Smoking chuck roast is a flavorful, budget-friendly, insanely delicious option to brisket. We’re talking super tender, fall-apart beef in a fraction of the time.
I’m that pit master who really isn’t a huge lover of brisket. Weird, I know, but I’m not 100% sold on it. It’s just so-so. So when I’m not making pulled pork or even smoked chicken, I’m all about smoked chuck roast.
Smoked Pulled Chuck Roast – A Simple, Budget-Friendly Dish
If you’re like me, you stock up on chuck roast when your local market has them on sale. Normally we make them in the oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot. However, smoking them is truly magical! The flavor you get when smoking these on a Yoder Smokers YS640 is next level!
Grab Your Ingredients
The recipe is pretty straightforward:
- Chuck Roast – trimmed
- Binder – I went with Garlic Flavored Duck Phat though you could use softened butter, olive oil, mayo, and so forth
- Seasoning – I went with Yoder Smokers Beef Rub
- Liquid (not pictured) – beef stock, beer (wheat/stout/lager preferably. I used a Hefeweizen)
- Onion
- Tomato Paste
Watch The Video
The video is thorough as it walks you through coating the roast, smoking it, adding the onions and liquid, and ultimately serving it.
How To Shred The Chuck Roast
I strongly advise you to use these grilling gloves to hand-shred the chuck roast. You can use meat claws or 2 forks as well.
When it comes to shredding the meat, you can choose how big or little you like the pieces to be. I like mine so it’s big enough to be a forkful but small enough that it’s perfect for a hot beef sandwich, nachos, pizza topping, or in a mashed potato bowl.
Make The Gravy
One thing that makes this dish even more extra is the gravy. It’s as simple as:
- Bring the liquid from the pan to a boil. Add in a slurry of cornstarch and water and cook until seasoned.
- Taste for seasoning.
- Add this back to the shredded chuck roast and toss to combine.
Ways To Serve Smoked Chuck Roast
Think of this as one of the best pot roast dishes you’ve ever had because well, it will be. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my Mom’s classic pot roast but when you smoke meat it’s just so much more delicious.
- Sunday Dinner – just like how I show in pictures. Add mashed potatoes, corn, and rolls
- Hot Beef Sandwich – make my Hoagie Rolls but then add the beef and gravy. If desired you can also add cheddar cheese
- Pizza – add the gravy as the sauce, cheddar cheese, beef, bacon and onions
- Comfort Bowl – add down a layer of mashed potatoes, make a well in the center, add some corn or peas, meat, gravy and top with crispy onions
Reheating Smoked Chuck Roast
The key is to make sure that it’s wrapped tightly and that it has moisture. For larger portions, I place it in a heat-safe container with liquid (gravy/stock), cover it tightly with foil, and place it in a preheated 275F oven until it’s warmed through. This takes about 30 minutes or longer depending on how much there is.
For smaller portions, you can place it in a pan with liquid over medium heat or even the microwave for about a minute.
No Smoker? No Problem!
If you don’t have a smoker but have a grill, you can still make this by setting up the grill for an Indirect cooking method. See THIS POST for details on what this means.
- Set up the grill for indirect cooking. If you don’t have 2 shelves, place the foil tray directly on the side of the indirect heat. Place a cooling rack over top and place the chuck roast on top of that. Cook it per the directions below.
- Depending on your heat source, you may not get a “smoked” flavor but it’ll still be delicious!
Ultimate BBQ Chuck Roast: Smoked and Pulled to Perfection!
Smoking chuck roast is a flavorful, budget-friendly, insanely delicious option to brisket. We’re talking super tender, fall-apart beef in a fraction of the time.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-7 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours
- Category: beef, smoked meats, smoking, bbq, grill, chuck roast, pot roast
- Method: smoker
- Cuisine: beef, smoked meats, smoking, bbq, grill, chuck roast, pot roast
Ingredients
Meat
- 4lb chuck roast, trimmed
- 3 Tablespoons Duck Phat Garlic flavor
- 4–6 Tablespoons Yoder AP Seasoning (or Original Chupacabra Rub)
- 2 cups beef stock, divided
- 1 12-ounce bottle of beer (wheat/stout/lager preferably. I used a Hefeweizen)
- 1 large sweet onion, chopped
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
Gravy
- 1/4 cup of water or stock
- 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch
Instructions
Day Before Smoking
- Dry the chuck roast and rub all sides with the Duck Phat. Season all sides with the AP Seasoning. Pat the seasoning into the meat to ensure it sticks.
- Place a cooling rack in a rimmed baking sheet and place the coated chuck roast on top. Put the meat with baking sheet into the fridge overnight, uncovered.
Day of Smoking
- Remove the meat and baking tray from the fridge at least 1-2 hours prior to smoking. You want the meat to be at room temperature. Preheat the Yoder Smokers YS640 to 250F. Insert a MEATER probe into the meat.
- Open the lid of the smoker and place the meat directly onto the top rack. Place a foil tray directly below it on the other shelf. Close the lid. Take 1 cup of beef stock and place it into a spray bottle. You will want to spritz the beef every hour until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
- While the meat is smoking, mix together the remaining 1 cup of beef stock, beer and tomato paste. Whisk to combine.
- When the meat reaches 165F (about 3 hours), remove the foil tray from the smoker, add in the onions, and the stock/beer mixture. Remove the MEATER probe from the chuck roast (set it aside), place the meat into the foil tray, and tightly cover the foil tray. If desired, insert the MEATER probe into the foil and back into the meat but be sure that the hole in the foil is sealed as best as possible.
- Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 205-210F and is probe tender. Roughly 3-4 more hours. This means that the probe should go straight through the meat like butter. If it’s not super fall apart tender, place it back in the smoker for another 15-30 minutes.
- Remove from the smoker. Transfer the liquid into a pot to reduce to make a gravy if desired. Be sure to keep the chuck roast covered tightly. Whisk together the slurry and bring the beef liquid in the pot to a boil. Pour in the slurry and whisk to combine. Cook until thickened. Taste for seasoning.
- Once the gravy is ready, uncover the beef and shred either with your hands (wearing heat safe gloves), meat claws, or 2 forks. Pour the gravy over the meat and toss to coat. *Note, if you’re not making a gravy, allow the meat to sit in the pan with the liquid for 30 minutes covered tightly before shredded.
Notes
*Time does not include resting it in the fridge overnight
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