Can you cook a beef roast partway in the oven, and finish in the smoker?

[tienbien]

Hi all, newbie here. I'm going to be out of town over Christmas and trying to logistically figure out how to have a partially smoked beef roast on Christmas Eve without an actual smoker where we are going to be eating. We are having the dinner at my mom's, and my uncle has a smoker and they live about 45 min away. I'm cooking the dinner and my uncle has generously offered to do the smoking part of the equation and doesn't want to show up until later.

The thing is, we need a big roast to feed 10 people, and we were planning on an early-ish dinner, which means there is just not enough time to smoke the whole thing. In the past, I've partially smoked a roast and transferred it to the oven to finish, but the oven at my mom's will be occupied and there won't be time to finish it there. I was thinking of getting up early, cooking it partially in the oven at my uncle's place, then handing it off to him to finish on the smoker, leaving to cook dinner at my mom's, and then having him bring it over when it's ready.

So I was thinking - has anyone ever done this? Partially cooked a roast in the oven, and finished it in the smoker? It seems logically like it should work, but when I googled it, all I could find was recipes for the reverse. So I thought I'd ask here. If so, how did it turn out? And if not, how would you go about doing it if you were to try?

Also, what type of roast do you think would be best to choose for something like this? Obviously I'd love to do prime rib, but money has been tight for all of us this year, so I'm wondering what cut of beef would be the most tender and juicy for this method. I'm thinking a 5 lb brisket, but open to other ideas. I'd appreciate any thoughts, tips or suggestions.

Thanks everyone!

 

[BigW.]

Welcome. I'd start it in the smoker and then hold it in the oven. Your uncle wants to show up at dinner time or after dinner? Does your mom have a grill or roaster oven? That would hold roast warm or even a cooler full of towels.

 

[timray]

I'm no expert, but it seems like it should work.

I tend to look at something that someone has roasted, and I think "or you could smoke it." They seem to be very similar processes (low and slow), but I bet someone with more expertise could offer a better opinion.

I'd be interested in hearing how it works out. Good luck.

 

[JLeonard]

Thinking oven to smoker it wouldnt pick up much smoker. Could you complete the smoke and then do a long hold in a cooler like a brisket or butt?

Jim

 

[smokerjim]

I'm no expert but I dont see why your plan wouldn't work, basically smokers are just ovens that produce smoke, like jim said though not sure how much smoke you'll get but I'm sure you'll get some.

 

[tienbien]

Welcome. I'd start it in the smoker and then hold it in the oven. Your uncle wants to show up at dinner time or after dinner? Does your mom have a grill or roaster oven? That would hold roast warm or even a cooler full of towels.

My uncle would show up at dinnertime so we'd want the meat to finish up cooking before he heads over. My mom doesn't have a grill or roaster oven but the cooler with towels is a great idea. My uncle could definitely transport it that way.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Like other's have mentioned you probably won't get as much smoke doing it that way. Do you have a sous vide? Would be easy for you to smoke it then put it in sous vide to finish... also a great way to keep it warm until meal time.

Ryan

 

[tienbien]

Thinking oven to smoker it wouldnt pick up much smoker. Could you complete the smoke and then do a long hold in a cooler like a brisket or butt?

Jim

I see, so the smoke flavor really penetrates more at the beginning of the cooking process? That makes sense. If it will really turn out that much better, I can have him smoke it first and then transfer to the oven before bringing it over. I was just hoping to minimize the extra work for him and wondering why no one ever does it backwards. But this makes sense. What do you mean by a long hold in a cooler? And either brisket or butt would be good!

 

[tienbien]

Like other's have mentioned you probably won't get as much smoke doing it that way. Do you have a sous vide? Would be easy for you to smoke it then put it in sous vide to finish... also a great way to keep it warm until meal time.

Ryan

Oh man, I wish we had a sous vide! But sadly, no. It's okay, I can get him to do it smoker to oven at his place. I was just wondering if there was a reason people never do it in the opposite order because it seemed to me logically like you could. Looks like I've got the answer. Thanks!

 

[civilsmoker]

I would suggest getting a couple uniformly sized sirloin roasts and the smoking them to 130 INT at your brother's house and just hold them for the drive over in a cooler (ie wrap each of them in foil and put a towel over them. He can smoke them to 130 then move to his oven at a 145 then drop them in the cooler as he heads out the door.....I hold roasts @ 145 in the house over for an hour all the time and most PR is done that way at restaurants as well. If you cross cut thin slices of sirloin with a bit a au jus or gravy is money without the expense of the prime rib.

 

[tienbien]

I would suggest getting a couple uniformly sized sirloin roasts and the smoking them to 130 INT at your brother's house and just hold them for the drive over in a cooler (ie wrap each of them in foil and put a towel over them. He can smoke them to 130 then move to his oven at a 145 then drop them in the cooler as he heads out the door.....I hold roasts @ 145 in the house over for an hour all the time and most PR is done that way at restaurants as well. If you cross cut thin slices of sirloin with a bit a au jus or gravy is money without the expense of the prime rib.

That sounds like a perfect plan!!! Thanks for the suggestion. I'm glad I asked y'all!

 

[civilsmoker]

That sounds like a perfect plan!!! Thanks for the suggestion. I'm glad I asked y'all!

You are welcome!

 

[HalfSmoked]

I agree to start in smoker.

Warren

 

[DougE]

As has already been said, you're best off starting in the smoker and finish in the oven if you want to really impart smoke flavor.

 

[801driver]

In the past I have smoked PB, Ham, and at times, briskets a few days early and pull or slice to stack about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick in quart zip bags to quickly freeze. The night before the event I pull out of the freezer and put them in the frige to help soften the freeze a little overnight. Then the next day about 4 hours before meal time start dumping them into a crock pot with some broth to be hot for serving. I use chicken broth for pork, beef broth for anything beef.

Couple weeks ago I got behind for a club Christmas party and smoked a 10lb PB that finished up after smoking, resting, pulling, about 11 pm the night before the event. I put it all in a crock pot on "low" for the rest of the night along with some chicken broth to keep it moist. Next morning it was still simmering at 188 and needed a little more broth. We transported about a half hour and ate at 11am. After some people returning for seconds, the pot was empty and no one complained. It was moist and tasty, not dry, not mushy. One comment was wondering if I stayed up all night smoking it, said it tasted like it just came off the smoker.

Yep lots of ways to do things, or recover if needed. I have found briskets and butts do well with up to a 5 hour "rest" wrapped in towels in a cooler for serving later also and come out very hot and tender.

In my opinion, better to take a little time early to be sure it is done ahead of time rather than facing a crowd of hungry people with forks in their hands and having to tell them your meat is not ready yet. Good luck to you. Let us know how it works out.