Help with First Roast on WSM

kevin pitzer · Dec 26, 2016

Hello All,

Hope everyone had a great Christmas.

I am looking for some help doing my first roast on my WSM. I have smoked many foods in the last 5 + years, however I have never done a roast. I would like to slice it not make it pulled. Which roast should I buy, how long and to which temp do I cook it to? Which woods do you prefer.

Any other tips/ideas would be great.

Thank you,

phatbac · Dec 26, 2016

I have done many different beef roasts on the WSM. try a sirloin tip roast. i can get them at Sams club for around $4-$5# If you like your beef rare take it to 130-135 if you like more medium 140-145 IT if you want no pink go to 155. After its done wrap in foil and let rest for an hour you will cook at least 5 degree more doing that. The night before coat with Montreal seasoning or just Worcestershire and black pepper and let sit overnight in the fridge. i use a deli slicer to make sandwich meat but you can use a knife or electric knife.

here are some pics

startontherack.jpg

phatbac
Aug 31, 2015

roastonthesmoker.jpg

phatbac
Aug 31, 2015

finishedroast.jpg

phatbac
Aug 31, 2015

firstsliceroast.jpg

phatbac
Aug 31, 2015

slicedtogo.jpg

phatbac
Aug 31, 2015

I used my Weber roasting and rib rack for this as i usually do for roasts.

Hope this helps,

phatbac (Aaron)

dirtsailor2003 · Dec 26, 2016

Kind of depends on your price range. Prime rib being at the high end. Bottom round at the lower. Top round is a good choice. Beef tenderloin is also good but spendy. As mentioned above Sirloin tip is also a good choice.

Our favorite roast though is tri-tip. Yeah we consider it a roast even though it's a thin cut.

For wood I really like a 50/50 mix of cherry and pecan.

PhatB has you covered on temps.

Check out the beef section here for numerous roast cooks:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/191066/dirtsailors-mega-mother-of-all-cooking-links-index

Every sliced roast should be served with Au Jus and you can't go wrong with Chef JJ's. We sub a good Porter or stout for the red wine:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/chef-jimmyjs-smokey-au-jus

noboundaries · Dec 26, 2016

I break down beef roasts into three categories:

1. Ones I want to slice and eat like a steak (prime rib, tenderloin, sirloin, tri tip).

2. Ones that can be sliced, pulled, or braised (chuck roasts and briskets)

3. Ones I want to slice thin to make French dips or deli style roast beef (any round or rump roast)

The great thing about #1s and #3s is that they are SOOOOO simple to do. Basically you season the outside of the meat and slowly smoke-heat it to 125F-135F. Let rest, slice and serve. You can also do a reverse sear to brown it up if needed.

Tri tip, one of our absolutely favorite cuts of beef, can be easily used in all three categories but we generally eat it like #1 when it first comes off the smoker. The leftovers get used in #2 and #3.

kevin pitzer · Dec 26, 2016

Great breakdown and info - Thank you

One think I have noticed is the temperatures seem much lower than I read on another site which suggested the meat to be 195 - 203 like a butt would be cooked. Has anyone tried this or is this not the case for beef roasts?

kevin pitzer · Dec 26, 2016

Great breakdown and info - Thank you

One think I have noticed is the temperatures seem much lower than I read on another site which suggested the meat to be 195 - 203 like a butt would be cooked. Has anyone tried this or is this not the case for beef roasts?

noboundaries · Dec 26, 2016

Kevin Pitzer said:
Great breakdown and info - Thank you

One think I have noticed is the temperatures seem much lower than I read on another site which suggested the meat to be 195 - 203 like a butt would be cooked. Has anyone tried this or is this not the case for beef roasts?

195-203 is for the #2 category above. Chuck roasts and briskets, with are both cut from the chuck, get a lot of exercise on the animal and are filled with tough connective tissue. You have to take the meat to the higher temps to melt the connective tissue so it will be tender. Not so with the others, which are less exercised cuts of protein.

kevin pitzer · Dec 26, 2016

Thanks again

I do have one more question.....how long approximately do they take?

noboundaries · Dec 26, 2016

A 5 pound roast at 225F chamber temp will take roughly 2-3 hours to get to 125-135F internal temp.

kevin pitzer · Dec 28, 2016

Thanks again

I do have one more question.....how long approximately do they take?

Noboundaries said:
A 5 pound roast at 225F chamber temp will take roughly 2-3 hours to get to 125-135F internal temp.

Just wondering why you would cook until 125-135F when beef is not done until it reaches 155F for medium?

noboundaries · Dec 28, 2016

Check your sources. 155 is almost well done.

Had to get off my phone and on my computer to address this question. For beef;

125F internal temp is considered rare.
135F is medium rare.
145F is medium.
150F is medium well.
160F is well done.

Once you pull the meat off the fire or out of the smoker, the temp will rise on average about another 5F-10F. I love rare to medium rare roast beef. My wife now likes it medium rare to medium, and that's a HUGE improvement from when she used to order it well done. She received bad food education in Home Economics 45 years ago that has stuck with her to this day. I'm slowly changing her mind.

Below is a Chuck Cross Rib beef roast I took off the smoker at 130-135F. Below the first two pictures below are two tri tips I left on the smoker too long, not taking them off until they were at 145-150F. They were good, but too done for my taste. My wife loved them!

Chuck Cross Rib Roast (1).JPG

noboundaries
Apr 20, 2014

Chuck Cross Rib Roast (2).JPG

noboundaries
Apr 20, 2014

Sunday smoke (2b).JPG

noboundaries
Dec 28, 2016

timberjet · Dec 28, 2016

I do mine medium rare and if someone likes their slice more done it goes back on the grill or a hot cast iron pan for another minute or two. That way everyone is happy. 125, reverse sear rest and serve.

kevin pitzer · Dec 29, 2016

Thank you Noboundaries - You have been a great help here....Much appreciated.

I just picked up a Sirloin Roast and started to marinade it in with this recipe - http://www.food.com/recipe/prize-winning-marinade-for-beef-67491. Can't wait to try it, especially seeing how I will be using my DigiQ DX2 for the first time. Any particular wood you use?

noboundaries · Dec 30, 2016

I like a strong wood on beef like hickory or mesquite (an acquired taste). Oak is a medium wood that is also good.

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