ideas are gravy. Can't believe I never thought to do burnt ends with these. Makes perfect sense. And the taquitos will happen this weekend!

                    Comment


                      #13
                      Chuck roast is incredibly under-rated. You can do so much with it. I like to grind some and I make sure I get ALL of the fat and will then pre-form, as loosely as possible, 4 half pound burgers and vac seal. I like to grind and weigh a pound here, a pound there, for weeknight tacos. I LOVE smoking chuck roast - very much like brisket but without all of the damn trimming and without nearly the volume. That it's cut like a big steak ensures plenty of bark-to-internal meat ratio. Do a thick grind and it's great for some basic chili.

                      Brisket excites but it's also a LOT of meat. For a small crowd chuck roast rocks.

                      Comment


                      • Bogy
                        Bogy commented
                        Editing a comment
                        "Poor man's brisket." It's not that its less expensive to buy, per pound (not usually anyway), it's that you are buying 3 lbs instead of 15 lbs.

                      • JeffJ
                        JeffJ commented
                        Editing a comment
                        Bogy Exactly. I do one brisket per year but do several chucks.

                      • Mr. Bones
                        Mr. Bones commented
                        Editing a comment
                        This...

                        Alla th flavour of a brisket, way less expensive, overall, not a two-day cook lol, an way less leftovers to process, with yer now distended abdomen

                        I do easily a 7:1 Chuckie vs Brisky ratio...

                        Delighted, every time...
                        Last edited by Mr. Bones; August 28, 2021, 09:45 PM.

                      #14
                      I’ve also stacked them to smoke also when they are thin.

                      I do like QVQ for this (https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...s-vide-chuckie (https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/the-pit-mastery-program/sous-vide/448657-sous

                      Comment


                      • STEbbq
                        STEbbq commented
                        Editing a comment
                        Seems like 2 pork butts would fit too.

                      #15
                      Cut them into 2” strips and cook them up as beef country style ribs.

                      Comment

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