Please help with Beef Shoulder Clod questions ..

[Q_Egg]

Today I picked up a 17 lb beef shoulder clod (in cryo) at a local butcher shop. They tell me it is what they use to cut cross rib roasts (~$4.++ / lb). They charged me half that for the whole clod. Now what ?? This will be smoked in either the BGE or Traeger ... that is one unknown at the moment. My major question is whether to try to smoke this whole clod or cut it in half, freeze half, and work with the 8 lb piece. Will this tend to 'diminish' my potential result for both pieces versus smoking the whole clod ?? I'm thinking to use Spice's Heifer Dust (plus a good salt mixure and freshly ground pepper first).
Also, what about any sauce at the end? Same rules as most cooks or are there some unique details to follow with the beef clod ?? I guess I will be 'pulling/chopping' it but, again, this is new ground for me.

Sure can use some help to avoid a large mistake!


Regards,

 

[The_Kapn]

Tommy,

Take a look here for some reading to get you started:
http://bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20681&highlight=clod

And follow the links back from there.

I am sure some guys will chime in with new info.

TIM

 

[chad]

You'd be better served to treat it like a roast...or cut it down into smaller portions. We used to do clod and inside round as "roast beef" at the cafeteria...we slow cooked them (Alto-Shamm) at 250 for about 6 hours in cooking bags (we saved all the juice for gravy and au-jus). They were then held for several more hours at about 170 and came out medium-rare to medium.

If I were cooking this thing I'd season it like Phil's prime rib and pretty much cook it the same way -- maybe on the medium side of medium-rare. These cuts are really pretty lean once you get passed any surface fat and would dry up if you tried to treat it like brisket or chuck.

These are just my OPINIONS! I sure wouldn't want to hose up a 17# hunk of beef.

 

[qman]

chad, please correct me if I am wrong, but I thought shoulder clod was essentially the same as chuck, just the larger cut, the way whole pork shoulder is a combination of butt and picnic. The beef cut called clod is the chuck with some of the fore-leg? no?
I have always treated a clod same as a chuck piece, except naturally it has to cook longer, as it is bigger. I cook to pullable stage, cause of personal preference. This is usually in the 190° range. As always, the final test is the probe. Does it go in and out with out resistance?

 

[we'll smoke u]

I have cooked a beef clod a couple of times.If I was you I would seperate it into two parts. I think I cooked a hole one for 25 or 26 hours at 225 to get it done in the middle.turned out good but took for ever.

 

[chad]

Sorry, I tend to think of "chuck" with the bone. The clod is indeed from that part of the animal.

The ones I've parted out and made into roasts were pretty lean. I'm in the habit of treating it as "roast" or grinding it for chopped steak.

 

[qman]

Sorry, I tend to think of "chuck" with the bone. The clod is indeed from that part of the animal.

The ones I've parted out and made into roasts were pretty lean. I'm in the habit of treating it as "roast" or grinding it for chopped steak.

That part of the steer does make the best chopped steak or hamburger. I agree.

It also makes a great pulled bbq, if it has not been to highly trimmed of fat and is from an animal with a good fat content.

 

[Q_Egg]

I have cooked a beef clod a couple of times.If I was you I would seperate it into two parts. I think I cooked a hole one for 25 or 26 hours at 225 to get it done in the middle.turned out good but took for ever.

This is the concern I had when I posted ... 20+ hours. I failed to mention in my original post that this piece is boneless (maybe they all are, but this is my first encounter wuth this cut).

Now I'm a bit confused since the sample and sandwich I had at the new Q restaurant was very good, could definitely taste mild smoke in the meat, a bit more in the bark, and it appeared chopped, not pulled. The meat was also what I would say is right at the border between moist and dry. They cook with a Cookshack 350 and hickory .... beef goes overnight.

I should ask them what the average weight of their product is (pre-cook).

Thanks for helping.

 

[qman]

Tom, I think you are answering your own questions. Cookshack 350? Overnight cook?
A clod is a big hunk of meat, and cooked whole, will take a long time.
I just cooked a double cut [or maybe triple cut]chuck roast that weighed 12 pounds, and at an average temp of 230 in the chamber it took 15 hours to reach my target internal temp of 190°. [thanks thirdeye, for the degree symbol]

 

[ushi]

One of the more famous bbq joints in my area, Kruez Market does shoulder clod. I know a guy who used to work there and might attempt at prying their secrets from him on how they did it. Fairly certain they do the whole thing, as when I ordered some they pulled a massive hunk of meat out of the fire and cut it. Whatever their method is, it's delicious!

