A few questions RE: Beef Chuck Roast

WDE86

I apologize for the length in advance. I'd like to do my first smoke with one of these this weekend and I have a few questions:

I'd like to cook this at 225; what's the general rule of cook time per pound at that temp.? 

If my understanding is correct, in order to slice a chuck roast, I need to pull the meat at a lower temp. Is 175-185 range a good temperature to shoot for if I'm doing this? 

In general, how long should I let this cook before taking my first internal(meat) temperature reading? I have no fancy gadgets (other than my lg BGE) so I'll be using a traditional meat thermometer to take my readings. 

Should I concern myself with any smoke wood for this first go round? I'm pretty sure I only need a fist-sized amount if I'm using any at all so picking up some is no problem, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on this. Also, any good recommendations for smoke wood? I'd prefer something not too strong for my first few smokes so I can better judge how well I'm cooking/handling the meat. 

Holding 225 on my Egg isn't an issue for me. I've practiced quitea bit  (both with and without a drip pan and different amounts of lump) so holding 225 or 250 shouldn't be a problem for me but I'd like to keep the cook temperature lower so I can move to my target temp. a bit slower. Is holding 225 going to make the cook any easier? Or should I bump to 250 or 275? 

Thanks in advance. Look forward to hearing from you all. I'm super excited about taking the next step with my BGE. My steaks, burgers, etc. have never tasted better. Hopefully will have a couple of briskets in by the end of the year but I'm in no hurry. I have a ton of traditional grilling experience and almost zero experience smoking. 

jtcBoynton

A couple of general comments:
Holding the temp to 225º will not make the cook easier.  Results will not be any different if you cook at 250º and it is easier to hold the higher temps.  

Take it easy on the amount of smoke.  Treat smoke like any other spice/flavoring.  Too much will ruin the cook. Too little will not.  Different charcoals will impart different amounts of smoke to the cook. The amount of wood you need to add (if any) will depend on the charcoal brand used and your personal taste. Hickory, oak, pecan, and walnut are often used for beef.

WDE86

jtcBoynton said:

A couple of general comments:
Holding the temp to 225º will not make the cook easier.  Results will not be any different if you cook at 250º and it is easier to hold the higher temps.  

Take it easy on the amount of smoke.  Treat smoke like any other spice/flavoring.  Too much will ruin the cook. Too little will not.  Different charcoals will impart different amounts of smoke to the cook. The amount of wood you need to add (if any) will depend on the charcoal brand used and your personal taste. Hickory, oak, pecan, and walnut are often used for beef.

Ah ok. Thanks for the temp. info. Looks like 250 is the number for me. 

I was thinking I'd start with a small amount of hickory. Just a few pieces, not really a big handful and see how that goes. If it ends up not being enough or too much (which I doubt) I can make adjustments for the next round. 

I'm trying to enter the "smoking world" of BBQ very slowly and humbly. I don't need or want to be super ambitious. I'm a tinkerer with most things so the process of figuring things out methodically appeals to me. It's not like I'm doing competition or opening a restaurant. 

Thanks for the advice. It is much appreciated. I'll definitely share the results of my cook. *fingers crossed*

jtcBoynton

Aiming for 250º is fine.  If the egg stabilizes at 240º, great - leave it alone.  If it stabilizes at 255º, great - leave it alone.  A stable temp in that general range is far more important than the specific temp.

"If it ends up not being enough or too much (which I doubt) I can make adjustments for the next round."  Wise!  Start light and add more the next cook until you get the amount you like the best.

StillH2OEgger

You have received good advice above. I would go even lighter on the wood if using Royal Oak, compared to say Rockwood. Haven't done a chuckie for slicing so good or bad I hope you'll let us know how it goes. Not that you need it, but good luck.

blind99

most of my chuckies I cook to pull, not to slice, so I can't really help you there. (for slicing I cheat and cook them sous vide.)  if you haven't done pulled beef sandwiches, definitely keep them in mind in the future.

re temp - my egg doesn't like 225, but holds 250 and up very well.  I tend to cook at 275-285 unless I want a really long stall.  but totally up to you.

re smoke - for a differing opinion: I usually lean towards less is more, esp with chicken and pork.  but for beef I go heavier.  I feel beef can handle more smoke and more flavorful smoke.  I like hickory and oak. a few chunks would be fine.

enjoy the cook and post us some pictures. 

