Beef Shoulder Clod Questions

[CROSSCZEK]

Hi,
I've been doing research on how to do beef shoulder clods. There's lots of mentions about clods, but not a lot of "How to's"....that I saw anyway. I've read a lot of posts but lack the time to read them all. Anybody have a link to a how to? Maybe a video "a la Barbefunkaramaque":icon_cool. I know he mentioned in a post about his coming out like prime rib. I have yet to search his youtube vids.

Specifically, I'm looking for cooker temps, meat temps (I assume it'd be like another other beef doness), and approx. time. I assume meat prep would be similar to most other beef roasts/steaks/brisket.

It's for 158 adults, 26 teens, and 19 children (church gathering), so having not ever done one, nows not the time to "experiment".
I'm sure it's posted elsewhere on poundage per person, but anyone willing to save me the time of searching for that too, a link would be great.

Thanks to all in advance.

-scott

 

[Greendriver]

The short answer is: cooking it just like a boston butt pork roast works just fine and gives you the option of when to pull based on if you want to slice it or not. I like to pull at about 185 and a long rest and completely cool it in the fridge and slice it on a slicer, back into pan with some good beefy broth to reheat. This would also help you feed a larger growd too. My guess is 1/3 lb per person. I would probably inject it as well.

 

[thirdeye]

​

I've only done a couple of clods, but just can't get them anymore. I do barbecue their next door neighbor, the chuck roll. They are in the 18 to 20 pound range too.

The clods were whole and cooked around 250° and basted toward the end of the cook. Just about the way I do a pork butt. For chuck rolls I cut them in half or thirds, start off around 225°, then ramp the pit temp up to 250°. When the internal temp passes 160° I either foil them and finish the cook or move them to covered pans with some broth.​

 

[Greendriver]

​

I've only done a couple of clods, but just can't get them anymore. I do barbecue their next door neighbor, the chuck roll. They are in the 18 to 20 pound range too.​

The clods were whole and cooked around 250° and basted toward the end of the cook. Just about the way I do a pork butt. For chuck rolls I cut them in half or thirds, start off around 225°, then ramp the pit temp up to 250°. When the internal temp passes 160° I either foil them and finish the cook or move them to covered pans with some broth.​

you looked at my answer didn't you. LOL Great piece of meat! I would not trade one of these for the same grade and weight of briskets for my own taste.

 

[BobBrisket]

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47603&highlight=chuck+roll

Here's my first battle with two chuck rolls. Dang good stuff and will feed the masses. Never done clods though, sorry.

 

[CROSSCZEK]

Thanks GreenDriver and Thirdeye for the quick response.
I just got through reading a couple of posts from you guys.
GD - I think it was yours that cooked for 15 1/2 hours. Is that typical?
My butcher says he can get me a true clod - the 15+ pounders.

Also, if it matters I'll be cooking on a large offset stick burner.

 

[Greendriver]

Thanks GreenDriver and Thirdeye for the quick response.
I just got through reading a couple of posts from you guys.
GD - I think it was yours that cooked for 15 1/2 hours. Is that typical?
My butcher says he can get me a true clod - the 15+ pounders.

Also, if it matters I'll be cooking on a large offset stick burner.

I figure it's gonna get done in it's own time and each piece of meat can cook a little different anyway and for that reason I have yet to try and figure out how long at what temp per lb. I just plan long cooks to start some where in the 5 pm to 10 pm range and get em done early in the day and reheat if needed. But yeah if you cook a whole 20 lb piece of beef at 230 - 250 it will take that long.

 

[HeSmellsLikeSmoke]

If time is any issue, you might consider cooking them hot like they do in Central Texas. Kreuz's cooks clods at 400 degrees, according to Mike Mills in "Peace, Love and Barbecue".

You might even consider it even if time isn't an issue.

 

[thirdeye]

you looked at my answer didn't you. LOL Great piece of meat! I would not trade one of these for the same grade and weight of briskets for my own taste.

