Chuck Roast Dilemma

uglydog

Today I cooked my first chuck roast, using the recipe from the forum cookbook. http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_recipes&Itemid=68&func=detail&id=890
This hunk of cow was about 3 1/4 lbs; I cooked at 300°F dome temp, using an indirect setup (platesetter legs up, cooking grid, drip pan, V-rack holding the cow). After 4 1/2 hours the internal temp was 155°F and holding; because the natives were getting hungry, I pulled Mr. Cow and wrapped him in HDAF and a towel and put him in the cooler while I baked some biscuits. Mr Cow never got nice and tender; he had a fabuous flavor from the marinade, but he was fairly tough. Is a chuck roast supposed to plateau similar to the way a pork butt plateaus? How much longer should I have cooked him?
Thanks,

Uglydog

uglydog

uglydog wrote:

Today I cooked my first chuck roast, using the recipe from the forum cookbook. http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_recipes&Itemid=68&func=detail&id=890
This hunk of cow was about 3 1/4 lbs; I cooked at 300°F dome temp, using an indirect setup (platesetter legs up, cooking grid, drip pan, V-rack holding the cow). After 4 1/2 hours the internal temp was 155°F and holding; because the natives were getting hungry, I pulled Mr. Cow and wrapped him in HDAF and a towel and put him in the cooler while I baked some biscuits. Mr Cow never got nice and tender; he had a fabuous flavor from the marinade, but he was fairly tough. Is a chuck roast supposed to plateau similar to the way a pork butt plateaus? How much longer should I have cooked him?
Thanks,

Uglydog

WokOnMedium

That's a yes on the plateau. Can't speak to how long, but my experience was similar. Pulled the roast and sliced it up like shoe leather. After dinner, but it in a crockpot for 4 more hours and the thing fell apart like buttah.

Probably needed to get to around 195. Sorry for the disappointing dinner. When I do that my family looks at me like they'll never trust me again...then they do. :P

uglydog

Thanks for the info, wokon. Although the meat was tough, it was still a very flavorful dinner. I cooked the spuds and carrots in the marindae, and with the home made, egg cooked biscuits we had a pretty good dinner. It's all part of the learning curve, but this learning sure is fun.

Uglydog

WokOnMedium

As long as learning tastes good, I'll keep on learnin'

Shiff

I've used chuck roast to make pulled beef using Clay's BBQ Beef recipe in the cookbook section of this forum. It is definitely a family favorite.

emilluca

Yep it comes from the same area on the cow as the butt is on the pig so it will cook the same. The closer to the neck the longer to get done. Moving that big head requires a lot of work.
Emil