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View Full Version : Experimenting with Chuckies Again


chris1360
07-06-2016, 03:19 PM
Well another long night off, still adjusting to the night shift schedule. Decided to try a chuckie since I had to work the 4th, and did not get to cook. I have done several using the advice of the folks around here and they have always turned out good.

This time I decided to try one without wrapping to see what would happen. I was after a good bark and slices that were similar to brisket.

Started with a 2.75 pound choice chuck roast from Wally World. It was the most marbled and largest one they had.

Nothing fancy, no trimming, olive oil, lmostly salt and pepper rub, with a little bit of various other rubs mixed in for flavor.

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n196/zookieC90/Mobile%20Uploads/20160706_001154_zpssmz1709h.jpg (http://s112.photobucket.com/user/zookieC90/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160706_001154_zpssmz1709h.jpg.html)

On the Mini WSM at 275 with oak chunks, till it hit 203 IT, which was about as close as I could get it to probe tender. Took a total of 6 hours.

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n196/zookieC90/Mobile%20Uploads/20160706_061807_zps59ebbzka.jpg (http://s112.photobucket.com/user/zookieC90/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160706_061807_zps59ebbzka.jpg.html)

After resting in foil for about 2 hours:

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n196/zookieC90/Mobile%20Uploads/20160706_061801_zpsrnskiyui.jpg (http://s112.photobucket.com/user/zookieC90/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160706_061801_zpsrnskiyui.jpg.html)

Final product sliced:
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n196/zookieC90/Mobile%20Uploads/20160706_065737_zps35z39ukx.jpg (http://s112.photobucket.com/user/zookieC90/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160706_065737_zps35z39ukx.jpg.html)

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n196/zookieC90/Mobile%20Uploads/20160706_070451_zpskfwwspqj.jpg (http://s112.photobucket.com/user/zookieC90/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160706_070451_zpskfwwspqj.jpg.html)

It turned out ok, but not what I wanted. The bark on top and bottom was killer, loved the flavor and tasted just like a brisket. The sides however, got burnt and dried out. The dryness went into the meat about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. I had to cut all the edges and sides off and toss them because they were too hard to eat. The meat was not dry, it was just kinda chewy in spots, mainly in the center portion of the muscles. Everywhere that had good thick fat marbling was super tender and moist. The slices were pretty good until you got to a bite with a chewy section. The chewy sections were a bit dry.

Overall it was not a bad cook. I think wrapping would have solved a lot of issues with chewy sections and made the chuckie a little more moist. I think hot and fast was just too much for this size chuck roast. A thicker cut of meat would have been better, something in the 4 to 6 pound range. My next attempt will be with a thicker chuck, and I'm going to wrap for a few hours, then unwrap at the end to see if I can get that same bark, just with more moisture.

Thanks for looking!

Fwismoker
07-06-2016, 03:28 PM
Here's mine I just did a couple of days ago. letting it take a bath in it's juices to finish gave me a nice tender product....absolutely couldn't have gotten better I don't think. You'll see the color was very mahogany...in order for it to keep cooking for the time needed to get tender it needs to be braised IMO. Capture the drippings and make gravy...yummy!

Here's the cook thread.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=233013

http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee407/Amerivet/007/P1040959_zpswvi0jmsw.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Amerivet/media/007/P1040959_zpswvi0jmsw.jpg.html)

http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee407/Amerivet/007/P1040963_zpsnakhzgti.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Amerivet/media/007/P1040963_zpsnakhzgti.jpg.html)

http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee407/Amerivet/007/P1040967_zpshezvcrqn.jpg (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/Amerivet/media/007/P1040967_zpshezvcrqn.jpg.html)

cheez59
07-06-2016, 03:35 PM
I've never had much success with a chuckie unless I cooked it to pulling doneness. I cook mine at 275 for about 4 hours or until the bark looks like I want it too. Then I wrap until probe tender, pull it off the smoker and rest it for an hour or so and pull it. Very good stuff.

Milkman_d83
07-06-2016, 04:26 PM
I have always smoked mine till I got the bark and color I wanted the foiled it till tender. Tried a 4.5 pounder a couple weeks back. A lot more forgiving and real juicy. Good luck.

JacksBBQ
07-06-2016, 04:33 PM
I've never had much success with a chuckie unless I cooked it to pulling doneness. I cook mine at 275 for about 4 hours or until the bark looks like I want it too. Then I wrap until probe tender, pull it off the smoker and rest it for an hour or so and pull it. Very good stuff.

Is there a temp you aim for pulling or just go off the probe sliding in?

Fwismoker
07-06-2016, 04:41 PM
275* definitely wasn't a problem for you either, it just needed braised at the right point is all.

chris1360
07-06-2016, 08:33 PM
Here's mine I just did a couple of days ago. letting it take a bath in it's juices to finish gave me a nice tender product....absolutely couldn't have gotten better I don't think. You'll see the color was very mahogany...in order for it to keep cooking for the time needed to get tender it needs to be braised IMO. Capture the drippings and make gravy...yummy!



That looks amazing. I'm gonna give wrapping a shot, and then see if I can get the bark to somewhat stay on by unwrapping the last hour or so. Good idea on the gravy too!!!

chris1360
07-06-2016, 08:34 PM
I've never had much success with a chuckie unless I cooked it to pulling doneness. I cook mine at 275 for about 4 hours or until the bark looks like I want it too. Then I wrap until probe tender, pull it off the smoker and rest it for an hour or so and pull it. Very good stuff.

The last few I have done, that is exactly how I did it and it turned out fine. This experiment I may have been expecting too much from that small piece of meat. I will keep trying.

chris1360
07-06-2016, 08:37 PM
I have always smoked mine till I got the bark and color I wanted the foiled it till tender. Tried a 4.5 pounder a couple weeks back. A lot more forgiving and real juicy. Good luck.

I think you are on the right track, just need to try again with a large hunk of meat and see what it does.

Doog
07-06-2016, 09:28 PM
For as much as they want around here for chuck roasts I just as soon buy brisket flats and smoke them.
I think if you would have wrapped in butcher paper @ 165 you might have been better off.
It was a good learning cook 👍 thanks for sharing!

fnjay
07-07-2016, 07:14 AM
I dunno. I'm not much of a flat only fan now. Now that I have chopped a whole packer and mixed flat with point not sure I can ever go back to just the flat.