I'm thinking along the same lines. I help out on one big barbecue each summer (pork butt, a whole lamb and brisket) I usually cook the briskets and last year I picked up a chuck roll so we could do a real side-by-side test. I liked the flavor, the yield, the tenderness and overall I think they are an easier cook than brisket. My cookin' buddy agreed. However, this is about the 15th year for this gig, and a lot of the guests are farm and ranch folks. They look forward to that brisket. The real kiss of death was, about 5 years ago I started making a few pans of burnt ends for some of the early birds to snack on.

 

[Greendriver]

The real kiss of death was, about 5 years ago I started making a few pans of burnt ends for some of the early birds to snack on.

Burnt Ends is my fav part of a brisket too. I been told that you really don't have to go to no extra trouble like removing the point part way through the cooke and cooking it different. Suppose to be pretty good if you just finish the well trimmed brisket with the point still attached and cube up the point and sauce and eat. Gonna try one like that in a couple of weeks.

 

[barbefunkoramaque]

I need to be especially diplomatic here. Now hear this... this is the logic of why YOU SHOULD NOT COOK CLOD LOW AND SLOW and it is a logical one. We are talking about the large clods too.

Brisket can only be cooked well done. A rare brisket just ain't gonna work. We Agree????

Do we all agree that brisket cannot be properly enjoyed rare, meduim rare or even medium... correct.

You with me here?

Next step...

Clod is HUGELY enjoyable rare, medium rare or medium when you roast it around 400.

BUT it can also be enjoyable (somewhat) low and slow.

Next step... so why goof with it unless you are making (forced MOCK chopped beef sandwiches). True Chopped beef like true burnt ends are made from overcooked meat that is not up to slicing standards.

Next step - so if you can make well done tender brisket at smoke temp of 225 to 350 (with a progressive decline), then why try that with a clod which is good both ways but really best as a rare piece or medium especially.

I do have a video of clod. Its a small clod though.

dress it in three layers, start off at 200 ala Thirdeye for smoke ring and tenderization (from active enzymes), and then crank it up to 400 to 425 or so until a internal temp of

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTrwf6_Mi3c

This video does not reflect how I do it now.. it orginally was for a test on the stoker.

By the way ignore my rub techinque in this video and use the tri level rub now

Also, now that I let it smoke one hour very low to get that smoke ring in and tender up the first inch or so (which ends up medium) my clod is more medium rare now and juicier.

Againjst the grain just did something like 500 clods for bbq and also for a ribeye event... yes rib eye event cut from clods.

I got sick and lost the tranny in my car or we would all be seeing a video of it right now, sorry jim.

 

[CROSSCZEK]

Thanks Barbefunkoramaque, great info and I do follow the logic. A clod is more like a good steak or roast and does not need to have the connective tissue broken down, like a brisket.

and then crank it up to 400 to 425 or so until a internal temp of

...of....of....? You really know how to hold a guy in suspence.
I'll assume medium-rare to medium 130*-140*, let it rest, etc.

I've never had my cooker up to 400*. I'd have to assume it'd be o.k.
It is The Monster, firebox made with 1/4" double walled plate with ceramic blanket insulation in between, cooking chamber 3/8" rolled steel, 3/8" steel baffle. If a Lang can take it, mine should too. I would think.

Also, never having cooked a 20# piece of beef at 400*, any "estimates" on time? I know there are a lot of variables, but does somebody have any info on how long a piece that size at that temp took them? Do I start at 10pm the night before or 5am the morning of, is what I'm trying to decide.

 

[Against The Grain]

We cut them in half, rub them, cook at 200 deg pull around 185-190deg about 12 hours. We cut them thick and call them Lighthouse rib eyes. We used the thicker half for the rib eyes last Friday and sliced the others for bbq beef Saturday. Chopped the ends and put them in the beans. This was for Yaga's Childern Fund Wild Game and BBQ Cook Off in Galveston, TX
The event usually raises around 100K. Popdaddy missed it with the flu.

2008 Photos http://www.yagaschildrensfund.org/photogallery.html