Smoked chuck roast is full of rich, beefy flavor and the meat gets super tender when smoked low and slow. It's great for slicing or making pulled beef and a great alternative to brisket for your next barbecue.
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Why this recipe works
Chuck roast is commonly used for braised dishes like pot roast, beef stew, and is also a good choice for beef kebabs. But if you haven't tried a chuck roast smoked, you're missing out! This cut of beef is rich and flavorful and gets almost fall apart tender during a long slow smoke.
You can serve it sliced or shredded, with BBQ sauce or without. And it goes great with a variety of side dishes.
Chuck Roast vs Brisket
Smoked beef chuck roast is sometimes called the poor man's brisket because it has a similar beefy flavor and tends to be a little cheaper cut. They're both hard working muscles that benefit from long slow cooks.
Brisket
Brisket comes from the lower chest area of the cow, between the front legs, and is one of the primal cuts of beef. A whole brisket, called a "packer" cut, is a large cut of meat that weighs in around 10 to 20 pounds.
It typically has a fatty layer on one side and a good amount of intramuscular marbling. They are often separated into the thinner, leaner "flat" and the the thicker, fattier "point" sections.
Chuck
The primal chuck comes from the shoulder area of the cow. The large primal chuck is broken down into several smaller cuts, one being the chuck roast. An average chuck roast is around 5 pounds. The meat has more connective tissue than brisket and also is a well marbled cut.
That fat and connective tissue will mostly render out during the low and slow cooking process and produce a tender, flavorful roast with rich beefy flavor.
Ingredient Notes
When choosing your chuck roast, look for a 4 to 5 pound cut that is a dark red color and avoid brown or grey colored roasts.
The meat should be well marbled to provide moisture and flavor while cooking. There will typically be a large fat pocket in chuck roast between the muscles, but avoid overly fatty cuts.
When smoking chuck roast I recommend to keep it simple with your seasoning and use a Texas style barbecue rub. This seasoning blend consists of Kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper, and a little garlic powder and lets the beefy flavor really shine through.
Chili powder is also a nice addition if you want a more spice in your smoked beef.
How to season the roast
Combine the Kosher salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Then liberally season the meat on all sides. If time allows, let the meat rest in the refrigerator overnight to give the seasoning time to penetrate the meat.
How to smoke a chuck roast
- Preheat your smoker to 225°F then place the seasoned chuck roast on the rack. Add a few chunks of wood to produce a medium amount of smoke at the start.
- When the meat reaches around 160°F wrap it tightly in aluminum foil or butchers paper and return to the smoker.
- When the meat reaches around 180-185°F remove the wrap and return the meat to the smoker to finish cooking to an internal temperature of 205°F.
- Remove from the smoker and transfer to a cutting board, then cover loosely with foil. Allow the meat to rest for 20-30 minutes before slicing of shredding.
Internal temperature for smoked chuck
It's always important to smoke meats to temperature rather than time. I recommend a temperature of around 205°F for smoked chuck roast. For an average sized roast this will be in the neighborhood of 7-8 hours.
What to serve with smoked beef chuck roast
The rich beefy flavor of chuck roast pairs really well with most classic barbecue side dishes. Two of my favorites are my bacon mac and cheese and southern style green beans. My Instant Pot Baked Beans are a great option too!
Recipe Tips and FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
For larger portions wrap in foil and reheat in a 275°F oven until warmed through. The foil will help to keep the meat from drying out as it reheats, but you can add a little barbecue sauce as well for more moisture if you want.
Smaller portions can be reheated in the microwave for around 1 minute, until warmed through.
For smoked beef I like to use oak. Hickory is another good option for a medium flavored smoke. If you want a stronger, more intense smoke flavor mesquite can be used.
📖 Recipe
Smoked Chuck Roast Recipe
Ingredients
- 4-5 pound chuck roast
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons coarse ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Combine the seasonings in a small bowl then liberally apply to the meat on all sides. If time allows, refrigerate the meat overnight to give the seasoning time to penetrate the meat.
- Preheat your smoker to 225°F then place the chuck roast on the cooking rack. Add a few chunks of wood to produce a medium amount of smoke at the start.
- When the meat reaches around 160°F wrap it tightly in aluminum foil or butchers paper and return to the smoker.
- When the meat reaches 180-185°F remove the wrap and return the meat to the smoker and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 205°F.
- Remove the meat and loosely cover with foil. Allow it to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing or shredding.
Nutrition Facts
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
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