Gonna try a chuck roast tomorrow

[vayank5150]

Yank, echoing the smoker temps... But also one of the posts above about foiling and sticking it in your oven.  I do that when I don't have a ton of time.  A few hours on smoke will still give you the smoky flavor.  Reading your last post, I'd suspect your smoker temps are unstable.  When I first started out, I was using a Master Forge double door and I being brand new was fanning that door too much to take a peek.  

Just curious, about why you didn't have your Maverick in the meat?  Just throwing this out there, but my thinking is that potato is going to be way different than the roast as far as temp monitoring goes. 

I did have the meat probe in.  That is how I knew it stalled at 138 and 160 for such long periods of time?

 

[yoni63]

Ok, was just confused on that, my bad, I just got snagged on that potato 

 

[mdboatbum]

I use the Maverick probe in a potato and have it sitting on the grill next to the meat, so I feel comfortable that it is as accurate as I am capable of getting it.  Finally, after 8 1/2 hours of smoking, the final hour and a half wrapped in foil, the IT hit 198 and I pulled it off.  Maybe it was just because I was tired, but when I tasted it last night it tasted VERY heavily smoked and it was not the least bit tender.  I could not pull it, and the meat was a grey color.  I actually thought it tasted pretty bad.  This chuck roast hung for right at 2 1/2 hours at 138, then it finally reached 160, before it hung again.  After wrapping with foil, it gradually increased, but man I did not expect 8 1/2 hours for a 3 lb 4 oz chuck roast.  Needless to say my family ate pizza last night!

Sorry to hear about your troublesome chuckie. They'll do that. Don't sweat it, it's a learning process. Now, as for the heavy smoke, it was probably just in the smoke too long. I didn't see where you mentioned what kind of wood you used, but that can have an effect too, as well as the type of smoke you're getting. Thick white smoke will impart a bitter, acrid flavor. Thin blue or nearly invisible smoke is what you want.

The tough, gray meat is a clear indication to me that you just needed to wait a little longer. Again, it's a learning process and it'll come in time. If you haven't thrown it in the trash in disgust, you can still salvage it. Just take it out of the fridge, wrap it in foil with a little beef broth and put it in the oven at 300˚ until you can insert a toothpick with no resistance. Plan for 2 hours. It shouldn't take that long, but you never know.

For next time, try smoking at a little higher temp. Shoot for 275˚.  Let it ride in the smoke until it hits 150˚-160˚. At that point wrap it and either put it back in the smoker or in the oven and wait 'til it hits 185˚-190˚, then start checking for tenderness. You already know what a roast feels like when it's NOT tender, so recognizing when the collagen breaks and it's tender should be easy.

Oh, and as for the family waiting on dinner, well that happens too. At least to me. I'm notorious for everything taking longer than expected and dinner being late. A friend told me the other day that he's learned to eat dinner before he comes over to my place for BBQ. "It's worth the wait, but since we don't usually eat until 10 or so, I need a little something to keep me goin."

 

[vayank5150]

Sorry to hear about your troublesome chuckie. They'll do that. Don't sweat it, it's a learning process. Now, as for the heavy smoke, it was probably just in the smoke too long. I didn't see where you mentioned what kind of wood you used, but that can have an effect too, as well as the type of smoke you're getting. Thick white smoke will impart a bitter, acrid flavor. Thin blue or nearly invisible smoke is what you want.

The tough, gray meat is a clear indication to me that you just needed to wait a little longer. Again, it's a learning process and it'll come in time. If you haven't thrown it in the trash in disgust, you can still salvage it. Just take it out of the fridge, wrap it in foil with a little beef broth and put it in the oven at 300˚ until you can insert a toothpick with no resistance. Plan for 2 hours. It shouldn't take that long, but you never know.

For next time, try smoking at a little higher temp. Shoot for 275˚.  Let it ride in the smoke until it hits 150˚-160˚. At that point wrap it and either put it back in the smoker or in the oven and wait 'til it hits 185˚-190˚, then start checking for tenderness. You already know what a roast feels like when it's NOT tender, so recognizing when the collagen breaks and it's tender should be easy.

Oh, and as for the family waiting on dinner, well that happens too. At least to me. I'm notorious for everything taking longer than expected and dinner being late. A friend told me the other day that he's learned to eat dinner before he comes over to my place for BBQ. "It's worth the wait, but since we don't usually eat until 10 or so, I need a little something to keep me goin."

I decided to use cherry on this chuck.  I have been getting chunks from "Uncle Robby's" website and have had good results on the two pork butts I did with a combination of hickory and apple.  But this was REALLY strong.  I am not able to discern if it was the type of wood or if there was simply too much time in the smoke?  I have been getting very good "think blue line" results from using the chunks, so I would hesitate to say that it was too much wood?

