Chuck roast has gained in popularity from the early 1900’s and it is because of its ability to be slow cooked and holds a ton of flavor when cooked right. The most common way to cook a good chuck roast is by braising or stewing it, smoked chuck roast makes for a great alternative in those summer months when I like to get out and use my Pitboss Smoker. Its a tougher cut of meat, located in the shoulder of cattle, that has a ton of connective tissue broken down when cooked low and slow. I like to set my smoker, put on the roast, and let the smoke dance around it adding the slightest hints of flavor while the roast baste’s itself in its own melting of marbling inside this delicious cut of meat.

Choosing the Right Chuck Roast

When you go to your local butcher, meat market, or supermarket looking for a simple cut of beef to place on the smoker, chuck roast is an inexpensive alternative for those that might be on more of a budget. Comparable to brisket, when you are looking for a chuck roast, you want to look at the marbling that is taking place throughout the cut of meat. This isn’t the fat cap (large white piece of fat) but rather the small striated lines of fat that you see intermixed with the meat.

Ideally you want to find a chuck roast that is about 3-4 lbs. You also want to look for a chuck roast with a deep red color. If your roast has a gray look to it, that means that it is on the wrong end of fresh, and you won’t experience the best flavor. I would recommend finding a reputable local farmer or butcher and find a way to purchase from them. Beef from a local locker usually indicates a more fresh product and better flavor. When it comes to meat, local is probably better.

Smoking the Chuck Roast

Low and slow is the way to go with a smoked chuck roast. Set your grill between 225 and 250, allowing it to come to temperature before placing your meat on the grill. Pre-Heating allows for a consistent distribution of flavor throughout this affordable and succulent cut of meat.

Prepping your chuck roast to be smoked, I find that simple is the solution. A good cut of beef with nice marbling will provide all the flavor you need. I like to use a simple beef rub made of a mix of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Drizzle the roast with olive oil for binding, and then generously coat the roast with the seasonings.

Place your seasoned chuck roast on your pre-heated grill, allowing it to cook for about 3-4 hours. Rule of thumb is to have your roast cook for about 1 hour per pound. After 3-4 hours your roast should be roughly 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on what you want to use your smoked chuck roast for, this would be the time to remove it from the grill. If you want to use your chuck roast for shredded beef, wrap your roast in pink butcher paper, or aluminum foil, and continue for another 3-4 hours until you reach an internal temperature of 203 degrees Fahrenheit. Pull the chuck roast and allow to rest for about 30 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. After 30 minutes, use your hands to shred the meat and enjoy on a bun with our Simple 3 Ingredient BBQ Sauce or your favorite horseradish sauce.

Ingredients for Smoking Chuck Roast

1 2-3 lbs. Chuck Roast
1 Tbsp Sea Salt
2 tsp Black Pepper
2 Tbsp Spice Lab: Ancho Chili Coffee Rub
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder

Tips for Smoking the Chuck Roast

Using a good hardwood, such as hickory, oak, or mesquite, will impart a nice flavor and create a great smoke ring in the bark your roast. Beef has the ability to withstand stronger flavored wood and marries nicely to create great flavor. Avoid your sweeter woods, cherry, apple, or maple, as the smoke from these woods will get lost in the boldness of a good slab of beef.

Don’t overcook your roast. If you want to be able to slice your roast into thin slices for sandwiches, tacos, or fajitas, be watchful of your temperature to avoid drying out your meat. Your target temperature for this type of beef is between 145 and 155F. Make sure you allow your meat to rest, or you will lose all of your juices onto your cutting board. This is where the flavor lies. If this happens your meat will be dry and tough.

How to Determine if Your Smoked Chuck Roast is Ready

It is important to keep an eye on your temperature when smoking any cut of meat, but especially beef. It can get away from you and get dried out if you let it go too long. I trust my Temp Spike Meat Probe to get an accurate reading on not just the internal temperature of the meat, but also the ambient temperature of my grill. It works great with an alarm to let you know when whatever cut of meat you choose to use has come to temperature.

Let your smoked chuck roast rest

Rest time is as important as any point of your cooking process. If you rush your smoked chuck roast and slice it too early, your cutting board is the only thing that is going to enjoy all of those juicy flavors. To ensure your meat retains the flavor of those juices that are the result of you slowly cooking and rendering the fat of the roast.

If you want shredded beef, add your roast to a pan at 145 and braise with a good beef stock, cover, and cook until it reaches an internal temp of 203. This shredded beef makes for a great gameday slider as well.

Rest your smoked chuck roast to retain the juices

What do I do with leftover smoked chuck roast

Not that you are going to want to have leftovers, but what can I do with any remaining meat that might be too much for one meal? Chuck roast leftovers can be very versatile when meal planning for the week. That is why I like to try to make extra, to savor the flavor and create other delectable dishes with this smoky and savory delight as part of it.

Add shredded beef to a salad of greens and other fresh veggies and top with blue or feta cheese crumbles. It is a great compliment to the freshness of the garden. Combine your smoked chuck roast pieces with melty Colby jack cheese, peppers, and onions to create a smoky beef quesadilla. If you are closer to the fall season, add your beef to a pot of stewed vegetables to make a hearty beef stew. Mix with a gravy of powerful flavors and rustic veggies to enjoy this fall classic.

Whatever your approach, the versatility of this cut of meat can be endless. Whether its slices, sandwiches, soups, or more, a smoke chuck roast is a protein that allows for a wide variety of dishes. It compliments a bevvy of flavors, and is super simple to make. Give yourself a Sunday afternoon, and you can reap the benefits for the better part of the week.

Smoked Chuck Roast FAQ’s

What other cuts of meat can I smoke?

Chuck Roast is a nice alternative for smoking beef. Tri-tip and brisket are two cuts of meat that are also popular for a slow smoked beef option. These are usually a little more expensive, but the cost isn’t a huge difference between the two.

What kind of wood do I smoke beef with?

A good hardwood provides a strong flavor with beef. You want to avoid fruity woods, as their flavor won’t really shine with a cut of beef like it does pork. Hickory, oak, and mesquite are great smoking options. Pellet grills are great options to smoke meat with, as it creates a great flavor with a lot of convenience.

Can I use another roast other than chuck roast to smoke?

Make sure that their is a good fat content with your cut of meat when you decide to smoke it. The purpose of smoking meat is to break down connective tissue and allow the fat of the meat to melt and flavor your muscle tissue. Rump roasts, sirloin roasts, and arm roasts can be good alternatives, but keep an eye on them to avoid having them dry out.

If you like this recipe check out these from Food For the Fam:

Smoked Chuck Roast Sliced and ready to eat

Equipment

1 Smoker Pellet, Wood, Electric

Ingredients

2-3 Lbs Chuck Roast
1 Tbspp Sea Salt
2 tsp Black Pepper
2 Tbsp Spice Lab: Ancho Chili Coffee Rub
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Avocado Oil

Instructions

Pre-heat smoker to 225F
In a bowl mix sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and ancho chili coffee rub
On a room temperature roast, cover all surfaces of roast with oil
Using the oil as a binder, season the roast with your seasoning mixture
Place on your pellet grill and smoke for 5-6 hours, until your roast comes to temperature
Remove at 145F for sliced roast beef
If you are looking for shredded beef, place in a pan with 2 cups of beef broth and leave on the smoker until internal temp of 203F
Take off grill and let rest on cutting board for 10 minutes
Slice and serve on sandwiches, salads, or tortillas

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