ALRIGHT... gonna try 2 chucks..Q VIEW. need some help..

[oonighttrain]

all this talk about the chuck got me talked into it. went to the store and asked for 2 chucks.. just under 4lbs each. i got some cherries and poured the juice out, mixed it with some disarrano and injected them. rubbed them with some montreal steak seasoning and a few other things.. there in the frig getting happy right now..

heres the question.. WHAT NOW?

225 about the right temp in my smoker??
i want to be able to pull them when im done.. wrap at 165 and take up to 200??

thanks!

 

[cajunsmoke13]

Last week I did some, wrapped at 160 and took to 205...Smoked right around 230...Nice looking chuckies...

 

[oonighttrain]

from what i read, this is going to be a loooong process??? i read somewhere to basically just forget about looking in the smoker for 10 hours??????

 

[tasunkawitko]

it all depends on weight and mass, jeff's latest newsletter says for brisket you can guesstimate 1.6 hours per pound PLUS two hours. with chuckies it might be a little less - i know that a common rule of thumb for pork shoulder is 1.5 hours per pound and have achieved fairly good estimates with that guideline.

 

[oonighttrain]

so a 4 lb chuckie should be done in 6.4 hours.. maybe..

im just trying to figure out when to start it and get everything scheduled.. i was gonna stick it in the smoker when i went to tonite but, doesnt sound like thats gonna work... hmmmmmmmm

 

[tasunkawitko]

since fixing a time is dang near impossible, i'd take your estimate and then add maybe 4 hours to it and start at that time. the great thing about BBQ is that if you're all done ahead of time you can double-foil it, wrap it in a couple of towels and set it in an empty cooler until it's time to fill the trough. it will stay piping hot and if a few things get done before others, it can all be served at the same time.

 

[oonighttrain]

so, figure on roughly 10 hours??

 

[bigsteve]

Thats what I do.

Time is a guesstimate at best. 3 pounders seem to take something like 5 hours.

Don't forget, most of the time the meat will stall for awhile, and stay at the same temp, or even slide back a little. As long as your smoker is staying up to temp, don't futz with the temperature. At some point, your meat will start going back up in temp.

 

[hungryjohn]

My chucks always seem to take a bit longer than the standard 1.5 hours per pound estimate, but I think 8 hours would be pretty safe.

 

[cajunsmoke13]

Same here, chuckies seemed like they took forever when I did them...

 

[oonighttrain]

HOUSTON!! i think we have a problem.. chucks only been on for less than 2 hours and my thermometer reads 125.. ??? ??? i think my chucks are too thin..

 

[oonighttrain]

here they are

 

[eman]

Pull your probes and put them in the top of the roast . you may be getting a false reading from the heat rising up the front / side of the pit.
Did this yesterday and it dropped my temps about 12 deg.
May or may not help?

 

[bigsteve]

No worry. I've always been amazed how fast they get to 140*. As long as your cooker is around 215~235, you're fine.

 

[eaglewing]

So the 'FOIL' step is like the same for ribs??...you foil and cook more with chucks?

 

[rickw]

The last chuckie I did was a 4.5lber and it took right at 7 hours. I took it to 205F for pullin.

 

[ellymae]

Last chuckie I did was 4 pounds and took 11 hours @ 230....
They tease you because they seem to come up in temp quickly you think you are going to be done cooking really early - then they hit a plateau... and sit there.....
Be patient and you shall be rewarded.

 

[bigsteve]

Yes. Many of us foil them at about 160* and cook foiled until 190ish for slicing, or 200~205 for pulling.

 

[billbo]

I will be throwing on 2 Chuckies myself today. Mine are about 3lbs each. Qview this weekend will be limited as the wife and kids have the camera in Maine. I have lots of beer and the smoker in NY! Iam also painting the uptairs of the house this weekend if anybody wants to help!

I do have a question for all you Chuckie guys. This is my first attempt at them too. Do you use any finishing sauce on them at all like you would a pork butt?

 

[oonighttrain]

it was a SUCCESS!!! i foiled them at about 155 because i had to go for a boat ride for a few hours.. got home and they were at 211 according to my thermometer. let them rest foiled for an hour or so and they pulled beautifully.. qview coming up soon..