Brisket, I love you, but there’s a new kid in town. I’m talking about a smoky, tender chuck roast that will have you questioning your loyalty to brisket. So, let’s dive right into it and get that smoker fired up.
Getting Started with the Big Green Egg
When I set up my Big Green Egg, I like to start with natural lump charcoal. Lay it out evenly and light it up. There’s a nifty trick I learned when using charcoal starters from Big Green Egg – fray the corners to make them easier to light. Nestle them into the coals and let them do their magic. Next, I add a few hickory hardwood chunks for that extra smoky flavor. Then comes the diffuser or, as Big Green Egg likes to call it, the convEGGtor. I’ve found wrapping it in foil makes cleanup much easier later on.
Setting the Right Temperature for Smoking
Once everything is set up, close it up and adjust your airflow. Aim for a small smile of an opening at the top regulator and a thumb-width opening at the draft door. Your target smoking temperature should be around 250 degrees F.
Seasoning Secrets for a Perfectly Smoked Chuck Roast
Now, let’s talk seasoning. Just two simple ingredients – kosher salt and coarse black pepper. I prefer dustless pepper because it has a consistent granule size, which contributes to a great peppery bark. Mix these in a one-to-one ratio, or tweak it to your liking. Here’s a tip from me to you: transfer your seasoning to a shaker. It keeps things cleaner and gives you better control for even seasoning.
The Star of the Show: Your Chuck Roast
Time to bring out the star of the show – a Certified Angus Beef chuck roast. Weighing in at a hefty three pounds, this cut is beautifully marbled, perfect for slow cooking in the smoker. Before we apply our salt and pepper, I like to slather the roast with yellow mustard. It adds a subtle flavor and helps hold the seasoning on.
Once you’ve seasoned the roast, ideally, let it sit overnight in the fridge to allow the seasoning to penetrate deeper into the roast. But for today, we’ll move straight to the smoker.
Let the Smoking Begin: Maintaining Temperature and Checking for Doneness
Aim to maintain a consistent temperature, avoiding spiking above 275 F or dropping below 225 F. Smoke the roast for about five to six hours until the internal temperature reaches 170 F. At this point, I wrap the roast in peach paper or foil to prevent it from drying out and return it to the smoker until it reaches 200 to 205 degrees F. Let it rest for an hour before shredding.
Savoring Your Smoky, Tender Chuck Roast
The result? A tender, fall-apart chuck roast that smells as incredible as it looks. Try it on a sandwich with some barbecue sauce and slaw, or use it in tacos or pasta. This smoked chuck roast might just take brisket’s place in your heart, just like it has in mine.
Don’t forget to comment about our reciep, and I’ll see you next time. You won’t want to miss what we’re cooking up next!
I spent a good bit of my 20’s touring the country playing music. As a teenager, and throughout my 20’s, in between music, I always worked in restaurants, in various capacities. Somewhere in my late 20’s I realized that I was not on the cover of Rolling Stone, as planned, and so, I started thinking about my future and trying to figure out other ways to have an impact, be creative and still live a bit of that rock ‘n roll lifestyle. The restaurant industry provided me with a good bit of those things. And so, I started honing my chops in the kitchen, putting my nose in food lover’s companion, and really started to go somewhere with it.
This was soooo good! My husband even said that this was better than a brisket.