WDE86

StillH2OEgger said:

You have received good advice above. I would go even lighter on the wood if using Royal Oak, compared to say Rockwood. Haven't done a chuckie for slicing so good or bad I hope you'll let us know how it goes. Not that you need it, but good luck.

I'm attempting to go the 'sliced' route because the meat is more likely to be eaten the day it's cooked. If it ends being pulled and made into sandwiches, there's no telling how long it will sit around until I can eat all of it.

However, I'm sure my german shepherd would gladly dispose of any remaining morsels for me. 

StillH2OEgger

One other thing with a chuckie that is taken to pulling temps (210-215) is that it really shrinks down from what you start with. I'm sure it will be great.

georgia boy

You've already received some good advice, but I'll add my .02

This is one of my new favorites to go low and slow.  It is cheap and has incredible beef flavor, akin to beef ribs (which if you haven't tried are unreal).

If you pull at 175-185 IT, I think you'll find that it is too tough.  At that temp, you really haven't given the fat enough time to break down and really moisten the meat.  Like @blind99 mentions, I treat this cut much like brisket.  I pull it at 198.  INCREDIBLY moist and tender.  Basically much like what you'd find in a pot roast, but so much more flavor.

I pulled once at around 180 (I think that's what it was), and although it sliced well, it was just kind of tough.  However, much like brisket, if you cook it to 198, and then let it cool in the fridge overnight, it'll slice wonderfully.  Here's one that I did just like that:

Sliced:

I think it's typcally taken me around 2hr/lb at 225 to reach IT of around 198.  

The biggest difference between 225 and 250 is the amount of smoke you'll get on the meat.  At 225, you'll be in the "smoke range" for much longer for the meat (IT below 140).  At 250, you'll get less smoke on the meat because it will just heat up more quickly.  

If you've got 225 down, and have the time, I say stick with that.  If you want to reduce your smoke, then try it at 250.

Also, I would highly recommend a remote thermometer, they're worth every penny, and you don't have to worry about checking the meat temp all the time.  This is what I have and it works perfectly:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016AF50ZI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I like the smoke flavor, so I still mix in cherry or apple with some hickory, again very similar to my briskets.

WDE86

georgia boy said:

You've already received some good advice, but I'll add my .02

This is one of my new favorites to go low and slow.  It is cheap and has incredible beef flavor, akin to beef ribs (which if you haven't tried are unreal).

If you pull at 175-185 IT, I think you'll find that it is too tough.  At that temp, you really haven't given the fat enough time to break down and really moisten the meat.  Like @blind99 mentions, I treat this cut much like brisket.  I pull it at 198.  INCREDIBLY moist and tender.  Basically much like what you'd find in a pot roast, but so much more flavor.

I pulled once at around 180 (I think that's what it was), and although it sliced well, it was just kind of tough.  However, much like brisket, if you cook it to 198, and then let it cool in the fridge overnight, it'll slice wonderfully.  Here's one that I did just like that:

Sliced:

I think it's typcally taken me around 2hr/lb at 225 to reach IT of around 198.  

The biggest difference between 225 and 250 is the amount of smoke you'll get on the meat.  At 225, you'll be in the "smoke range" for much longer for the meat (IT below 140).  At 250, you'll get less smoke on the meat because it will just heat up more quickly.  

If you've got 225 down, and have the time, I say stick with that.  If you want to reduce your smoke, then try it at 250.

Also, I would highly recommend a remote thermometer, they're worth every penny, and you don't have to worry about checking the meat temp all the time.  This is what I have and it works perfectly:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016AF50ZI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I like the smoke flavor, so I still mix in cherry or apple with some hickory, again very similar to my briskets.

