Need a quick chuck tip

[ricka77]

What an awesome day to smoke!  I hope the weather is as good for you as it is for me...about 77 degrees, low humidity, light breeze, few clouds.  Perfect day to get some smoke-a-rollin'!

So I have this amazing chuck pot roast smoking away, IT 73, ST 232 and steady in the sunlight.

It's in a roaster pan on the low rack of my WSM, with a water pan full of a broth, beer, and rub mix.  Question is when I wrap after the stall, should I just create a tent on the roaster pan and add some au jus from the pan, or should I wrap the roast itself, and then also make a foil tent with au jus?  If I wrap the roast itself, I'll try to add some au jus in the foil, along with more in the roaster pan tent.

I'm leaning towards a wrap of both the meat the pan, just to make it easier to transfer to a cooler to rest when ready...but I don't want easy, I want correct.  And to me, correct would be a chunk of chuck ready to pull apart with a fork.

My last two roasts never got to pulling, so I'm just going to let it hit a higher IT and let it rest longer.  That's all I can figure to do for now...  

Smoke and Cheers...

 

[forluvofsmoke]

Tenting the pan works fine...just need to be a little more careful when transferring to the towel-wrap and cooler to rest so as to not crush the foil pan or otherwise cause spillage.

I do prefer open grate smoking of all my meats, though...more smoke flavor and bark on the meat...then for most of my meats intended for pulling (not all, but most) I transfer to a braise method once I/T is up to 160* or so. If you reach an I/T of around 200* and cooked it low & slow, it should be a pull-able chuck. For even better eating, try hand-pulling instead of using tools...you can get the size of the chunks how ever you like, instead of shredding, which is commonly done for less tender meats.

BTW, probably too late for it now, but for an all-in-one meal, consider adding veggies to the pan under your meat. It catches drippings which you can partially or fully defat after the smoke and make a gravy for the meat and veggies. Think of it as a complete smoked pot roast...some have even smoked the meat in the pan with the veggies and covered the pan after several hours to finish cooking until everything is tender...either way is great eating.

Enjoy your day in the smoke!!!

Eric

 

[brandon91]

I think its best to wrap the meat tightly and not in a pan, if you want out of the stall faster you can read about it here: http://www.genuineideas.com/ArticlesIndex/thecrutch.html

I smoke chuck until its stalling and then wrap and take all the way to 210F.

Also, this is a really great thing to do with chucks after you smoke it http://wolfepit.blogspot.com/2009/10/pepper-stout-beef.html  highly recommend it.

Have fun smoking today!

 

[ricka77]

Thanks guys.  I might take it out and put it direct on the rack for a little bit to get some bark.  Then it can get put back in the foil pan to braise to finish around 205-215.  I think I'll do a double wrap method, with a good mini-tent wrap with au jus around the roast, and then placed in a foil roaster pan tent with more au jus.  To rest, the whole pan gores in a cooler, with a light blanket on top.

I think that'll work well.  If not, I'll still have damn tasty smoked meat.  It's more of a side dish and for tomorrow than for tonight.  Tonight we're having smoked burgers and also having my wife's mashed yukies and corn cob for sides, so that's why no veggies in drip pan.  But I have done that before and it's a great compliment.  I'll eat the roast all week if it lasts that long...

Got a few Q View, will get some more and post up later.

The wife just made lay 5 strips of bacon over the roast...lol.  That's going to be so good...

 

[brandon91]

Looking forward to your Q-view!

 

[ricka77]

Quick update...  had to help the wife with a few things, lost track of time.  IT now at 163, smoker at 248.  I'm going to go remove the water pan and rack the roast at about 300 for 15 minutes to bark it up if needed.  Then a quick wrap and in the the heat tent with au jus to get it up to 210.  I'll keep the temp higher once it's wrapped, but no higher than 275-300.  

I'm getting so hungry....and the main course of smoked burger isn't even on yet!

 

[ricka77]

Well, it's at 208 IT, smoker at 295.  I don't want to open the foil tent and roast foil wrap to check it, but I also want to, to make sure it is pullable.  I know it will continue to tenderize and break down in the cooler rest, but I have high hopes for this roast.  It smelled so damn good when it got wrapped.  It was pretty soft to the touch at that point at well...so I'm thinking it's doing well.

When it hits 215 IT, I'll pull it and check it.  Just made that decision....details to come...

 

[ricka77]

Nope not ready.  A bit to twist, but not yet falling apart enough to call done.  I'll let it go for a while, higher IT is ok because it was still very juicy.  The au jus in the wrap and the pan are doing their job...

Figure 30 minutes or IT 225 for next check..  

And burgers going in in 35 minutes..just need a bit more fuel maybe..

 

[ricka77]

Oh yeah!  I checked it about 10 minutes ago.  IT was stuck at 216, but smoker temp was at 295 for over 45 minutes.  A quick peek, and two forks barely touched it before it started falling apart!  Very happy to finally get my pulled roast done correctly.  It's not resting wrapped, still in the foil tent in a cooler with blankets...Another 60 minutes before I touch it again.

Now on the smoker at 265, 2 8oz burgers for another 60 minutes as well.  The wife decided to have Yukie fries instead of mashed..So I cut them up and they are sitting in cold water.  They'll get first fried at 225 for 12 minutes, then laid out on paper towels to cool for 15.  Second fry time of about 10 minutes at 400 for perfect doneness and crisp level..  And of course, a healthy sprinkle of kosher salt right as they come out.  

Next update right before I eat...smoked cheeseburger, yukie fries, and pulled chuck with au jus...  This has been a great day!

 

[ricka77]

What a great day, and a great dinner!  Q-view below.. Perfect smoked burger with homemade yukie fries and a side of unbelievably awesome and tender pulled chuck..  and more to enjoy for days.

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• ricka77
• Jun 22, 2014

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• ricka77
• Jun 22, 2014

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• ricka77
• Jun 22, 2014

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• ricka77
• Jun 22, 2014

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• ricka77
• Jun 22, 2014

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• ricka77
• Jun 22, 2014

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• ricka77
• Jun 22, 2014

 

[forluvofsmoke]

Nice smoke, all the way through from Mr. Chucky to the burgers!!! 8oz...that's my kind of burger. Gotta love a juicy smoked burger, and they even took on a good smoke ring to boot!!! We don't deep fry much around here, but your fries sound like they'd definitely be a hit here.

I only see one problem...you didn't make an extra burger for me...ha-ha-ha!!!

Keep your smoker warm & happy-

Eric