David and I smoked our first chuck roast on his Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker, a couple of weekends ago. Today, we are sharing a step-by-step guide about how we did it so that you can smoke a tender and juicy smoked chuck roast of your own.
A smoked chuck roast would be a great way to impress guests at your holiday party. Besides the fact that it’s a little different from normal holiday meats, beef chuck is cheaper than beef prime rib or tenderloin, easier to get along with than brisket and it is a lot easier to come by in the grocery store.
Here’s how we smoked a beef chuck roast on David’s water smoker:
Smoked Chuck Roast | Servings: 8 to 10 | Time: 6-8 Hours +
What You’ll Need:
- 4 to 5-pound beef chuck roast
- butcher’s twine
Beef Rub:
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Equipment and Supplies:
- water smoker or charcoal grill
- charcoal
- charcoal chimney
- wood chips, for ours we used a mixture of pecan, apple, and oak
- water
- probe thermometer and/or instant-read thermometer*
- tongs
- heavy-duty aluminum foil
#1 Prep the Chuck Roast for Smoking
Start with a chuck roast in the 5-pound range. Rinse it under cold running water and blot dry with paper towels.
Secure chuck roast with 1 to 2 pieces of twine, tied around its circumference and 3 to 4 pieces of twine going around the width at 1 to 1 ½-inch intervals, making a grid pattern with the twine.
Combine all the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl; stir with a whisk to mix and remove any clumps. Rub the spice rub onto the chuck roast on all sides. – Learn more about rubs HERE!
If you have time, wrap the roast in plastic wrap and let it cure in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or as long as overnight. Smoking the roast right away is ok, but sitting in the refrigerator for several hours allows the rub to penetrate the meat.
#2 Prep the Smoker
Soak a few handfuls wood chips for about 30 minutes in water before placing on the coals.
Preheat the smoker or charcoal grill to 250 degrees F. To maintain this low temperature, use only half as much charcoal as usual. (A half chimney-full.)
Alternatively, using a charcoal grill set up for indirect heat with a drip pan of water directly underneath the meat to stabilize the temperature.
If you are interested in purchasing a new smoker, please check out detailed research on how to find the best charcoal smoker to meet your needs here: SmokeySteakRanch.
#3 Smoking the Chuck Roast
When the coals are ready to cook, place the prepared chuck roast onto the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan filled with water and insert temperature probes (if using).
Toss a handful of soaked wood chips and some dry wood chunks onto the hot coals; cover and allow the beef to smoke.
When smoking meat, David likes to use a combination of dry and wet wood chunks, alternating between the two. The dry gives a quick intense smoke and brings the heat up. The wet wood chunks provide a lower, slower smoke and bring the heat down. Heat adjustments can be made using this technique, along with adjusting the vents on the smoker.
Bring the temperature up to 225 degrees F, using the vents and wet and dry wood chips to regulate the temperature. You will need to add fresh coals and more wood chips almost every hour for at least the first 4 hours.
#4 Low and Slow
Check the temperature of the smoker every hour, staying as close to 225 degrees F as possible. Resist the temptation to open the lid unless you need to add more charcoal or soaked wood chips to maintain temperature and smoke.
*Knowing the temp in your grill is crucial, so if your grill doesn’t have a temperature gauge, purchase a digital BBQ thermometer. I gave David a brand new top of the line Thermoworks Smoke™ thermometer for his birthday last month. He was able to try it out on this chuck roast. It has 2 channels, one for the meat and one for the smoker, with a remote control. David is in love with it. Having the remote control saved him a lot of worrying about the smoker temperature. The alarm sounded each time it would fall below the ideal smoking temperature. If you are a serious pit master, we highly recommend it.
#5 Testing For Doneness
Smoke the chuck roast until a dark “bark” (outside crust) forms and the internal temperature of the meat is about 190 degrees F, about 6 to 8 hours; if you don’t use a probe thermometer, use an instant-read meat thermometer to test for doneness.
Knowing the temperature inside your smoker or grill is crucial. Even if your smoker or grill has a temperature gauge, we still highly recommend that you purchase a digital BBQ thermometer such as Smoke™ from Thermoworks. Thermoworks thermometers are some of the most accurate thermometers money can buy. This particular model was designed for competition BBQ teams and professional chefs. It has a two-channel alarm uses probes to accurately read the temperature of the meat and the pit.
