How Long to Smoke a Chuck Roast?

[zupanj]

I won't buy a brisket at current prices and many of you have said that chuck makes a good substitute. How long does it take to smoke a chuck roast? I know weight and thickness determine this but I want to know if I am looking at 4 or 8 hours. My last brisket took about 18 hours so it would help to have a ballpark idea.

[Finster]

Here's a link to a cook I did a couple of years ago..

PBC Chuck roast - Pitmaster Club

Looks like my total cook time was 5.5 hours at average pit temp of 260-290..

[Alan Brice]

I just picked up a 17-18 lb briskie. $4.29 lb at Costco. The last chuckles I looked at were $6.99 lb. I know the ski has tonnes of fat, I will render that and use nearly all the rendered. Cannot remember the last time I ate a steak.

[hoovarmin]

Here's an article from the free side that lists 6 hours as the cook time. As you said, that will depend on the variables you mentioned. https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...-roast-recipe/

[DaveD]

My chucks always take significantly longer than that. Just did one the other day in fact, and it was ten hours from when it went on the kettle until service for dinner. I ran 2-zone with the indirect side sitting at about 225/105, and it stalled for a good three to four hours.

I find chucks stall very consistently given that they are usually quite tabular in shape, a rectangular solid that provides a nice flat surface on which juices pool. Those pools impose the stall conditions, as long as there is standing liquid on top, the interior is losing heat at about the same rate it's gaining it, and stallsville it is. One way to speed the cook would be to pour off those juices, but I would be loathe to do that because that's some serious goodness right there. Meat could get dry.

But a chuck is still definitely a one-day cook, unlike brisket. Putting it on at 8am and serving dinner at 6pm works for us. Good luck!

[Richard Chrz]

Chuck roasts take me all day, but I really like a slow rendered chuck.

[zupanj]

Thanks for this, it helps a lot. Do you wrap your chucks at some point?

[hoovarmin]

Yes, gotta wrap, or at least foil boat. A chuck will dry out on you if you don't.

[zupanj]

I use a Backwoods Chubby which has a huge water pan. It's pretty moist in there when smoking. I am thinking mostly about a stall.

[hoovarmin]

zupanj a water pan isn't going to get moisture into the meat or keep moisture from pushing out of the meat. It creates an effect on the outside of the meat.

[DaveD]

Thanks for this, it helps a lot. Do you wrap your chucks at some point?

I'm a huge fan of the foil boat approach for chucks, and for nearly the same reason, their basic shape. So easy to pop into a boat.

Here's a link to my thread about our moving process at the post where I show this cook - it was my last one at this house, as it turns out, we're doing leftovers and takeout until we move in a few days.

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/pitmaster-general-discussion/1709643-the-times-they-are-a-changin?p=1734506#post1734506

You can see all the details there.

[zupanj]

That looked really good. What is the point of the foil boat? It can't really act as a crutch. Did you use a rub?

[DaveD]

Seasoning details are in the thread. The point of the foil boat is to split the difference between a full wrap and no wrap. The top remains exposed for barkification while the bottom gets the benefit of sitting in the juices. It will immediately terminate a stall without pouring any of that nectar away, temps always start to climb steadily once boated (or wrapped).

[zupanj]

Thanks, I missed the seasoning part on the first read.

[Tax Man]

I did one last week-I think it was about 4 lbs. and was on the PBC for about 8 hours. Normally they don't cook that long but this one seemed to have a longer than usual stall.

[bbqLuv]

Time and Temperature to cook, not how long.
The free side has a wonderful write up on this subject.
The Science Of Cooking Prime Rib, Tenderloin, And Other Beef Roasts - Meathead's AmazingRibs.com

[RichieB]

For me on the PBJ 6 to 8 hours with the stall at 250-275.

[CRO]

I recently did a 3 pounder.
It took 6+ hours plus rest.

[Richard Chrz]

I probably cook my Chuck roasts very different than most in here.

I start with some good bone stock that I’ve made, Dino rib bones hopefully. I will put about an inch of the bone stock in a pan or Dutch oven (inside vs outside). I will only give a Chuck roasts about an hour of smoke on the front end, then cover with foil, or with the Dutch oven lid,

I like to bring my Chuck roasts up to about 180’s in the first 2 hours (max 3 hours,) when it hit’s that, I lower the temp to try and hold it there. Every 2 hours or so, I will take the foil or lid off and flip it, repeat every 2 hours. When I have about an hour or maybe two left, I will take the cover off start pulling it and let it finish that way,

I used to smoke them the entire time, but I lost so much of this cut when I didn’t keep them in a humid environment. But, with that said, it takes me about 10 hours to cook. And while I do go into the 190’s etc, internal temp, I find the time at that 180’s - 190’s offers me the best rendering I get. I never shoot for 200’s, (it does occasionally happen though). I have also found my best pork shoulders always pull in the 190’s. I believe I learned a bit of that from Harry Soo. More of a time at a temp (internal temp)

[Richard Chrz]

Often I will caramelize an onion as well, and use my immersion blender and add the caramelized onion to my bone stock, It adds a bit of depth. Oh and some fish sauce, that goes in just about everything.

[carolts]

I wanted to see what all the fuss was about Chuck Roasts. So I tried some yesterday on my M1. Post oak and B&B competition briquettes. Rub from a local butcher shop (Jimmy P's in Naples, FL). A little water in the foil pans and covered after about 2.5 hours.


Ok, I get it now! I'll be doing this again.

[JeffJ]

In my experience chuck roast takes as long as pork butt.