Looks great!
What's the difference in the 7 bone and the "regular" chuck cuts?
7 bone chuck is a regular cut of chuck or shoulder.
It's very economical and like all chuck or shoulder it is very flavorful but tough and chewy if not properly cooked.
7 bone chuck differentiates itself by being the the toughest, the chewiest and the cheapest! :-D
It shares that toughness and chewiness with it's close cousin the brisket so it makes a great cut of meat for a long cook on the smoker or grill.
The shoulder is broken up into these major cuts
- 7 bone
- Arm (aka swiss steak)
- blade
- top blade (aka flat iron)
- under blade
- chuck eye (most tender)
- chuck steak
- chuck roast
- crosss rib (aka boston cut or english cut)
- shoulder steak
- shoulder roast
- clod steak
The names vary a bit depending on what area you are in.
All of them except for chuck eye and flat iron require long cooking techniques and are usually braised.
My kids hated braised meat and that is how I started doing shoulder on the Q.
Even with out smoke, a long, indirect "Q" cook of any shoulder cut, seasoned with a little Montreal steak spice is really great!
If you like your meat with a little "tooth" and a lot of flavour then go chuck go!