What Am I Doing Wrong?

[Guy]

Me too DW what are you external temp averages and how long are the cooks?

[Medusa]

Amen to FoodSavers, Brother!

[Medusa]

I don't put any oil on the meat until I'm ready to rub it down with a spice rub. I just let salt sit and penetrate.

[Medusa]

Thanks Huskee! - got it (name wise). All I need to do is substitute "roast" for "steak" and I have this cut listed on the grocery list.

I believe I've used blade "steaks" for Cook's Ultimate Chili.

[Spinaker]

Makes sense. Thanks Huskee

[Huskee]

Spinaker the oil is useless when dry brining, unless you're dry brining with a full salted rub.

[Huskee]

Medusa, sorry for the delay answering. This cut sort of comes from the chuck, but it's actually the shoulder blade muscle, you may also find it referred to as top blade roast, petite roast, or flat iron roast. I'm not sure how anatomy-wise you are but in case you care it's the infraspinatus muscle of the steer. On the scapula (shoulder blade) on the top or dorsal side of it, are two muscles, one above the 'spine' (ridge) on the scapula, and one below. The one above is the "chuck tender" roast (supraspinatus) and the one below the ridge is this one.

[Medusa]

Remember, put boiling water into the water pan. I believe this is a MH tip.

--Ed

[Spinaker]

Meathead Would you also dry brine a brisket with no oil as well? Thanks.

[jragle]

Thanks to all. I'll giver 'er another go and post results.

[Medusa]

Beautiful cut. I've never seen a flat iron roast, but have a flat iron steak in the freeze. I assume this is a much thicker, wider cut. Correct?

Below is a list of roasts that come from the #1 Chuck Cut. I'm going to look closely to see if I can find anything that matches your picture. I guess part of the "fun" is that different stores / recipes refer to the same cut by different names.

Chuck Arm Roast
Chuck Shoulder Pot Roast
Chuck 7-Bone Pot Roast
Cross Rib Roast
English Roast
Chuck-Eye Roast

--Ed

[Meathead]

I think you are making several mistakes. Use chuck which is much fattier and will therefore be more moist. Do a dry brine first the day before. NO OIL. That gets the salt down deep and salt holds onto water. Use a no-salt rub since you dry brined. Try my Big Bad Beef Rub. No need to apply the spices that far in advance, they don't penetrate more than 1/8 " USE A WATER PAN to keep the humidity up. Wait til the smoker is up to temp before putting the meat in. While it is heating up it is belching dirty smoke. Put cold meat into the machine. Cold wet surfaces attract smoke. Cook until it hits 203, not 195.

[The Burn]

I'll echo many of these comments. I did 2 chucks a couple of weeks ago (total of 5 lbs). Rubbed them with BBBR (with salt) and ended up sitting in fridge uncovered for 2 days. Temp on my kettle/vortex ranged from 225-260. Wrapped them at 170. No liquid. Took them to 207 and then sat in the 170 oven (instead of a faux cambro) for an hour. It was delicious then and it's just as good after being vacuum sealed with the FoodSaver and microwaved. Makes a yummy sandwich with provolone cheese.

[DWCowles]

I know that Dew, I was just saying that all smokers don't cook the same. I also follow PB directions on the beef chuck and it was fantastic. The key is getting to the right temp and letting it set in a cambro.

[Huskee]

Yessir. Anything pulled needs time time time. And temp. A long faux cambro hold for pulled beef or pork will be your best trick. Pit Boss recently had taken his up to 207 (I believe) then did a cambro hold.

Bottom round? Pass on that, unless you want to take it to 135 medium rare and slice thin. Or eye of round. Great flavor but yes it will be tough. But there isn't enough fat & marbling for pulled beef in those.

If you can find this, I also recommend using a flat iron roast (where the flat iron steak, or petite steak comes from.). My store calls it a "petite roast." It is excellent as pulled beef. When you see one you'll know, it has massive marbling (for a roast) where the striations are a combo of neatly parallel lightning bolts. I shall dub it the lightning roast.

Here's a pic of what they look like. If you see it, snag one up and try it! Otherwise chucks are your best bet.