Smoked Chuck Roast: Q-View

[illini40]

Good Morning

Smoking a chuck roast today. Planning to just slice/chop/pull. Any suggestions?

Started with a 2.5 pound choice chuck roast. Seems to have some good marbling. Just a little bit of trimming.

I hit it with a solid base layer of Killer Hogs AP Seasoning, and then a light coating of Meat Church The Gospel AP rub for some nice color.

It went on the Traeger around 9:45 AM, set at 250*. I'm running Traeger apple pellets in the Traeger, and also in the AMPNS tube for some added smoke.

I'm also planning on wrapping in butcher paper today for the first time.

I'll keep the updates coming!

 

[markh024]

Looking good. I just rubbed up a black angus 2.2lb chuxk to make @Co4ch D4ve Barbacoa tacos for NYE. Looking forward to seeing your finished product.

 

[WaterRat]

If you're going to pull, you need it probe tender. Start poking it at 180° IT and see how it feels, there will be resistance - you can feel the meat fibers breaking as you push through. My chucks usually go to 205°F to probe tender - I'm also on a pellet smoker. Since it's not a uniform piece of meat, poke it in several locations. Don't worry about going over temp, plenty of fat to keep it from drying out and since you're going to wrap should be no problem. For the wrap, do so around 155-160°F which I imagine you're close to right now :) My chucks usually go 3-4hrs in the smoke then 2-3hrs in a pan (I like to braise them down to make some nice jus). Nice looking hunk o'meat!

 

[zwiller]

I wouldn't wrap unless you are rushed so it will develop dark bark. Like WaterRat I take to same temps as PP 205ish. I prefer to smoke and rest overnight and cut into chunks and into a crock next day or so to warm. I will usually only serve half the roast and vac seal and freeze the other for later use.

 

[illini40]

Update - 3 hours into the cook. IT is between 155* - 159*. I went ahead and inserted a meat probe with the iGrill2.

Hit it with a little drizzle of water and apple juice.

 

[Preacher Man]

Lookin' good! How about some tacos?

 

[illini40]

Update - 4.5 hours into the cook. The IT hit 170*. The bark looked good, and I went ahead and wrapped in butcher paper.

This is the first time I've tried using butcher paper, so who knows if I'm doing in correctly.

At 170* IT:

Wrapping:

Back on the Traeger set at 250*:

 

[illini40]

Looking good. I just rubbed up a black angus 2.2lb chuxk to make @Co4ch D4ve Barbacoa tacos for NYE. Looking forward to seeing your finished product.

Thanks. Those sound tasty! How is Barbacoa tacos different from just the pulled beef as the taco meet?

If you're going to pull, you need it probe tender. Start poking it at 180° IT and see how it feels, there will be resistance - you can feel the meat fibers breaking as you push through. My chucks usually go to 205°F to probe tender - I'm also on a pellet smoker. Since it's not a uniform piece of meat, poke it in several locations. Don't worry about going over temp, plenty of fat to keep it from drying out and since you're going to wrap should be no problem. For the wrap, do so around 155-160°F which I imagine you're close to right now :) My chucks usually go 3-4hrs in the smoke then 2-3hrs in a pan (I like to braise them down to make some nice jus). Nice looking hunk o'meat!

Thanks. I wrapped at 170*. I had planned to wrap a little earlier, but life got in the way. It is sitting around 192* right now, 5 hours 45 minutes in. I'm thinking it will go another 45 minutes or so.

I wouldn't wrap unless you are rushed so it will develop dark bark. Like WaterRat I take to same temps as PP 205ish. I prefer to smoke and rest overnight and cut into chunks and into a crock next day or so to warm. I will usually only serve half the roast and vac seal and freeze the other for later use.

I wanted to wrap to try out butcher paper. The bark seemed pretty solid when I did wrap, so we'll see.

Lookin' good! How about some tacos?

Thanks! Leftovers will probably go into tacos or quesadillas tomorrow for a Mexican themed NYE dinner.

 

[Preacher Man]

NYE?

 

[illini40]

NYE?

NYE = New Years Eve

 

[illini40]

Update - 6 hours and 15 minutes into the cook, my iGrill2 meat probe is showing 200* IT. I just probed a few other spots on the chuckie with a ThermoPop and most other areas are only showing 195* IT. I'm going to let it go just a little longer.

 

[illini40]

Update - I pulled the roast off the Traeger after 6 hours and 45 minutes of cook time. IT was showing 205*. It is now resting in a towel, in a cooler.

 

[WaterRat]

Sounds about right to me! Happy eats!

 

[illini40]

The chuck roast turned out great. It was very tender and had a good flavor. Very pleased with the results.

It rested for about 45 minutes after pulling it off. We ended up just slicing it. Planning on using the leftovers tomorrow for tacos or quesadillas.

Cook Recap:

• 2.5 lb choice chuck roast
• Killer Hogs AP Seasoning and Meat Church The Gospel Rub
• Traeger set at 250*
• Apple and Pecan Traeger pellets
• Total cook time was 6 hours and 45 minutes
• Wrapped in butcher paper at 170* IT
• Pulled at 205* IT

It was the first time I used butcher paper, so not sure if I wrapped correctly. For example - not sure if I used too much paper with the wrap? Also, the bottom of the roast had lost more bark than I expected - there was a lot of juice in the bottom of the paper. Any thoughts?

 

[illini40]

Sounds about right to me! Happy eats!

Thanks!

 

[Preacher Man]

My thoughts are that looks perfect!

The bottom of the butcher paper does retain some moisture that it soaks up, so the bark is still not saved to the same degree as no wrap. However, the bark is much more intact than using foil. It's a happy medium.

 

[illini40]

My thoughts are that looks perfect!

The bottom of the butcher paper does retain some moisture that it soaks up, so the bark is still not saved to the same degree as no wrap. However, the bark is much more intact than using foil. It's a happy medium.

Thanks for the insight. I liked using the paper.

 

[SmokinAl]

That is one fine looking chuckie!
Nicely done & congrats on making the carousel!!
Al

 

[illini40]

That is one fine looking chuckie!
Nicely done & congrats on making the carousel!!
Al

Wow - thanks Al! Honored to take a ride on that carousel!

Do you have a go to method for chuck roasts?

 

[texomakid]

That looks amazing. Congrats & well done. How did it taste?