Chuck Roast

Planning on cooking my first chuck roast today as well as my first smoke while at work. Heading home around 2:00pm for my lunch which is an hour. It is a 10 mile drive each way which gives me about 40 minutes to get the smoker fired up, TBS and meat on. This could be a challenge. I have the charcoal chimney loaded, smoker loaded. I figured that instead of the usual 10 briqs I would fire around 20 to help the smoker get up to temp faster. Any other tips to help get the smoker up to temp and stabilized within 40 minutes? lol

I was going to try and prepare the chuck roast like a traditional roast w onions and potatoes (golden yukons). Once I get the chimney started the plan was to prepare the broth (onions,whole potatoes, french onion soup mix and a little beef stock) in a aluminium pan covered with foil. The beef would go on at the same time but exposed to the smoke. Once I get home I planned on checking the meat and once it hits 165 put it in the broth.

Do you all typically do the potatoes and onions this way, if not how do you prepare them? I was concerned that by the time I get home which will be about 2 to 3 hours after putting them on the smoker they will be over cooked?

Wish me luck guys.. I am a little nervous about this cook.

Thanks for the tip on the veggies Bludawg.

A question about the dampers if you dont mind. I am using a UDS and can typically run around 250 with the ball valve opened about 60%. Instead of opening all dampers to start and then slowly shutting each one could I just open the ball valve to 60% and forget about opening the other dampers? Thanks Again

Bluesman, Are the veggies uncooked when you add the meat to them?

I am asking because my wife was telling me when she does roast in the crock pot the potatos take longer than the meat to cook.:suspicious: Using that logic I assumed that the veggies would not be cooked in two to three hours.

Thanks Again for Your Help

I should have mentioned the size of the roast as well. It is a smaller roast 2.5 lbs.

Bluesman,

Thanks Again.

Next time the chuckie will be bigger and I will spend the day cooking it properly. I just got all excited when the wife showed up with the it. I had seen some recent posts about chuckies and I was hoping to avoid the dried out crock pot roast I am used to. :-D I was hoping to be able to wait til this weekend to cook it but the wife said it had to be prepared within two days.

Just wanted to update the thread with some pron. Roast turned out pretty good the flavor was amazing but it was a little tough. Had the smoker running about 225 when I had to leave to get back to work. Left one valve open figuring that would get me to around 250...got home and it was sitting at 209. Got the smoker back up to around 260 waited til the roast hit 160 internal added broth potatos and onions foiled it til 195.


Seasoned with salt pepper and garlic powder




On the UDS





Hot off the smoker


Sliced



Thanks again Bludawg and Bluesman for the assistance

Thanks Again Everyone, sorry for the late reply had a death in the family.

The wife and I stood there debating if I had cut with the grain or against it. Once I checked in on the thread and noticed the comments about cutting with the grain instead of against I changed the cut. I started at the far left and made the cuts from left to right in the following pic. Perpendicular to the original cut. Had those cuts on some sammies..never had roast beef that good from a store.



Is that correct?

I will also get a bigger roast next time, ignore the internal temp (once it hits 165)and use the probe to determine the when it is done. The wife also prefers it pulled so next time I will try that instead of slicing.

Thanks Again Brethren!!