Chuck Roast..high heat or low and slow?

[Bill Berg]

What is your preference with a chuck roast?

High heat similar to a brisket or low and slow?

 

[Don Irish]

I've only done them low and slow (and they are excellent!). I would guess given that the fat/connective tissue structure is similar to butts, it benefits from low/slow method. I can't recall seeing posts describing a high heat chuck, but I may be wrong....Kevin??

 

[K Kruger]

I do them high. Most often I add aromatics (onion, garlic, chile), dried fruits, a liquid reduction of one kind or another to the foil when I foil as I'm looking for that kind of finish, the meat served in large chunks with the vegs, fruit and liquids from the foil (I often partially purée some of the vegs/fruit/liquid to thicken the sauce). This post and this one describe the procedure (on the second link, scroll just past the tri-tip description). I rarely make chuck into pulled beef but when I do, I use the same method but without additions to the foil. That approach is shown here. Of course, low/slow works fine. I just don't find it necessary for relatively small chuck roasts. Large whole or halved chuck rolls or clods, yes.

 

[Jim S]

I'd imagine that it all comes down to meat grade. I've had great success doing low & slow on choice grade pieces of chuck. I did a bone-in piece last year that weighed about 12 lbs; and took 9 hrs on the WSM. The bone added a huge amount of flavor, plus I used it to make stock. I think I still have some of that in my freezer.

Later on in the year I did one for a freind, she got me a piece of select grade. It looked okay, but it was far leaner than the choice. That piece turned out much drier than I wanted it to, so I foiled it and added some beef stock. In the end it turned out okay. My freind & her hubby were more than happy with the result, I recieved a bottle of bourbon for my efforts.

 

[Craig Castille]

I've done them both ways.

Personally, I like high heat better for smaller cuts.

 

[Steve Forwe]

So approx. how long for either approach? I would like to try one for my next cook.

 

[K Kruger]

If you look at the links I note upthread you can see the sizes and times of the various cooks. Generally, for high heat, 4-5.5 hours depending on thickness of the roasts, for roasts of 3.35-4.5/5 lbs. For low/slow you're looking at 6-11 hours depending on thickness and actual cooktemps.