Smoked bnls chuck question

[DesertRaider]

Since it's looking warm out this week, and I've got one day with low wind, I was going to try smoking a bnls chuck roast I just picked up. Acutally one of three (currently a FoodMaxx special). My first attempt is on the 5lb piece, and while I've seen several threads praising the end product, I haven't found a decent guide.

Beyond SVQ, low and slow, and smoke then braise, is there a good option for cooking it in the smoker start to finish? I've seen several mentions of cooking it like brisket, which causes me grave concern considering my current track record with brisket. I'm using a COS, but am armed with a Smoke and Thermapen, so I can keep tabs on the temps. Any pitfalls to be aware of? Any suggestions to take it from ok to great?

TIA, and stay safe.

[Jerod Broussard]

Just let it ride until it gets dark enough for your liking. Then wrap and take to 210-ish if you want to pull or 185-190 if you just want to slice.

[Steve R.]

This is what I do for pulled. I keep it rolling at 210 for about an hour, although that may not be entirely necessary. I just remembered I have one already seasoned up with Montreal steak seasoning in the freezer and ready to go.

[scottranda]

This is pretty comprehensive and written by one of our very own members (and former moderator)!

https://snsgrills.com/pages/pulled-chopped-beef

you'll do great! Enjoy!

[HawkerXP]

Here is his PBC version, also great. https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...-barrel-cooker

[DesertRaider]

scottranda and HawkerXP I liked the way both articles were written and tried making mental notes. It's going to work as a bit of a checklist, since there's a fair bit of similarity between the two.

[EdF]

This is one of my favorites. Always comes out great. http://dizzypigbbq.com/portfolio/cla...-clay-roberts/

[DesertRaider]

This is definitely on my list to try.

[Dadof3Illinois]

Chuck Roast do best for me at a low and slow temp around 225. I’ll let them ride until they reach around 170-175 IT then wrap until they reach 200-205.
I also dry brine these for 2 days in the fridge then use a Montreal Steak seasoning for a rub.

[texastweeter]

Similar. Inject and dry brine 24-48 hours in advance. Douse in hot sauce as a binder and apply salt free rub. You can use the BBBR from the free site. Smoke at 225° over oak and mesquite until bark is set (around 175°). Crutch in paper and take up to 203°-208°. Pull, wrap on foil and hold in towel lined cooler for about 4 hours. Remove, unwrap and pull. Serve as tacos or on seeded burger buns (I like sourdough jalapeno cheddar buns) with a splash of hot sauce, sliced onions, and pickled jalapeno

[Dadof3Illinois]

At times I actually like "panning" these instead of wrapping. I'll set them on top of a big bed of onions, jalapeno's and bell peppers in a pan and cover to get it through the stall. Then I have all the veggies already done for the pulled beef sandwiches

[jfmorris]

I've followed both these recipes and had great success:

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...k-roast-recipe

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...k-roast-recipe

I prefer the second one - the pulled version, versus the sliced version. More fat renders if you cook to the higher temperature I think.

[DesertRaider]

Those were both helpful, and I was shooting for the pulled beef version. Now I got to practice more!

[Mr. Bones]

They're super easy to do, don't be intimidated, brother!

Dry brine, if ya wish, overnight is good...

Set up yer cooker to hold desired temp...while it's warmin up, apply yer rub of choice, liberally, to yer chuckie.

Put yer chuckie into yer cooker, at th optimum place to cook indirect. I almost always use a water pan, on alla my cooks, an don't wrap. Others have great success w/o water pan, an wrap. Probly yer call, here...

Since I tend to check on my offset fire / temp bout every half hour, bout every hour I'll rotate my cook, to help even out heat distribution in my protein(s)

When ya have developed some bark to yer likin, ya can wrap it, if ya wish...from then on, monitor it purty closely; won't be too much longer afore it's done, generally. Every cook is different...

Probe with yer Thermapen, when yer Smoke says it's 185°, or greater...

Pull when it probes easy, like buttah, can purty reliably use th temps cited above, as well...

Cover, if not already wrapped, rest a good hour, more if scheduling permits.

Enjoy! Chuckies are Oh So Dang Good!!!!

(An simple enough, even I can do em!)

Any more questions, rye cheer's th place; lotsa really talented, experienced folks here, that'll help ya git er done!

