Chuck Roast – What’d I do wrong???

EggLuver · March 2010

Hi, well yesterday I cooked a 3lb chuck roast. The flavor was great and overall, it was pretty good, but it was a little tough. The areas of the meat near the fatty part were fine, but the lean part, which was most of the roast, was a little tough. I’m hoping that someone here can tell me what I did wrong.
I began by rubbing it down with olive oil then added a variety of dry seasonings. I got the egg at a steady 250 and put the roast on a v-rack in a drip pan on the grid which was on top of the inverted plate setter. It held steady at 250 for six hours. I then pulled it off with an internal of 160. I then placed it in a dutch oven which had some pre-warmed beef broth and a few other seasonings. I removed the grid and put the pot back on the plate setter. The egg temp went up to about 300-320, and I cooked it for another hour and a half (total time on egg = 7.5 hours). I took it off at 198 internal.
Like I said, it was pretty good, but not near as tender as I was hoping for. Any suggestions about what I should do different next time?

Cory430 · March 2010

I'd take it up to an internal of about 210°. The real trick though is to start checking it at about 200° and pull it off as soon as it gets tender. If you cook it too long you'll dry it out.

Jeffersonian · March 2010

What Cory said, but I generally take it up to 215* in the Dutch oven, with ClayQ's mix of water and maple syrup.

Unknown · March 2010

Hard to really say...But some times, nothing helps.
OTOH, I braise mine in a CI roaster or D.O. the last hour or so.
My rule of thumb is 1.5 hrs. / lb at about 250F. until the roast temps. at about 160 - 170, then it goes into the pot with liquid about 1/2 way. Cover and continue to cook until the temp is at least, or past the 200 F. range

EggLuver · March 2010

I was afraid that the problem was not letting the temp get high enough. But, it was only at 198 after 7.5 hrs!! I think I just got impatient. So, you think if I'd let it go up to 215 it would have been more tender? What about the time? How much longer do you think it would have taken to get it up another 17 degrees?

Cory430 · March 2010

Bout 3hrs or so.

Jeffersonian · March 2010

You might want to check your thermometer to make sure it's not reading too high...that could be at the core of this.

When I've done pulled beef, it usually went from 200 to 215 in fairly short order, maybe an hour or so at 300* dome in a covered Dutch oven.

Cory430 · March 2010

Check this link out for a bit more info. to see where Jeffersonian and I are coming from.

http://www.dizzypigbbq.com/recipesPulledBeef.html

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead · March 2010

Hey…I’m home now…I chimed in earlier while taking a break at work, off line and it worked!
For the record, I love doing chuck roast and have never been disappointed with either doing it as a pot roast, in the oven, or on the Egg…But it does take a bit of time.
As already mentioned, there are times when you can go past tender to tough, and yet other times when it seems no matter what you do the meat just never gets tender. Time is the answer here!
What I can say is that a braise, even if it goes WAY longer then you thought, will get you to the tender, falling apart side of things! That’s why we eat at 9:00 or even 10:00 pm at times! “Mom…Dad’s trying something new again!!”

I also think that some wine or beer in the braise helps make for a tender meat...Or a marinade before cooking may help too.
I have never marinated a chuck, but I’m going to do one this Saturday.
I’ve got a 5 pounder that I’m putting in a bourbon marinade over night (Fri.) and then on with cherry smoke-wood Saturday morning. I’m thinking about 7.5 hours at 250 F. for the total cook.
I will, however, finish it in my Cast D.O.with a braising, but I’m thinking I’ll only take it to 185 F. and slice it. We’ll see…It may well all depend upon how much bourbon I’m marinated with :woohoo: !
If I get my courage up and go to Photobucket…I’ll post the cook!

emilluca · March 2010

It all depends on location the first cut which would be close to the Rib roast would cook the tenderest. The neck side or close to the head would be tougher and need more slow cooking for the tissue to break down. Remember that is a big head for that steer to move around to eat with and that gets a stronger tougher muscle.
E

faithie999 · March 2010

i don't want to insult your intelligence, but are you sure that you really had a chuck roast (despite what it was labeled)? the key line in your message was "...the lean part, which was most of the roast...". chuck roast usually has lots of fat all through it--which is why it tastes so good! i have tried "english roast" which looks like chuck roast but with less fat, but it isn't nearly as tender and juicy as chuck roast. maybe your store mis-labeled another cut as chuck roast.
just a thought......

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead · March 2010

Just another thought...
Now I’m not sure I have a “chuck”! Mostly because of your comment about the marbling.
Thus far I have had about 2-1/2 steer through my freezers and all of the Chuck Roasts haven’t been fatty!
I’ll give you that I buy from a farmer over on the East Range and the meat is cut by a local in the same area...But I don’t have a lot of fat in this roast!!
Granted the beef I buy is grass feed and then “finished”. It is also very lean, being an Angus, Limousine, Piedmontise (sp?) cross.
As mentioned earlier…I’ll post, if I get my courage up! And then you folk who know, can give opinion!
Really though, I’m wondering now??
You know how it is with local, being local. Is it an English?

Chuck Roast – What’d I do wrong???

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