The ideal temperature of a properly smoked chuck roast is no less than 160 degrees F for medium to 190 to 200 degrees F for well done. The internal temperature of the chuck roast can increase by 10 degrees even after it’s been removed from the smoker, so keep that in mind. If the internal temperature is 190 degrees F when you take it off the smoker, it may rise to an optimal 200 degrees F, perfect! Any hotter than that and could overcook your chuck roast, which results in dry, chewy meat.
#6 Holding
Remove the chuck roast from the smoker wrap it in a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil; return to the smoker for at least 1 hour maintaining an internal smoker temperature between 225 to 250 degrees F.
Holding helps tenderize by allowing some carryover cooking which helps melt tough connective tissue. The foil captures the natural au jus for use in a sauce, and holding allows the surface parts that have dried out during cooking to absorb some of the juices.
#7 Slicing the Smoked Chuck Roast
Remove the foil-wrapped chuck roast from the smoker. Carefully unwrap the layers of foil and transfer the meat to a cutting board, tent with foil. Allow the chuck roast to cool until internal temperature drops to around 150 degrees F before serving, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Don’t slice until the last possible minute. The smoked chuck roast dries out quickly once it is cut. When you are ready, start by cutting off and discarding the twine. With a sharp chef’s knife, slice the chuck roast thinly, against the grain, about ⅛ to ¼-inch thick. For best results, slice only what you are serving.
#8 Serving the Smoked Chuck Roast
Perfectly cooked meat should be moist and juicy. You can serve it simply sliced on a plate or as a sandwich. If you wish, drizzle some sauce (cheese or BBQ sauce) and serve slices of flat fanned out like a deck of cards surrounded by chunks of burnt ends.
For this smoked chuck roast, we made sandwiches with the slices and topped them with a homemade Beer Horseradish Cheddar Cheese Sauce.
We hope you will use this step-by-step guide to smoke a beef chuck roast of your own to enjoy with your family and friends. This was our first one, but definitely won’t be our last.
Get smokin’!
Smoked Chuck Roast
Ingredients
What You’ll Need
- 5 pound beef chuck roast (4 to 5 pound)
- butcher’s twine
- water smoker or charcoal grill
- wood chips for ours we used a mixture of pecan, apple & oak
- water
- probe thermometer and/or instant-read thermometer*
- tongs
- heavy-duty aluminum foil
Beef Rub
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Instructions
#1 Prep the Chuck Roast for Smoking
- Start with a chuck roast in the 5-pound range. Rinse it under cold running water and blot dry with paper towels.
- Secure chuck roast with 1 to 2 pieces of twine, tied around its circumference and 3 to 4 pieces of twine going around the width at 1 to 1 ½-inch intervals, making a grid pattern with the twine.
- Combine all the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl; stir with a whisk to mix and remove any clumps. Rub the spice rub onto the chuck roast on all sides. If you have time, wrap the roast in plastic wrap and let it cure in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or as long as overnight. Smoking the roast right away is ok, but sitting in the refrigerator for several hours allows the rub to penetrate the meat.
#2 Prep the Smoker
- Soak a few handfuls wood chips for about 30 minutes in water before placing on the coals.
- Preheat the smoker or charcoal grill to 250 degrees F. To maintain this low temperature, use only half as much charcoal as usual. (A half chimney-full.)
- Alternatively, using a charcoal grill set up for indirect heat with a drip pan of water directly underneath the meat to stabilize the temperature.
#3 Smoking the Chuck Roast
- When the coals are ready, place the prepared chuck roast onto the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan filled with water and insert temperature probes (if using). Toss a handful of soaked wood chips and some dry wood chunks onto the hot coals; cover and allow the beef to smoke.
- David likes to use a combination of dry and wet wood chunks, alternating between the two. The dry gives a quick intense smoke and brings the heat up. The wet wood chunks provide a lower, slower smoke and bring the heat down. Heat adjustments can be made using this technique, along with adjusting the vents on the smoker.
- Bring the temperature up to 225 degrees F, using the vents and wet and dry wood chips to regulate the temperature. You will need to add fresh coals and more wood chips almost every hour for at least the first 4 hours.
#4 Low and Slow
- Check the temperature of the smoker every hour, staying as close to 225 degrees F as possible. Resist the temptation to open the lid unless you need to add more charcoal or soaked wood chips to maintain temperature and smoke.
