Advice on Bottom Round and more

[SoonerBQuer]

So I'm currently dry brining a kobe bottom round and short ribs to smoke this weekend. My smoker is an insulated vertical smoker with a water pan in it. I haven't done a bottom round yet and was sort of hoping I could do pulled beef with it since it was well marbled. I was hoping to get some tips on the expected time for the round as I'm sure it'll take longer than the short ribs. The roast is about 5lbs and up to 4 inches thick on the fat end, 5lbs on the ribs as well. Any experience?

For comparison sake, I did brisket two different times recently and the first was 6.5hrs and started at 13.5lbs. The second was nearly 15lbs and took 10hrs. I sped the first up by wrapping and raising the temp since I was on a schedule.

I'll also do some pork jowls, Italian sausages and jalapenos and hickory chips for smoked jalapeno margaritas the next at the pool. I hope to post some pictures of it all.

[SoonerBQuer]

Has anyone tried this?

[martybartram]

Sorry, I have not. However, one thing I have learned here is that thickness not weight equates to cooking times. So I think if you consider how thick your briskets were you will have something to compare to. Additionally, your target internal temperature is obviously a factor.

[SoonerBQuer]

Raising him right. Watching daddy clean and prep the smoker for tomorrow.

[GadjetGriller]

Very Nice Rig you got there!! I'll admit if I saw you getting that thing up to Temp I'd be bringing over what ever hunk of meat was in my Fridge as well!!

[SoonerBQuer]

Neighbor saw the smoker out and decided to buy a brisket to "repay" me for smoking a chicken for him last time I smoked. I only did it since his wife was out of town and it's fun. Hopefully since his wife is out of town again, I'll make him plenty of good brisket. No way we can eat it all.

[HorseDoctor]

Great trade for a chicken!!!! LOL! Now you got something to do "low & slow". I gotta think that, as others have stated, even a kobe bottom round would be better off roasted. Enjoy!

[SoonerBQuer]

Good trade indeed. I'll post some pixels of the finished products.

[CeramicChef]

Brisket for chicken!? I need neighbors like that! Helluva deal!

[fuzzydaddy]

Congrats on the brisket! I think that meat, lots of meat, will be on my Christmas list this year.

[Huskee]

I'm leaning toward suggesting you not try it as pulled beef. In my experience round is just too lean. It's great taken to 135, medium rare, like you would a tri tip or prime rib, I just don't think it's as good as either.....cheaper though. YMMV.

[richinlbrg]

+1 on Huskee's thought. He knows of what he speaks!

[martybartram]

I was soooo waiting for someone to say that. Those were my thoughts exactly, I have cooked the top cut and center cut round roasts, but I gave the bottom round roast to my son. So I hesitated to suggest it.

[Huskee]

Let me clarify my above statement, you can make a round roast delicious! I just want to make it known you'll likely find it drier and tougher than a tri tip or prime rib, etc. But by all means, dress it up as you would a more pricey roast, reverse sear it, take it to 135 max and slice it thin against the grain and it will be delicious. Fix up a board sauce to go on the cutting board and you'll have one mighty fine meal at a very reasonable cost.

For pulled beef I highly recommend anything chuck- whether regular old "chuck roast", top blade, flat iron roast, etc.

[SoonerBQuer]

I didn't make it back to see the posts and the round is past 135 but it was soft to the touch and juicy still so I wrapped to preserve. Here's to trying something new anyway. Some fresh pics of the early morning start, a good fire and the smoker loaded up.

[richinlbrg]

WOA, THAT filled smoker is one BEAUTIFUL sight!

Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

[GadjetGriller]

Wow What sports team you feeding!! Looks great!

[SoonerBQuer]

The results. I got a bit time limited and pulled everything a bit early as we had to leave. The roast was 198-200, so close and was good pulled and I was a bit worried it would be dry, but was juicy indeed. The beef short ribs are awesome! The brisket flat was solid but not my best by far. The point was top notch. The pork ribs were not finished so they will get a final touch in the oven tomorrow for pool day, pictures after that. The pork jowls were a real treat. I highly recommend testing them out if you can. The meatballs, recipe from Ernest were really tasty. Wife loved them. Italian sausages were thrown on just because it was running .

[SoonerBQuer]

Brisket

[CeramicChef]

@SoonerBQer - WOWZERS!

[SoonerBQuer]

Pulled beef.

[fuzzydaddy]

That's some beautiful food! The pork jowls look crispy which reminds me of the crispy bites my grandfather would give me from pork he smoked on a homemade pit back in the 1960s.

[SoonerBQuer]

They were a lot like a good crispy fatty bacon bite. We ate having those for breakfast. Maybe nothing else, hah!

[fuzzydaddy]

Crispy fat is where it's at! Very nice treat.

[richinlbrg]

Everything looks great!!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Maybe we have learned something here! Bottom rounds can be pulled. Who knew?

What grade was the bottom round?

[David Parrish]

Man, those ribs, me want!

[SoonerBQuer]

Those and the jowl were easily the best items!

[Huskee]

Nice job, glad the pulled round worked out!

[SoonerBQuer]

Thanks, I think your spot on though chuck would likely be juicier, but I was pleased and a bit surprised by this one.