Chuck roast suggestions--for Thanksgiving? Please?

First, let me explain what I plan to do and then if anybody wants to help with suggestions, am wide open.

Am planning to inject and rub 5 3lb. chuck roasts to smoke (with couple 8 lb. pork butts) on WSM 18.5. Want to pull all of it.

What I have as an injection is basically a brisket thing that I've done:
1. McCormicks Au Jus Gravy powder
2. 3 cups of espresso
(mix Mc's au jus with espresso)
3. 2 tablesp. Worcestershire
4. 1 tablesp. ACV and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
5. 1/4 cup veggie oil
4. 1 tablesp. beef rub (less heavy on fresh rosemary than final rub will be to not clog injector)
5. couple tablespoons garlic juice

Oil is for keeping moist until on smoker Mon. morning--am reheating after pull, so moisture--just a thought.

Then rub 'em, wrap in Saran from today until Monday morning in frig.

Not sure whether chuckies should go on top rack with just foiled Brinkmann charc. pan. No water, saucer, sand: going for high heat cook. It'll still be a long one. Calling for rain here, gonna do in carport. Wind won't be much of an issue.

Plan is to foil when "feel" right or just foil at 160 until they go 205 however long that takes. Then hold in cooler with towels. Using blueK. And some Stubbs--packing 2 unlit or more--layers in, really tightly, before the lit. At least that's the plan. (Don't want to have to add coals. High here today is maybe 50? lows have been in mid 20's at night--typical fall weather, which mean's nothing is typical!

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Ann,

Personally I see a lot of flavors competing here, and some are pretty strong. If it were me, I’d opt for using just the rub. If you like a little coffee flavor, fine-grind some and use it in the rub. The oil won’t really add moisture. True it’s a liquid, but true moistness is water or water based juices. You can get a certain mouth feel with oil but I think that’s something different. For chucks, I like to do a quick sear over direct heat and then foil it, cooking indirectly, to allow it to braise in its own juices. Save those juices to serve with the chuck. If you want more smoke flavor you can leave unfoiled for an hour or so and then foil. I usually add fresh onions, underneath and on top, to mine as well. Over the years I’ve gotten to point where I try to use less ingredients in my rubs, and don’t fuss over the meats as much as I use to. I don’t want to mess up a cook by over doing it which I’ve done many a time . Less is more? That’s my 2 cents.

Paul

You might want to look and the Pepper Stout Beef recipe in the Beef section. It is very good and has a lot of good tips in that thread. Pepper Stout Beef

Ann,

I forgot to post earlier that this recipe from Kevin K is very good. After reading this recipe my chuck cooks are based on it.

Paul

Thanks guys, Kirk and Paul--I kinda went with Kevin's, but mostly took your advice Paul. I just rubbed with some rosemary and espresso--too dang strong with espresso--but no time to braise--total of 7 3+ lb. chucks with 3 10lb. butts. I found a few bone-in chucks. Had 1 WSM 18.5 w/only foiled Brinkmann pan and 2 22.5 kettles going indirect. Juggler runnin' out of hands.

(Dunno what it is with Western NC and the LACK of beef product. I talked w/one butcher who said they never[?!] got bone-in chuck from supplier) but found some at another store. Local abattoir only has pig--Texas spoiled me.)

What worked best was letting it go without injection but with a little veggie oil and worster to hold on espresso--not again, espresso, too strong--pepper, salt, some allspice, ginger and rosemary. When came time to foil, my little brother had arrived, asked if he could help and I was, "Cut up about 6 onions, please and get me some garlic slivers, pretty please!" He cut them, brought them out and we got a few slits in chucks for garlic slivers, smothered under/over with onion slabs, then I foiled. Chilled out. Astounded the smoker was holding 350 after 9 hours--that packing method that Josh did really works at holding temps in my WSM: Josh's butts and stacking coals.

Am sorry I didn't post sooner, in thanks: onion and garlic were astounding and never going back to injecting chucks! A friend originally from Texas, flew in from Austin, and his comps on the chucks meant a LOT! Kidding me, said, "No burnt ends." Just glared at him I have some pics on that mess'o meat on camera--hardly uploaded here yet--some pics of my other cooks on photography page. Little easier when not so much and only one younger bro, but God bless the "boy," helping. Glad he's a total gas man and not on here: 6'5" and 38 with a teenager <STRIKE>=</STRIKE> "boy." Oh well, I can probably still outrun him.

Ya know what gave me fits? THE BIRD! How? 15 lb. bird took forever at 350 in kettle. Go figure. BUT did discover something cool: instead of foiling it, friend makes his own ground hot sausage (again: pig country). Thawed some that, made thin patties shaped like foil, and put on breast, legs, wings, just to see . . . mmmm. Killer! I swear, before ya use foil or bacon on turkey, try the sausage. I have enough home-slaughtered, ground, spiced, to sacrifice some, but any sausage would work. Was gonna save some for stuffing but "little" bro discovered it after cooked, taken off to let meat brown some.

Thanks you all so much!