Sometimes we fail.

[pigbark]

Wow I thought I was on a roll. well I actually was Until... the famous word that makes us raise a eyebrow and wonder what the hell just happened..

so I got a nice looking Chuck roast and thought, man I wonder what it would taste like cured and smoked and tossed into a nice pot full of tators,carrots n onions? well I had to find out so I planned it out and had the timing down to smoke with my Canadian Bacon, which was a huge success.. Curing called for 12 days but I let it go for 14.. it looked really good and fully cured , really bright pink color.. so I smoked it to a IT of 145 .. looked great.. so today while I was at work the wifey cooked it up with those tators,carrots n onions.. I couldnt wait to get home to chow down..
well I got home and took a bite, NOTHING like I was hoping for.. ugh not a good flavor found.not even a poor mans Corned Beef lol.. I cant explain the taste , I mean if I was starving I could eat it but other than that scenario it was a epic failure.. so I learned a lesson , dont cure a Chuck roast to make a roast out of. just toss it in and cook it lol..

 

[fivetricks]

Seems like you'd want to do a single cook with it taking it to 195-205 IT based on your preference.

 

[fullborebbq]

So sorry it didn't work out. I agree with fivefticks. If you are treating the chuck roast like a corned beef, cook it like corned beef.

 

[noboundaries]

So, just for clarity, you smoked it to an IT of 145F, and then your wife braised it with veggies until fork tender?

What did you use to cure it? Same stuff as the Canadian bacon? Details will help avoid a repeat and we can understand what happened. Thanks.

 

[siege]

As I understand your cook, you cured a beef roast like a ham or bacon. It might have made decent buckboard bacon. Had you pickled it and steamed it, it might have been a lot like corned beef.
When my kids were little, they would ask what was for dinner. When the answer was that we were having an experiment there was always a collective groan. Some great recipes came from those experiments. Some monumental flops did too. When you try, you learn. Good for you for trying. Keep it up !

 

[2008RN]

Almost every time I smoke I learn something. I find better ways of do things and a lot of what not to do. Cheap meat is not as heart breaking as spending $50-$70 and prepping for a couple of days, only to screw to up. You had 2 weeks invested in this smoke. I figure this smoking stuff is a journey in life. Sometimes there are rough trails on that journey. What better way to take a journey, and enjoy some great food along the way! Thanks for sharing and Keep on Smoking.

 

[pigbark]

So, just for clarity, you smoked it to an IT of 145F, and then your wife braised it with veggies until fork tender? // Yes

What did you use to cure it? Same stuff as the Canadian bacon? Details will help avoid a repeat and we can understand what happened. Thanks.

Yep we used Mortons TQ , same as the Canadian Bacon.. Avoid a repeat, no worries there lol..

She told me she soaked it for about 2 hours in water to pull some of the salt out of it.. then put it in the pot and started cooking it.. the 145 IT , I was thinking I would save more of the fat to render in with the tators etc, better flavor... I was not going for a Corned beef style cook or I would have used a brisket.. it was purely a experiment , I think if I didn't cure it, it would have been a lot better as the smoke flavor was still present .. I figured the chuck was a good piece to experiment with...

the post is intended for anyone and everyone who is trying new or "new to them" ideas etc. or new to smoking... sometimes we win, sometimes we lose.. in both we learn but when it goes south, don't throw in the towel.. have a good laugh and move on.. try to practice on cheaper cuts as its easier to laugh ...
keep on Smokin

 

[pigbark]

As I understand your cook, you cured a beef roast like a ham or bacon. It might have made decent buckboard bacon. Had you pickled it and steamed it, it might have been a lot like corned beef.
When my kids were little, they would ask what was for dinner. When the answer was that we were having an experiment there was always a collective groan. Some great recipes came from those experiments. Some monumental flops did too. When you try, you learn. Good for you for trying. Keep it up !

The Groans, eh yes sir I have heard those.. I took the sugar out of my rib rub and added dried blueberries and cherries.. the kids groaned and my wife even gave me a odd look or two.. when they were done, they all looked like scavengers over a plate.. bones everywhere..smiles as big as texas..I knew I scored lol.. this time I wasn't as lucky but ill make a comeback..

 

[pigbark]

Almost every time I smoke I learn something. I find better ways of do things and a lot of what not to do. Cheap meat is not as heart breaking as spending $50-$70 and prepping for a couple of days, only to screw to up. You had 2 weeks invested in this smoke. I figure this smoking stuff is a journey in life. Sometimes there are rough trails on that journey. What better way to take a journey, and enjoy some great food along the way! Thanks for sharing and Keep on Smoking.

yes smoking is a journey and alot to learn along the way.. myself, i post the good, the bad and the ugly.. I dont just want to post Glory shots etc because i think we can all learn from each others mistakes as well.. so don't try this one as I done it,LOL … thank you for your post,Like.

 

[fivetricks]

The problem with making a chuck roast is the same problem with grocery stores that sell chuck steak. Just because a particular part of the cow can be cut into a steak does not mean that particular part SHOULD be cut into a steak.

my vote is still regardless of how you prepare a Chuck cut it should be prepared similar to a brisket. That is why is referred to as a poor man's brisket, even though it is found to be more expensive than brisket in many instances.

there's no criticism here from me Just a bit of advice for next time. Regardless of how you prepare the Chuck, in this poor guy's opinion, take it up in the 190s and render all that intramuscular fat into something good. A lot of the guys like to go into the 200s, but I am steadfast against Chicago pulled/Italian beef. Puke. It might actually be a good dish but in the many years that I drove truck every time I had it it was awful. :-)

 

[chef jimmyj]

There is one HUGE reason your Cured Chuck did not taste like Corned Beef...IF you have only ever had Corned Beef from a Grocery Store, cooked with Veggies, that's your problem...Commercial Corned Beef are not only Cured but Cured with, Mustard Seed, Coriander, Clove, Allspice, Bay Leaf, Black Pepper and any other Spices the Packer has in their Signiture Recipe! If all you USED was TQ and Water? There's your reason it didn't taste like Corned Beef.

All the rest, Smoking to 145, 195 or anything in between, Soaking or whatever else you or your wife did, would not make a difference. IF that Chuck was Cured with the Spices, it would taste EXACTLY like Corned Beef...JJ

 

[chef jimmyj]

fivetricks I'm on great terms with my Grocery Meat Cutters. When I call an order 1 inch Chuck Steaks, they give me However many from the Rib Roast End. The First Cut steaks are essentially an Extension of the Rib Roast, containing a portion of the Eye and the tender Spinialis Cap muscle. Almost as tender as a Rib Steak and 1/3 the Price! A couple of hours with a coating of SPOG and Adolf's Meat Tenderizer and I'll take Chuck Steak over a NY Strip, any day of the week...JJ

 

[fivetricks]

Around here, it's harder and harder to even find grocery stores that cut their own meat anymore. The only ones that seem to in my area anyways are the grocery stores in the bad neighborhoods that are selling very low quality meats so that's a bust! :-D

 

[chef jimmyj]

It's been years, but when I lived farther East in Lancaster Co, PA. You got good meat in the area groceries, a small chain called Karn's specialized in meat with groceries as secondary. But if you went South of the City, into the Spanish neighborhood, there were Butchers that cut from Sides of Beef and Pork. You picked a Live Chicken and they prepared for you. The prices were a third of the Grocery stores. I never had any problems but I went during the day and armed. There was a tiny Family Restaurant. A Puerto Rican place, two brothers out front and Momma out back. They had 2 tables and a Steam table with 6 hot selections. THAT was some of the Best Food I have ever eaten!...JJ