Clays Pulled Beef vs Pepper Stout Beef

Sweet100s

Clays Pulled Beef 

http://dizzypigbbq.com/portfolio/clays-pulled-beef-by-clay-roberts/

vs

Pepper Stout Beef

http://www.mmmgoblubbq.com/2013/05/coming-soon-pepper-stout-beef.html

Has anyone made both?    Which do you prefer and why? 

I just made the Pepper Stout beef.  

Result: 

Beef eventually became tender and delicious.  
Broth was beyond delicious. (I added 8oz of beef stock to the recipe.)

Can't wait to try the leftovers.  That's my true test of how awesome a recipe is.

Two thing I wish I'd done differently with the Pepper Stout recipe:  

1) Skimmed the fat out of the broth before reducing.

i.e., Wish I had included this step from Clay's recipe, Stage 3 - reducing the liquids:

"Remove beef to rest.

Drain the beef juice from the Dutch oven into a container.

Place the container in the freezer to chill so that you can skim off the fat later. Discard bacon. Trim any fat you find on the beef and start pulling with a fork. Remove gristle and fat as you pull. 

Return pulled beef to Dutch oven and add your favorite sauce. Taste test. Now skim fat from juice and return juice to the beef. Ok, let’s go back to the egg."

2) Better time-planned the cook instead of winging it 

This Pepper Stout recipe needs a big "elapsed time can vary" warning.

Every step took me a lot longer than what the recipe indicated.

Normally I plan my cooks thoroughly - when to start given target eating time, etc and add buffer.  This time I winged it. I figured I could because Mom made a delicious Chuck Roast all the time growing up and it didn't seem to take all day.  

I started in the afternoon and was up till 4:00am.  Midnight is fine when winging it.  I love midnight BBQ-ing.  Egging Sunday afternoon - Monday 4:00am made me a tired puppy yesterday.

SmokeyPitt

I have made them both and they are both excellent but I prefer the pulled beef. Clay's recipe is a sweeter recipe so it is just my preference.  

I agree with your notes on the recipe.  Skimming the fat would be a nice step. The leftovers typically end up with chunks of white hardened fat all over them. However, I have fine the fat melts into the meat during the reheat so and the leftovers end up quite good.  

4 AM- ouch!  This is one I wish I took better notes on because I can never remember how long it took me to get to 160 IT during the initial smoke.  I think at 250 it was 5-6 hours for me.  Once I wrap I have had pretty consistent results with 3 hours at 350 to get it ready to pull.  

Lit

Can't add much to SmokeyPitts reasoning they are different beasts and both good. If you want to separate the fat out without wasting all the time my wife got me this several years back and it works great. I don't drain all the fat but its nice to get some of it out. The top is also a strainer so it will get any chunks out. https://www.amazon.com/Swing--S2062T-Release-Grease-Separator/dp/B004WMOR6K/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1465904887&sr=8-6&keywords=fat+separator

Focker

Done both, PSB is my preferred method.  Clay lost me at "discard bacon", even store bought. That step should be omitted IMO.  The apples should be too.  Could see apples for braised shoulder though.
 
For PSB, I like to try different beers, Bent River's Uncommon Stout is an awesome favorite, and sub poblanos to lessen the heat for the kiddos, which like some heat.  Trying different melting cheeses is fun too.  We like provolone, or chihuahua for a torta-like sammich.

Oh, and leave the fat in, it is flavor, and redistributes when heated.

KKorkmaz

I've been egging for sometime and I've only cooked Clay's, this will give me the motivation to try PSB!