Thank you so much for the feedback. I fully intend on getting a digital temp control setup at some point but I really want to make some beginner's mistakes before I drop anymore cash into this. BBQ Guru has some awesome packages and that's probably what I'll go with but I think it may be worth me checking out what you use first. I may find that it's all I need as well.

I haven't had much trouble locking down temps since I've been practicing. It's really not that difficult with the egg as long as you "glide" up to the temp you want and note the vent adjustments/positioning. 

Looking forward to sharing some pics of my first smoke this weekend. Is it Friday yet?!

XC242

@WDE86 no reason to cross your fingers. You'll do fine, you've got an Egg...

blind99

@georgia boy very nice cook! I've never done it that way, that's a keeper. 

Hans61

LIGHT smoke for a couple hrs then put in a foil pan with some liquid to braise to the finish don't rely on internal temp for finishing - it's done when fork tender could be as high as 205 could be as low as 195

gdenby

The chuck is a heavily worked bunch of muscles. That's part of what gives it its great flavor. It also means that there are a number of thick bands of connective tissue. The connective tissue breaks down rapidly around 180. Traditionally, it was often simmered in a braise rather than roasted, so it would have time to for the connective tissue to melt but avoid drying out. It is one of the few cuts that I sometimes consider foiling.

If you don't mind cutting around some tough parts, and having some chewy bites, cooking at 250 till it reaches and IT of 180 will be fine. I've hedged a few times, and foiled at 140, so the trapped hot water vapor is more likely to melt the connective tissue by the time the IT gets to 175. Then un-foil, save the accumulated liquid, or baste w. it, and let the outside firm up some as it reaches 180.

FWIW, I've read that the traditional 140 being the limit for the meat taking smoke is incorrect. The pink smoke ring stops forming at 140, but as long as the surface does not dry out, the smoke continues to filter into the moist tissue. Smoke will still be deposited even on a dry crust.

Another aside, the best chuck I've done so far was one I let go in an SV at 135 for about 36 hours. Then rubbed and into the Egg to an IT of 190. Browned, slightly crisp around the edges, almost falling to pieces, and every bit of collagen had turned to gel. 

WDE86

gdenby said:

The chuck is a heavily worked bunch of muscles. That's part of what gives it its great flavor. It also means that there are a number of thick bands of connective tissue. The connective tissue breaks down rapidly around 180. Traditionally, it was often simmered in a braise rather than roasted, so it would have time to for the connective tissue to melt but avoid drying out. It is one of the few cuts that I sometimes consider foiling.

If you don't mind cutting around some tough parts, and having some chewy bites, cooking at 250 till it reaches and IT of 180 will be fine. I've hedged a few times, and foiled at 140, so the trapped hot water vapor is more likely to melt the connective tissue by the time the IT gets to 175. Then un-foil, save the accumulated liquid, or baste w. it, and let the outside firm up some as it reaches 180.

FWIW, I've read that the traditional 140 being the limit for the meat taking smoke is incorrect. The pink smoke ring stops forming at 140, but as long as the surface does not dry out, the smoke continues to filter into the moist tissue. Smoke will still be deposited even on a dry crust.

Another aside, the best chuck I've done so far was one I let go in an SV at 135 for about 36 hours. Then rubbed and into the Egg to an IT of 190. Browned, slightly crisp around the edges, almost falling to pieces, and every bit of collagen had turned to gel. 

Speaking of sous vide, I had never heard of that until very recently. I have to get my hands on one of those. For steaks alone, it seems like a solid tool to get the perfect cook every time. But I'm under the impression it is much more useful with other cuts of meat. What's one of your favorites to do with the SV?

jtcBoynton

Sous vide is a way to get precise temperature control.  Steaks have a small temperature range for optimum results so sous vide is great for steaks.  Fish and seafood also have a narrow optimum range so sous vide is great for them.

GrillSgt

Some great advice in here. 
1) Don't fret about the temp. Nothing wrong with holding at 225 though.
2) Rockwood has a neutral flavor so may call for more wood than RO.
3) A chuck for slicing requires a higher IT than a pork butt. 190-195 is probably good but probe a bit to make sure it is tender enough. 

Good cooking!