#5 Testing For Doneness
- Smoke the chuck roast until a dark “bark” (outside crust) forms and the internal temperature of the meat is about 190 degrees F, about 6 to 8 hours; if you don’t use a probe thermometer, use an instant-read meat thermometer to test for doneness.
- The ideal temperature of a properly smoked chuck roast is no less than 160 degrees F for medium to 190 to 200 degrees F for well done. The internal temperature of the chuck roast can increase by 10 degrees even after it’s been removed from the smoker, so keep that in mind. If the internal temperature is 190 degrees F when you take it off the smoker, it may rise to an optimal 200 degrees F, perfect! Any hotter than that and could overcook your chuck roast, which results in dry, chewy meat.
#6 Holding
- Remove the chuck roast from the smoker wrap it in double-layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil; return to the smoker for at least 1 hour maintaining an internal smoker temperature between 225 to 250 degrees F.
- Holding helps tenderize by allowing some carryover cooking which helps melt tough connective tissue. The foil captures the natural au jus for use in a sauce, and holding allows the surface parts that have dried out during cooking to absorb some of the juices.
#7 Slicing the Chuck Roast
- Remove the foil-wrapped chuck roast from the smoker. Carefully unwrap the layers of foil and transfer the meat to a cutting board, tent with foil. Allow the chuck roast to cool until internal temperature drops to around 150 degrees F before serving, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Don’t slice until the last possible minute. The chuck roast dries out quickly once it is cut. When you are ready, start by cutting off and discarding the twine. With a sharp chef’s knife, slice the chuck roast thinly, against the grain, about ⅛ to ¼-inch thick. For best results, slice only what you are serving.
#8 Serving the Chuck Roast
- Perfectly cooked meat should be moist and juicy. You can serve it simply sliced on a plate or as a sandwich. If you wish, drizzle some sauce (cheese or BBQ sauce) and serve slices of flat fanned out like a deck of cards surrounded by chunks of burnt ends.
Nutrition
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Bob in Chicago says
Can’t wait to try this recipe. I am a novice smoker and looking for some new recipes. Do you cook for the 6-8 hrs and than hold for an additional hour? Or, Should I cook for 5-6 hours check the temp and than hold for 1 hr. Any feedback or detail on the timing/cooking would be greatly appreciated. I also use the Weber Smokey mountain.
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Bob! You’ve got the right equipment and the right thinking about the time. Yes, smoke 5-6 hours check the temp and then hold for an hour. You can let the heat die down during the hold if needed. That’s mainly to help redistribute the juices of the meat. Best of luck!
Kevinator says
Hi, I will be trying this out for Christmas Eve. When the roast reaches the correct temp while smoking, can you wrap it in foil and a towel and put in in a cooler, like what I’ve read for pork shoulder? I will be smoking this and then going to our Christmas eve service and eating afterward. So I’m wondering if I can smoke it and then leave it wrapped up in a cooler while we are gone?
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi! Yes, that should be the best way to keep it warm and cozy while you are gone. Merry Christmas!
Saif says
Now this looks really delicious. By any chance, can it work on oven?
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi! Yes, it is perfectly fine to roast this in the oven. However, it will not have the smoked flavor that the wood and charcoal can give it.
Jay Kelley says
Question: So cook until 190 then remove, put in foil and put back in smoker for one hr?.. Won’t that possible make the internal temp 210? Which is too hot? You said even when we take it out it will go up another 10 degrees. So it stays in smoker for 1 hour PASSED 190 then take it out and it cooks another 10 degrees.
Sorry.. I am confused!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Jay! Sorry for the confusion. At 190 degrees F, when the roast is wrapped in foil, the smoker is opened and there is a lot of heat loss. The heat from the smoker should be about to die out. The smoker is cooling down with the meat. You could also use a cooler, which is what a lot of the pitmasters do. I hope this helps answer your question. Please let us know if you have any more. Thanks!
Lee says
I made this recipe twice. It turned out delicious every time. It’s definitely as good as brisket. I smoked the roast for 6 hours, wrapped it in foil, and finished in the oven double wrapped in foil. Stopped cooking at 200 degrees internal temp.
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thank you so much for the kind review, Lee. You’ve made our day! 🙂
Wes says
I tried this for the first time today; 3# roast. Turned out well, I smoked it 2 hours then 2 more wrapped in foil. We let it rest about 3 hours before we ate; next time we’ll finish it closer to dinner time . I’ll back off the rub a bit if I’m not cooking a full 5# roast.