 

[Q_Egg]

Tom, I think you are answering your own questions. Cookshack 350? Overnight cook?
A clod is a big hunk of meat, and cooked whole, will take a long time.
I just cooked a double cut [or maybe triple cut]chuck roast that weighed 12 pounds, and at an average temp of 230 in the chamber it took 15 hours to reach my target internal temp of 190°. [thanks thirdeye, for the degree symbol]

Hmmm ... sometimes that's the problem ... all the data is there, but it doesn't get organized and analyzed properly. I was a bit uncertain when I grabbed this clod, now I'll just make the best of it. Sounds like I will do best by cutting this one in half and enjoying as much as I can.

Where's that degree symbol?

Thanks qman ... I went back and read several past posts by you on this topic.

 

[qman]

make the degree sign by holding down the alt key and hitting 248 on the numeric keypad[num lock has to be on]

 

[Q_Egg]

In reading lots of the references in these responses, I noted the point regarding lots of grain-direction variation in this cut of meat. Does this argue in favor of cooking to the 195* point and pulling, or living with the need to follow changes in the grain direction and slice? I understand that this is mainly a matter of cook's preference, but how problemmatical is the slicing issue?

 

[SmokeInDaEye]

Q, I read a lot on clods and came up with a gameplan I thought would be perfect for cooking one in the thread Tim referenced above.

Unfortunately I didn't have a vacuseal or a large freezer then and paniced when I saw the 22# weight so opted for a different beast, a 12# sirloin tip (http://bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20763).

I should really go back and finish that clod thread, huh? Good luck and can't wait for the results!

 

[Q_Egg]

Q, I read a lot on clods and came up with a gameplan I thought would be perfect for cooking one in the thread Tim referenced above.
I should really go back and finish that clod thread, huh? Good luck and can't wait for the results!

Hi Clint,

Thanks for the reference. I remember reading most of that thread (Oct, 2006) as it was progressing. I copied your cook info and will give it a try ... 250*F 6 hrs +, pull at 135*F and rest it. This 17 pounder will let me cut a bit off, check out the taste and tenderness, and then decide whether to do longer and pull/chop (or slice) as it allows.

Many thanks,

 

[we'll smoke u]

This is the concern I had when I posted ... 20+ hours. I failed to mention in my original post that this piece is boneless (maybe they all are, but this is my first encounter wuth this cut).

Now I'm a bit confused since the sample and sandwich I had at the new Q restaurant was very good, could definitely taste mild smoke in the meat, a bit more in the bark, and it appeared chopped, not pulled. The meat was also what I would say is right at the border between moist and dry. They cook with a Cookshack 350 and hickory .... beef goes overnight.

I should ask them what the average weight of their product is (pre-cook).

Thanks for helping.

When I smoked the whole thing it was right at the border of being dry. but I took it to about 200 degrees so I could pull it for bbq beef. It was very good. I have never seen a beef clod with a bone but that don't mean they don't come that way.
Now I seperate it into two pieces, much easier to cook and I think a better product. Just my two cents

Good luck and let me know how it goes.

 

[we'll smoke u]

One of the more famous bbq joints in my area, Kruez Market does shoulder clod. I know a guy who used to work there and might attempt at prying their secrets from him on how they did it. Fairly certain they do the whole thing, as when I ordered some they pulled a massive hunk of meat out of the fire and cut it. Whatever their method is, it's delicious!

Hey ushi I didn't think that Kruez Market cooked there meat to a temp that it could be pulled I thought they chopped or sliced there's.
Let me know how they do it please.

 

[Q_Egg]

When I smoked the whole thing it was right at the border of being dry. but I took it to about 200 degrees so I could pull it for bbq beef. It was very good. I have never seen a beef clod with a bone but that don't mean they don't come that way.
Now I seperate it into two pieces, much easier to cook and I think a better product. Just my two cents

Good luck and let me know how it goes.

This is helping and it's starting to come together for me. I'm leaning toward splitting it ... not only from your comment (and others), but it will be tough to fit on the BGE in one piece AND even with the great efficiency, I know I would have to pull everything and add lump to finish the cook (~20 hrs+). I can do it on the Traeger 075, but I hate to think of the pellet bill !! By splitting it I can do one on each cooker and hopefully figure out which works better.

Thanks a bunch!