adam clyde
TVWBB Pro
OK. just got done with my chuck roast... thought I'd share my results in case anyone is looking to do it in the near term. I ended up getting a smaller roast than I had originally planned, as that was all I could get at the market. Plus it was boneless... oh well. Chuck roast was 3 pounds. liberal rub of my own basic BBQ rub. Let it sit out for about an hour at room temp.
Smoker was set up for minion method. I buried about 3 small chunks of hickory. Then put 4 small chunks of hickory on top of the 15 or so lit briquettes. Water in the brinkman water pan.
Put the roast on at 9:30 or so with the smoker at about 230. The meat temp went up quickly to just under 160 within 3 hours... was worried it would finish too quickly.
Went to bed at 1 a.m., smoker at 230, meat at 158. Maverick therm alarm woke me up at 5:30, smoker reached 250. Meat was only at 165. So it plateaued for nearly 4-5 hours. Which is good, since I needed a bit of sleep.
[Funny side story - I woke up and checked the smoker in the morning. The meat was gone. A neighbor liked the smell so much he stole my BBQ. Then my maverick alarm woke me up... You know you are crazy when you dream about your BBQ]
Anyhow, the smoker started to get too hot - 260, so tried to temper it by closing every bottom vent. Checked meat when it reached 185, was a bit too tough. Let it go another hour, until it reached 195. Checked and it was tender. Pulled it off at 6:30 a.m., wrapped in HD foil and stuck it in a crock pot (turned off... I don't have a cooler, so this is the most insulated thing I have) and let it sit until 8 a.m.
When I started to pull it, half was "pull-able" the other half was better for slicing. I'm guessing this is often the case, as a chuck roast has different muscles... Flavor was very good. Good smoke ring.
Now, the comparison to pulled pork. For pulled sandwiches, I think I would prefer pork. The chuck roast was good, though overall more greasy. Flavor was good, tender, etc. Very good, just not as good, to my preferences, as the king of BBQ pulled pork. The other half, which I cut into 3/4 inch chunks is going into chilli later today. Mmm.
Anyhow, to summarize: meat took about 3 hrs/pound at 230-250, which was consistent with Kevin Taylor's experience. I used plenty of smoke, and it wasn't overpowering at all. Chuck flavor stands up to smoke well. End product was tender, albeit a bit greasy. Half was able to be pulled, the other half was good for slicing, like brisket.
Hope others try it soon... would like to hear their experiences.
Smoker was set up for minion method. I buried about 3 small chunks of hickory. Then put 4 small chunks of hickory on top of the 15 or so lit briquettes. Water in the brinkman water pan.
Put the roast on at 9:30 or so with the smoker at about 230. The meat temp went up quickly to just under 160 within 3 hours... was worried it would finish too quickly.
Went to bed at 1 a.m., smoker at 230, meat at 158. Maverick therm alarm woke me up at 5:30, smoker reached 250. Meat was only at 165. So it plateaued for nearly 4-5 hours. Which is good, since I needed a bit of sleep.
[Funny side story - I woke up and checked the smoker in the morning. The meat was gone. A neighbor liked the smell so much he stole my BBQ. Then my maverick alarm woke me up... You know you are crazy when you dream about your BBQ]
Anyhow, the smoker started to get too hot - 260, so tried to temper it by closing every bottom vent. Checked meat when it reached 185, was a bit too tough. Let it go another hour, until it reached 195. Checked and it was tender. Pulled it off at 6:30 a.m., wrapped in HD foil and stuck it in a crock pot (turned off... I don't have a cooler, so this is the most insulated thing I have) and let it sit until 8 a.m.
When I started to pull it, half was "pull-able" the other half was better for slicing. I'm guessing this is often the case, as a chuck roast has different muscles... Flavor was very good. Good smoke ring.
Now, the comparison to pulled pork. For pulled sandwiches, I think I would prefer pork. The chuck roast was good, though overall more greasy. Flavor was good, tender, etc. Very good, just not as good, to my preferences, as the king of BBQ pulled pork. The other half, which I cut into 3/4 inch chunks is going into chilli later today. Mmm.
Anyhow, to summarize: meat took about 3 hrs/pound at 230-250, which was consistent with Kevin Taylor's experience. I used plenty of smoke, and it wasn't overpowering at all. Chuck flavor stands up to smoke well. End product was tender, albeit a bit greasy. Half was able to be pulled, the other half was good for slicing, like brisket.
Hope others try it soon... would like to hear their experiences.