Be safe an well, have a Great Cook, lookin forward to some pics...

[DesertRaider]

Thanks for the directions. I stopped using a water pan a while back becaue I was having a hard time getting the temps right. Now that I have a Smoke, I might start trying it again. Fortunately no moisture problems, though I was surprsied that this one was probe tender around 150F, which is when I wrapped it because it was too dark to see I do need to physically check my firebox more often because the coals went quick after a couple of hours and I just haven't got my ability to read the ...

[DesertRaider]

temps to get a clue when that's starting to happen. Getting the Smoke has made me make several changes to what I do already, this will just be another one. But, the flavor was good enough for me to keep trying!

[Mr. Bones]

DesertRaider If'n yer startin with hot, nigh onto boilin water, it should only help make keepin temps more stable.
Anybody ever said, after eatin yer cooks :Man! This is jus too moist, I cain't eat it! Could ya Shoe Leather me up a servin or two?
Reckon not, huh; they ain't tol me that, neither.

[Red Man]

Chuckies are forgiving like a pork butt. The biggest difference is not all chuckies are suited for low and slow. There’s a lot of lean chuck roast out there. You need to find a very well marbled chuck roast. Smoke it low and slow until it’s tender, and it will be great. Here’s a pic of a perfect one for smoking.

[texastweeter]

I have used super lean chucks from our grass fed/finished cattle before and they are fine using my above recipe.

[DesertRaider]

The one I cooked is certainly leaner, but, it didn't dry out on me so I'm pretty happy about that. This one looks like no problem at all with keeping it moist!

[DavidNorcross]

Has become my favorite. Would much rather pull than slice but either way is fine. I take mine to 175 and wrap but have had success either way. I do like to add beef broth (not alot) when I wrap and let it braise until 210. Excellent flavor.

[HawkerXP]

Agree!

[Rocinante]

Chuck is becoming my favorite to smoke, as of late. I will dry brine for at least a day, usually with nothing more than Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. I was using a homemade rub of mine with brown sugar and the usual, but find with this meat the simpler the better. I will also tie mine as pictured above if it looks like it may split during the cook. After a little stall and the bark looks good, I will wrap with paper.

[Jfrosty27]

In addition to all the great ideas and suggestions above, try making burnt ends out of it. Pull it it with an IT of about 180-190. Cut into cubes, hit with a little rub and sauce, pan them and back on the cooker until tender. Really yummy!

[jumbo7676]

I just did this recently. Though after pulling off the Weber to cut into cubes, I had a little taste and almost decided not to go any further and to just slice it as is because it was tasting so good. If dinner time wasn't still a few hours away, I probably would have either stopped right there or split it to do burnt ends with half and slice the other half.

[DesertRaider]

Wow! So many methods, so few chuckies With all these different ways, I'm going to have to go buy some more! My most sincere thanks to everyone, and I'm about to start the charcoal in the chimney. Pics and review to follow.

[DesertRaider]

OK, after a 5 1/2 hour smoke (a few technical issues came up) and then a two hour faux cambro (fauxbro?) this is how it looked.


Had some for dinner tonight as pulled beef burrito. Sorry, no pics cause we were hungry, though the rest of the prep pics will be in the SUWYC section later. Overall, taste is really good. Used mesquite and peach for smoke, and spog + Hungarian sweet paprika and cumin for the rub, though I need to check out the BBBR and get the missing ingredients to give that a go. The biggest technical issue was it hit the stall around 140F, and then to exacerbate the problem, my coals went faster than I anticipated. Took about a half hour to get the smoker heat back above 210, but the chuck was stuck at 140F for over an hour, close to 1 1/2. Once I wrapped it then it took off and hit 190F in just under 90 minutes. I pulled it cold, which worked, but chopped it for a little more tenderness.

So, thanks everyone for helping. I really do want to try all these different methods, so, back to foodmaxx! This is looking to be a tasty spring/summer coming up.

[Mr. Bones]

Sounds like a greatly successful cook. Congrats!!!
Every hunk o meat's gonna be different, it's all parta th Fun!
That looks delicious, Brother! Fine Job

[DesertRaider]

Mr. Bones Thanks for the kind words. I've got to say since I've been on this site, my mistakes and almost's are a lot better than before! And I'm certainly learning about each piece being different.