roast beef or pulled beef?

Unknown

Hello
A couple weeks ago (thanks to the forum) I did an 8 lb roast for a gathering. It cooked for about 5 hours and my thermometer told me it was well done.My guests loved it(smoked with apple and hickory).
Now this weekend our year end ball team party is on and so I am on the hook to cook the meat.
Here is my Question--I read that I can do a roast as I did in a few hours or I can leave it on for 15 to 20 hours and pull it.(we are going to have the beef on buns)
Is there not a chance of burning or ruining the meat when left on so long. There is such a huge difference in cooking times. I will do about 15 lbs this go around and have never done a long cook yet.
If I do pulled can I wrap it when done to be served a few hours later?
Once again I thank you and you can be assured the team will thank you.

Gfw

<p />WW, you could do either - I have a tendancy of liking pulled pork and pulled beef, but I'm sure the sliced variety would be great. Something that I haven't done at the same time is a Pulled Beef and a Pulled Pork - what a great combination for a party. Regardless of how you do it, good luck! :-}[p]
[ul][li]Pulled Beef[/ul]

Wise One

WW, although I think gfw, Cat, Tim M et al are really the experts in this, I'll try my explanation. When you cook it for longer periods of time you cook it at a slightly lower temperature (220-250). Although the meat is actually "done" a lot sooner (after about 6 or 7 hours), the extended cooking time allows certain portions (collagens?) of the meat to actually break down and dissolve away reducing their "hold" on the fibers so that the meat can be more easily torn apart (pulled) into the wonderful product we call pulled pork or pulled beef. It's sorta like TV - I don't know how it works but it sure is great.[p]