Pulled Beef (Chuck Roasts)


 
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Gene_N

TVWBB Fan
Hello,

Here are some snaps of my first attempt at smoking chuck roasts. I wanted to use a chuck roll but my Costco does not sell chuck rolls. I started with 16.25 lbs and ended up with 9.5 lbs of finished meat that I will cool, portion out, seal and freeze. It was very tasty. I used a modified Henley rub with extra garlic and 1 tbl of onion; 1 lg chunk of apple and cherrywood with KO. The plan was to smoke 4 hrs at 225-240 then pan/foil, cook to 190-195, rest for 1 hr then pull.

Lessons learned:
1. Grind the dry onion into powder so it will mix in better
2. The meat was tender cooking to 190-195 but I had to cut it. Next time I will cook to 200-205. I assume the meat will break apart like butt, right?
3. It appears chuck roasts produce more grease/lb than and equal amount pork butt. Any experience with this?

1. Notice the dried onion
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2. On grate. Top grate only to facilitate moving
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3. 4.5 hours in. Internal temp measured at 156F.
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4. After resting, good smoke ring
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5. Finished
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Gene, I think you are right about the grease in a chuck roast…I've noticed MUCH more non-rendered fat in chuck roasts than in pork butts (both beef and pork were boneless from Costco). I've been a HH fan for pork butts as well as chuck roasts, however my next chuck roast will be a low and slow to try and help render the fat better.

By the way, your results look great! I'll have to look up the "Henley rub" because the rubbed pictures look awesome!
 
So my assumption to cook to 205 or probe tender will produce buttah tenderness common in pork butts? I know overcooking a whole brisket will fall apart in your hands. This happened to me a few months ago.

Quite a bit greasy drippings was produced while finishing off in a covered AL pan. I separated the grease then created au jus by adding 16 oz of beef broth. It goes pretty well with dipped Whole Food french rolls.
 
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Gene_N said:
So my assumption to cook to 205 or probe tender will produce buttah tenderness common in pork butts?
Click to expand...
Stick a fork in the meat and twist. If the meat twirls around the fork like so much spaghetti it's done
 
Gene I just did a chuck yesterday, a 4 pounder. I took mine up to 165 in the kettle using oak for smoke and finished it in my D/O along with a 1/2 cup of dark ale. I didn't intend it but when I took it off, internal temps were 208. Higher than I would have intended but everything rendered out. I read on a post here that cutting the roast in slices before shredding made for easier pulling and shorter strands so I did that too and it turned out really nice. It was very moist. I can see in your case a D/O wouldn't work for the amount you are cooking but maybe the higher temps might assist in the rendering.
 
When I do pulled beef I smoke them low and slow to at least 165 and then foil or place in a pan with apple juice and onions, cover with foil, and then crank up the heat. I set my temp alert for 205 internal. I start checking it by inserting a fork and twisting after it hits 205. It is almost never tender enough at 205 and at that point I just totally ignore temp and probe every 20 minutes or so. Big thing about chuck roasts is that they are all different based upon that particular cut. I also probe more than one spot on the roast because of the different muscles. It may be ready at one spot and tough as leather at another. I have found that the thicker and bigger the roast the more consistent they seem to be in terms of doneness across the entire roast.

As far as unrendered goes, the advantage of pulling vs. slicing or chopping is that it is easier to separate it out at the end.
 
Looks good Gene and you were prolly only an hour away from pulled.
I do mine higher like 260-275 and go to 160-165 Int. I don't temp after foiling and always add some liquid like broth or beer. I use a gloved hand to probe/squeeze the sides and top of the roasts and when I get little to no resistance I unfoil and do the fork twist also.
One thing I noticed from you're 2nd pic is the roasts are crowded on the grate. Sides are touching and a few are overlapped. 3rd pic doesn't show much shrinkage, so next time spread them out and let the heat distribute evenly around the roasts.:wsm:

Tim
 
Gene_N said:
Quite a bit greasy drippings was produced while finishing off in a covered AL pan. I separated the grease then created au jus by adding 16 oz of beef broth. It goes pretty well with dipped Whole Food french rolls.
Click to expand...

So.....how was the meat? Tender enough? Moist? Did you like what you ended up with? I love a good pot roast sandwich....was it like that?
 
I think you need to foil or pan and cover chuck. It really benefits from what is essentially braising. Especially if you want to pull it. I usually go about 2/3rd's into the cook unfoiled and then foiled for the last 1/3rd. I usually put some broth in the foil. The last time I cooked beef I used the Shredded Barbecued Beef recipe from the cooking topics section of this site. I really liked the way the beef tasted and IMO, benefited from cooking in the aluminum pan. It also made for easy clean up.
 
Frank H said:
So.....how was the meat? Tender enough? Moist? Did you like what you ended up with? I love a good pot roast sandwich....was it like that?
Click to expand...

The meat had excellent flavor and it was tender enough. I already portioned out, sealed and froze 90% of it for future dinners. Tomorrow, I will try mixing some of it with Zatarain's Jambalaya mix.
 
Jerry N. said:
I think you need to foil or pan and cover chuck. It really benefits from what is essentially braising. Especially if you want to pull it. I usually go about 2/3rd's into the cook unfoiled and then foiled for the last 1/3rd. I usually put some broth in the foil. The last time I cooked beef I used the Shredded Barbecued Beef recipe from the cooking topics section of this site. I really liked the way the beef tasted and IMO, benefited from cooking in the aluminum pan. It also made for easy clean up.
Click to expand...

I just discovered my local BJ's sells chuck rolls so I will try that with all of the suggestions here. :)
 
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