 

[flash]

I use the Maverick probe in a potato and have it sitting on the grill next to the meat, so I feel comfortable that it is as accurate as I am capable of getting it.  Finally, after 8 1/2 hours of smoking, the final hour and a half wrapped in foil, the IT hit 198 and I pulled it off.  Maybe it was just because I was tired, but when I tasted it last night it tasted VERY heavily smoked and it was not the least bit tender.  I could not pull it, and the meat was a grey color.  I actually thought it tasted pretty bad.  This chuck roast hung for right at 2 1/2 hours at 138, then it finally reached 160, before it hung again.  After wrapping with foil, it gradually increased, but man I did not expect 8 1/2 hours for a 3 lb 4 oz chuck roast.  Needless to say my family ate pizza last night!

Remember, don't over do the smoke.

smokegoodvsevil.jpg

• flash
• Dec 25, 2012

Good smoke on right.

There are 7 types of chucks out there. I find the Underblades and 7 Bone Chucks to pull the best. Some will partially pull, while other parts do not pull at all. One other point is I wait until 210º IT before I remove it from smoker. Usually do not wrap it up until around 160 to 170. Spritz it good for some moisture before you wrap it. Even add a little beef broth if you have it. (Thanks Chef Jimmy

SevenBoneChuck048.jpg

• flash
• Feb 25, 2013

SevenBoneChuck049.jpg

• flash
• Feb 25, 2013

 

[vayank5150]

Wow...that looks awesome. I always get my chuck roasts at Costco and truly don't know what "type" it is?

 

[flash]

Wow...that looks awesome. I always get my chuck roasts at Costco and truly don't know what "type" it is?

http://www.foodsubs.com/MeatBeefChuck.html

 

[pgsmoker64]

Mike,

Sounds like it just got too much smoke.

One question though...how was the marbeling on the meat?  It's kinda hard to see being in the marinade.

Bill

 

[vayank5150]

Based on the pictures from the link, (thanks Flash) it looks like I had a blade roast. The marbling was present Bill, but not excessive. I still have it in the fridge and may try popping it in the oven in some foil with some broth as Mdboatbum suggested?

 

[flash]

Yeah, I seem to run into Underblades the most. Top Blades will usually be used in some steak cuts. I have two Chucks I will be doing tomorrow, both in the fridge right now marinading in Chipolte Mojo Crillio.

 

[vayank5150]

Sorry to hear about your troublesome chuckie. They'll do that. Don't sweat it, it's a learning process. Now, as for the heavy smoke, it was probably just in the smoke too long. I didn't see where you mentioned what kind of wood you used, but that can have an effect too, as well as the type of smoke you're getting. Thick white smoke will impart a bitter, acrid flavor. Thin blue or nearly invisible smoke is what you want.
The tough, gray meat is a clear indication to me that you just needed to wait a little longer. Again, it's a learning process and it'll come in time. If you haven't thrown it in the trash in disgust, you can still salvage it. Just take it out of the fridge, wrap it in foil with a little beef broth and put it in the oven at 300˚ until you can insert a toothpick with no resistance. Plan for 2 hours. It shouldn't take that long, but you never know.
For next time, try smoking at a little higher temp. Shoot for 275˚.  Let it ride in the smoke until it hits 150˚-160˚. At that point wrap it and either put it back in the smoker or in the oven and wait 'til it hits 185˚-190˚, then start checking for tenderness. You already know what a roast feels like when it's NOT tender, so recognizing when the collagen breaks and it's tender should be easy.
Oh, and as for the family waiting on dinner, well that happens too. At least to me. I'm notorious for everything taking longer than expected and dinner being late. A friend told me the other day that he's learned to eat dinner before he comes over to my place for BBQ. "It's worth the wait, but since we don't usually eat until 10 or so, I need a little something to keep me goin."

Good call, Mdboatbum! I put the roast in the oven foiled with a healthy dose of beef broth and got IT up to 205 and pulled it out. The heavy smoke flavor had dissipated and the meat was juicy and pulled easily. Thanks!

image.jpg

• vayank5150
• Mar 1, 2013

image.jpg

• vayank5150
• Mar 1, 2013

 

[vayank5150]

Tragedy averted. A little melted provolone on top and these pulled chuck roast sammies were damn good, if I do say so myself! Thanks everyone for the help!

image.jpg

• vayank5150
• Mar 2, 2013

 

[pgsmoker64]

Nice looking sammiches Mike!

I have a tiny little brisket in the MES today....I'll post pics later.

Bill

 

[mdboatbum]

Glad to hear it worked out! Those sandwiches look great.

 

[flash]

Another thing we found when facing a tougher or dried out cut, is to warm up some Au Jus. I love to take Eye of Round and just lightly run it thru the Au Jus for a very short time, then onto some good rolls with some smoked onion and banana peppers and a little cheese. It really seems to moisten up the meat alot and make it tender.

EOR10041.JPG

• flash
• Mar 2, 2013

 

[vayank5150]

L

Nice looking sammiches Mike!

I have a tiny little brisket in the MES today....I'll post pics later.

Bill

Lets see it Bill. My wife is getting a little tired of me taking all these pics before she can eat. I am planning on doing "Snake Bitten" beer can chicken tomorrow. I'm thinking apple wood for that one.