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Wes! Thanks for the kind review. 🙂
Jake says
I tried this recipe last weekend and loved it. I’ve been smoking ribs, brisket, chicken, pork butt primarily for the last 5 years but never tried chuck in the smoker until now. Made some delicious sandwiches the next day for lunch. Thank you!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Jake! Thank you for the awesome review. We love hearing from our readers! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
Scott says
Slice it with the grain? Aren’t you supposed to slice against the grain?
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Scott! Thanks for pointing out this unfinished statement about cutting. The grain of a chuck roast tends to run all over the place, so what we were trying to say is slicing it down the middle is just fine. If the roast is smoked properly and all the collagen breaks down, it won’t matter how you slice it! Thanks again for commenting. Hope you’ll try this roast!
KArim says
I loved this recipe. I followed the step by step guide and got great results using best electric smoker
The Mountain Kitchen says
Awesome! Thank you for the great review!
Gary Means says
Going to try this one soon!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Gary! Would love to hear back from you to see how things turn out. Have fun and enjoy the smoked chuck!
Mark T says
I’m going to go to 180 internal temp and see what happens. I also put miso soup inside the foil to see if that helps or hurts the flavor. I’m doing this on my egg so I’m hoping for a really nice smoke ring.
The Mountain Kitchen says
Sounds great, Mark. Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy the chuck roast!
Jeff says
You had me until I read to cut “with” the grain. I’m hoping that was a typo. 🙂
Great article!
The Mountain Kitchen says
You know Jeff, you are the second to point out that typo. I’ve fixed it. Definitely, a mistake when writing this post. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you will try this recipe despite my error.
Cira says
Do you wrap it in foil amd leave it in the smoker for an hour after it gets to the 190 temp?
The Mountain Kitchen says
Yes, wrap and leave it on the smoker. You can also bump up the heat at this point if you want to get it done a little faster. The foil will help it stay juicy and protect it from the higher heat. Let us know if you have any other questions. Thanks!
Jackma Elen says
I have loved your Smoke Chuk Recipe and it looks very juicy and mouth-watering. I will definitely try this recipe on this coming weekend to enjoy this delicious Smoke Chuk Roast.
Many Thanks!
The Mountain Kitchen says
So glad you like this recipe. Enjoy!
Kevinator says
I’ve made this chuck roast a number of times now with different rubs and every time it’s great! We do it for special occasions. It’s great and everyone always wants more! Thanks for sharing
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi! We love sharing our recipes with others. So glad you like this recipe. It’s one of our favorites too. Thank you for the awesome review!
Scott says
Trying this right now with a smoked garlic, onion, rosemary rub on a 4.5lb chuck right now on my GMG with apple pellets.
My wife has never had roast before so I’m hoping this will get her in the smoker bandwagon like me so I can play with more meats! Wish me luck!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Scott! We hope your smoke chuck roast turned out great!
andi everding says
Rockin awesome!
chad brewer says
Smoked my first Chuck Roast this weekend. Wow, I’m not sure Ill do a Brisket again. The price point as well as the flavor were phenomenal. I used my master built gravity fed smoker, and I cooked until an internal temp of 175 degrees. I rested for 30 minutes as the roast was only 3lbs. Perfect pink ring due to the nature of using real wood and charcoal, and amazing bark. We made a riff on horseradish cream with, prepared horseradish, ranch dressing, and a mustard base bbq sauce. The sliders were awesome, I just gotta wait on my pickles to pickle and some slaw to send this sandwich to overdrive. Thanks for the recipe and info!
The Mountain Kitchen says
No doubt, chuck roast is a great cut of meat. Thanks for the great review, Chad!
Tom Wipf says
Wrapping @ 160°like pork shoulder or brisket worked great for me.
The Mountain Kitchen says
Awesome, Tom!
Karen says
Hoping to try this for the first time today. The butcher shop only had roasts that were 2.0 and 2.5 lbs. I bought both roasts and would like to cook both. Any suggestions on how to be successful with this recipe on such smaller cut of chuck roast?
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Karen, just use the same principles for time and temperature while keeping in mind that it will likely cook a lot quicker. Keep a check on the internal meat temperature, and you’ll do fine! Enjoy the chuck!