Smoked Chuck Roast
We’re not putting chuck roast in the slow cooker any more. Once you try this my way, you’ll never want slow cooked chuck roast again, folks. We’re going to be smoking this roast low and slow for great flavor and tenderness.
Chuck roast is the part of the cow that’s right up underneath the shoulder.
Chuck roast can be a little tough, but it is easier on the wallet than other cuts. If you’re feeding a family or a big crowd, it can help stretch your budget. With the special rub and marinade we’re going to use today, they won’t believe just how good this tastes.
Don’t be afraid to ask the butcher at your local grocery store to get you a fresh chuck roast from the back. They’ll trim it up just the way you want.
Marinate and Tenderize
First, take the “W” sauce and the lime juice and rub it all over the roast. Don’t worry, the lime taste doesn’t linger – you’ll need to fix yourself a margarita if you want that. It’s just to tenderize the meat.
TIP: Lime juice is acidic and will break down the connective tissue and muscles in the roast, acting as a natural tenderizer.
Mix the spices all together and rub generously all over the roast. The biggest mistake people make when smoking meats is overcooking and under seasoning. Here’s a link to my original and mesquite seasonings – no need to under season ever again, y’all.
TIP: Thaw roast to room temperature before cooking to ensure the meat cooks evenly.
Get the Fire Hot
On your smoker or grill, you’ll want to rake the coals all to one side so you have direct and indirect heat. We are going to start this roast with a good sear before we start smoking, so I’m going to start cooking this roast really close to the coals.
Place the roast right over direct heat and listen to the sizzle. It’s a great sound. Sear it for about four minutes on each side. It’s ready when the outside has formed a good crust.
Smoking
For beef, I like to use a wood mixture of oak, mesquite and a little apple.
The roast needs to be away from direct heat while smoking so after searing be sure to put it on the indirect heat side. I even lower the coals a bit so they are away from the meat.
TIP: Mesquite smoke can be overwhelming. Use sparingly!
Lay the seared roast down in the center of some butcher paper. Put some butter on the top (I used some fresh thyme, too) and wrap the butcher paper around it. Get yourself another sheet of the butcher paperand place the wrapped roast on it upside-down. Wrap it again. That’s right: double-wrapped. This will help lock the moisture. Then, place the package back over indirect heat.
TIP: You can use brown paper sacks if you don’t have butcher paper.
Keep the smoker at 250-275 degrees. If you don’t have a temperature gauge on your smoker, I’m going to need you to get you one so you don’t overcook this beef.
Close the lid, and step back and enjoy the smell of smoked meat on a beautiful summer day. Check back in two and a half, three hours.
Since I like my roast sliced like a brisket and make a bbq sandwich, I cook to an internal temperature of about 200 degrees. Now, if you want it to fall apart, cook a little longer to 250 degrees.
TIP: This meat makes good tacos or bbq to top off a baked potato.
Thank y’all for stopping by – let us know how you liked today’s recipe and what you used the meat for. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and we will see you later, down the smoked chuck trail.
Smoked Chuck Roast – Cowboy Kent Rollins
Ingredients
- 2 ½ to 3 lb. chuck roast
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 tablespoons Kent Rollins’ Original Seasoning or all purpose seasoning
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½ tablespoon coarse ground black pepper
- ½ tablespoon dry ground mustard
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Rub both sides of the roast with lime juice followed by the Worcestershire sauce.
- In a small bowl, combine the Original seasoning, smoked paprika, pepper, dry mustard and onion powder.
- Coat the roast well with the seasoning mixture on all sides. Place the roast in a large plastic bag and place in the icebox for at least 2 hours.
- Remove the roast from the fridge and set it on the counter for at least 1 hour prior to cooking.
- Clean and preheat the grill to 350 to 400 degrees F. I use a mixture of oak and mesquite woods. Sear the roast over direct heat for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side.
- Move all the coals to one end of the grill and add apple wood chunks, or cherry wood to the coals. Place the roast over the indirect heat side and smoke for about 30 to 45 minutes, with the lid closed.
- Remove the roast from the grill and place on butcher paper. Place the butter and thyme on top of the roast and wrap in the butcher paper. Wrap in an additional sheet of paper to help seal in the moisture.
- Place the roast back on the indirect side of the heat and let cook for about 2 ½ to 3 hours at 250 to 275 degrees F, or until the internal temperature is about 200 to 225 degrees F.
- Remove from the grill and place in a large pan and unwrap the meat. Reserve any juices. Let cool slightly before cutting and serving.