# Roast turned out dry !?!?



## smokinfam (Oct 9, 2007)

I started smoking a 3.5 chuck roast at 11am using a GOSM with mesquite and 225F internal smoker temp.  I wrapped the roast when the internal temp reached 155F and moved it to the oven with an oven temp at 250F.  I continued in the oven until around 4:40pm when the internal roast temp was 202F.  I let the roast sit wrapped in foil for about 20 minutes.  I then unwrapped the roast and began trying to "pull" the roast.  It was too tough to pull, so I ended up slicing it.  When I served it to my family and some friends, they all agreed it seemed chewy and tough.  I was hoping for more tender consistency like you would get cooking it in a crockpot.
Did I get the wrong cut of beef for tenderness?  Or was it something I did wrong in my cooking process?
Thanks for any feedback.


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## goat (Oct 9, 2007)

I don't have a thermometer, but you took the roast to too high of a temp.  When you wrapped it and let it rest, it went even higher.  Short story, you cooked the hell out of it.


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## monty (Oct 9, 2007)

My questions would be:

What did you use for a rub?
Did you Mop? And with what?
When you foiled, did you include some sort of liquid or mop?
Did you foil tightly or did you leave room for juices and expansion.
Finally, did juices leak from foil?

Give us a holler on these questions we'll help!

Cheers!


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## Deer Meat (Oct 9, 2007)

Next time try to lay some thick cut bacon on top of the roast, and smoke to a lower internal temp. Say 185Â° for medium, 195Â° for pulled meat.


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## monty (Oct 9, 2007)

Good points Goat and Deer meat! 

I think I am up past my bed time! Did not even register with the temps and time.

Smokinfam listen to our two brothers, ignore me (in this post) and everyone have a good night!

Sweet Dreams!


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## richtee (Oct 9, 2007)

Another method of helping out less fat containing cuts:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...highlight=beef

Also, heed temp and foiling advice given previously.


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## flash (Oct 10, 2007)

How do you figure ?  Isn't pulled meat 200+ degrees for beef or pork? How would it be overcooked?? I did one right around the same size and it pulled easily although mine stayed on the smoker the whole cooking process. 

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ead.php?t=8551

Did you spray with apple juice or baste in anyway during the early stages? 
Did you place it right near the ovens heating element? That may have been the problem.  I would not give up on this cut of meat and try again. I will never put one in a crock pot again.


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## goat (Oct 10, 2007)

Smokinfam said he took the internal temp to 202 degrees.  Boiled all the juices out of it???  He then let it rest wrapped in foil where the temp no doubt continued to climb perhaps 7 to 10 degrees.  Then there is your admitted thermometer error which could happen to anyone.  I equate dry tough meat with being overcooked, just like a WELL done steak.  I however am open to other reasonings.

PS:  Yours looked nice.


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## fatback joe (Oct 10, 2007)

Then there is always the possibility that he got one of those chunks of meat that was not going to turn out well no matter what he did to it......wether it is off an old cow, poorly handled somewhere upstream, or whatever.......some meat is just going to not come out the way you hoped despite your best efforts.


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## squeezy (Oct 10, 2007)

I think you should have removed from oven at 190Âº max. and rested wrapped in a towel for at least an hour or longer.
I have lost much juice when just using foil, so I now you an aluminum pan and foil over.
Sounds like you may have vented off too much steam also....


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## flash (Oct 10, 2007)

Yeah, that is what is strange. Mine went to 200 internal, so no way 2 degrees should cause a problem. Also mine remained wrapped in foil and setting in cooler for one hour. Even though it continues to cooks, unless the juices leaked out somehow, it should have stayed moist. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






I would still like to know how close to the heating element in the oven he put it?


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## flash (Oct 10, 2007)

Very true. Was it frozen at any time also? I would surely attempt another to make sure.

Squeezy, I missed the part about putting it in the pan, then in oven. I will bet that pan was right over the element and a loss of steam occured since it was not wrapped tight to the foil.


