HELP: Smoked Chuck Roast

[dwdunlap]

I followed Jeff’s recipe https://www.smoking-meat.com/january-2011-smoking-a-chuck-roast all the way and while it tasted real good the end result was dry. Maybe one of you can help.

I found a really well marbled Chuck. I injected as directed with the butter liquid but due to time constraints had to inject rub then direct to my MES gen 2.5 now converted by a PID for a true set and hold temp control. I set up using a Mav 732 and a ThermoPro 820 using one probe each for the meat temp probes inserted side by side. The bbq probes placed together under rack 3 next to meat in center and reading 223F. The PID probe clipped next to the other probes and set at 215F. I used my smoke tube with hickory in the bottom with the vent open 3 inches.

I opened at 157F and probed with Instant read thermometer which basically agreed. After recovery the meat stalled at 165F for about an hour. I then bumped the PID up to 220F and held it. When the 732 IT showed 200F I brought meat in, wrapped in foil and placed in 175 oven to rest. After an hour I had to slice and found there was a slight amount of moisture but not juicy!

I want to smoke another chucky but I want to have the meat not so dry and look for advice from SMF. Since I never use a water pan and I’m wondering if I should? Perhaps a water pan on rack 1 over heat source?

Or, should I pull at a lower IT and if so, what temp?

Any ideas??

 

[chopsaw]

My first chuck was a fail ( on my part ) . I followed Bear's method on the next 2 , came out fantastic . Wrapped at 165 with some liquid in a foil pan . I use beef stock or water and Lipton beefy onion soup mix . When the IT was 200 , I probed with a instant read until it felt tender . One came of at 211 , the other was around 205 .

 

[Rings Я Us]

Pull it when it's soft and the probe goes right through with no resistance. No matter what temp.
You let it rest with no foil for about 15-20 minutes till it's down to 180 and then foil it to put it in the cooler to hold at 175 ,or an oven . Your putting it into the oven may allow it to keep climbing and not stop the cooking soon enough. So rest it and then foil and hold it. Maybe that will help. But yeah, soft probe tender.. rest open to cool down then wrap to hold .. can add beef liquid to hold it with in the foil. Or pan with foil.

 

[Rings Я Us]

You should try one once that you foil at 165 with a couple tablespoons of beef broth or so and finish till soft and almost falls apart..

 

[illini40]

I did chuck roast burnt ends yesterday. See my post: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/chuck-roast-burnt-ends-time-estimates.277333/

I would suggest wrapping in foil with some form of liquid between 160 - 170* IT. I pulled the chuck roast and put in a foil pan with beef broth around 160* IT. Mine was tender around the 190* IT mark, so it all depends. After cubing, it the covered foil pan went back on for about another hour, with butter and sauce to help keep moisture on the meat.

I also agree that foiling at 200* IT and then going straight to the oven, with no moisture, may have worked against you.

 

[dwdunlap]

Thanks Chopsaw and Johnny. Your tips are welcome and I plan to try soon. I hadn't considered probing tenderness and then pulling. Also the immediate cool down never crossed my mind. I have request to do again and I'll be incorporating these tips!

 

[SmokinAl]

I agree with the above, a chuck is one piece of meat that really needs to be wrapped in foil & braised for a couple of hours, if you want a tender juicy piece of meat.
Al

 

[motolife313]

I'm going to go with bears idea next one! I did one once without wrapping and it wanted to stall few places really bad and just not wanna come up over 190 or so even after running pit at 275 -300 for 45 minutes lol

 

[dwdunlap]

I agree on Bear! I'm going to do everything as before until the chucky hits 165 and then I'll wrap with juice. I think I'll put in oven to braise to just before my desired tenderness. Then place chucky back into the smoker on high to crisp up the bark. I'll go with the "tenderness" probing over the IT temp too. That seems to be my plan and I'm anxious to put it to use.

Thanks all!! And a special THANKS to "tallbm - Master of the Pit", for helping me convert my MES30 to a PID controlled smoker! It is now what I wanted all along, a set-and-forget smoker!!!

 

[noboundaries]

Several months ago I started probing meats with my instant read turned off. When it is the tenderness I desire, I turn the therm on. No two chuckies, spares, etc have been the same. Still figuring out tri tips.

 

[Bearcarver]

I followed Jeff’s recipe https://www.smoking-meat.com/january-2011-smoking-a-chuck-roast all the way and while it tasted real good the end result was dry. Maybe one of you can help.

I found a really well marbled Chuck. I injected as directed with the butter liquid but due to time constraints had to inject rub then direct to my MES gen 2.5 now converted by a PID for a true set and hold temp control. I set up using a Mav 732 and a ThermoPro 820 using one probe each for the meat temp probes inserted side by side. The bbq probes placed together under rack 3 next to meat in center and reading 223F. The PID probe clipped next to the other probes and set at 215F. I used my smoke tube with hickory in the bottom with the vent open 3 inches.

I opened at 157F and probed with Instant read thermometer which basically agreed. After recovery the meat stalled at 165F for about an hour. I then bumped the PID up to 220F and held it. When the 732 IT showed 200F I brought meat in, wrapped in foil and placed in 175 oven to rest. After an hour I had to slice and found there was a slight amount of moisture but not juicy!

I want to smoke another chucky but I want to have the meat not so dry and look for advice from SMF. Since I never use a water pan and I’m wondering if I should? Perhaps a water pan on rack 1 over heat source?

Or, should I pull at a lower IT and if so, what temp?

Any ideas??

Could try a slightly higher Temp, because sometimes taking too long on a Chucky causes it to Dry out
Below is one I did at 240°:
Smoked Pulled Beef Chucky
Hot Smoked Beef Sammy with Gravy

Adding water to the Water Pan is not the answer.

Bear