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## smoke freak (Oct 10, 2007)

Sounds real close to how I do chuck roast only I let mine rest for around two hours. I hope you wrapped in foil when you went to the oven, if not then that might be why it was dry. But definitally not overcooked! I cook to 190 to slice and 205 to pull or shred. Try again cause you might have just got a bad roast. That happens sometimes.


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## deejaydebi (Oct 10, 2007)

SmokinFam -

If it was a lean chuck I would have marinated it in an oil based marinate like Italian dressing or something close - maybe added a slash of soy sauce, some garlic and a bit of brown sugar. Mopped it every now and then with the marinate or apple juice. Wrapped it tight in plastic or foil and rested it for about 20 minutes. Sounds WELL done!

Chuck Roast (Sliced Rare) 225Â° F to 250Â° F 1 hour per pound 125Â° F
Chuck Roast (Sliced Medium) 225Â° F to 250Â° F 1.25 hours per pound 155Â° F
Chuck Roast (Sliced Well Done) 225Â° F to 250Â° F 1.5 hours per pound 185Â° F
Chuck Roast (Pulled) 225Â° F to 250Â° F 1.5 hours per pound 195Â° F


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## kueh (Oct 11, 2007)

I think the problem is both carry over heat after foiling and the altitude where you cook.  

After foiling, the temperature will rise considerably depending on how much insulation you put around the foil.

As for altitude, water boils at different temperatures, so you need to measure some boiling water and then compensate for the difference.  Going to boil some water now and see what temperature it boils, then going to find out my altitude.

Well, my water boils at 203°F and I check my thermometer afterwards.  My altitude is about 2800 feet.  Don't know what the barometric pressure is today which will affect boiling temperature a bit.

Pressure today is 29.9 In Hg.  My theoretical boiling point should be 207°F.  Hmmmm.........


http://www.hi-tm.com/Documents/Calib-boil.html#tables

http://www.rescuedynamics.ca/articles/ConvertP.htm


This does not affect temperatures required to kill bacteria et al.


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## goat (Oct 11, 2007)

Try this next time.  It is not too technical.  Just put it in the hole and drink beer until you dig it up.  http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ead.php?t=8913


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## kueh (Oct 11, 2007)

After pulling at 155Â°, finish it in a slow cooker.

Put a pan with some water on a lower shelf to catch the drippings so you can add them to the pot.


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## goat (Oct 12, 2007)

Here is rolled chuck for a wedding of 250.


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## chrish (Oct 12, 2007)

I do chuck roasts and arm roasts all the time, (love the cut of meat) but its easy to over cook one, ill be doing a big chuck roast tomorrow afternoon so i could add more pics then.

this is a small chuck roast i did a few weeks ago, ill smoke it till its in the 150's when i pull it out of the smoker and it looks like this:









thats what you would of had if you haddent over cooked it
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





the one i have for tomorrow is just under 5 lbs


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## goat (Oct 12, 2007)

Let us see the results tomorrow Chrish.  I am going hunting again tomorrow morning.


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## chrish (Oct 12, 2007)

you going deer hunting goat?

I like the looks of those roasts you posted,  were they flat or a round cut of meat?


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## goat (Oct 12, 2007)

Yes, whitetail deer.  Those chuck roasts are flat cut about 2 inches thick.  Most of the time I buy a whole chuck at Sam's Club and cut them myself and vac seal them.  I grind the trimmings and ends into hamburger.  Got to run.  I will check back in after I get another deer hanging in the cooler.


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## chrish (Oct 12, 2007)

I'll start a new thread on this chuck roast.


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## flash (Jan 13, 2008)

I am bringing this post btt because I am still having problems with a consistant chuck on the smoker. My link early in this post was my first and BEST attempt. It pulled beautifully. The last two, howerver, came out alittle drier or did not pull at all, or pulled partially, while another part of the meat would not.
 Having read alittle about Chucks, it appears there are several cuts. Chuck roast, arm roast, blade chuck, chuck eye, chuck steak, cross rib roast and under blade.....sure makes it confusing. 

My question, are some cuts more prone for a sliced meat and others more prone to be able to be pulled ??


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