Secure chuck roast with 1 to 2 pieces of twine tied around the circumference of the meat and 3 to 4 pieces 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. (see notes)
#2 Prep the Smoker
If using wood chips, soak a few handfuls for about 30 minutes in water before placing them on the coals.
Preheat the smoker or charcoal grill to 250 degrees F. Use only half as much charcoal as usual to maintain this low temperature. (A half chimney-full.)
If using a charcoal grill, set it up for indirect heat with a drip pan (A disposable pan works great!) of water directly underneath the meat to help maintain and stabilize the temperature.
#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 few dry wood chunks or a handful of soaked wood chips onto the hot coals; cover and allow the beef to smoke.
Bring the temperature up to 225-250 degrees F, using the grill or smoker vents, charcoal, and wood to regulate the temperature. You will need to add fresh coals and more wood almost every hour for at least the first 3-4 hours.
#4 Low and Slow
Check the smoker’s hourly temperature, staying as close to 225-250 degrees F as possible. Resist the temptation to open the lid unless you need to add more charcoal or wood to maintain temperature and smoke.
Wrapping the Smoked Chuck Roast
Smoke the chuck roast until a nice dark mahogany “bark” (outside crust) forms. At this point, the internal temperature of the meat is usually somewhere around 165-180 degrees F.
Remove the meat and wrap it tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil or pink butcher paper. Then return the wrapped meat to the pit. Reinsert the temperature probe to help monitor the temperature. You do not need to add any more wood to the coals, and you can stoke up the grill or smoker to 350 degrees F for the remainder of the cook.
#5 Testing For Doneness
Cook the chuck roast until the internal temperature reaches 200-205 degrees F. The cook time can take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours. Monitor the temp with a probe thermometer and use an instant-read thermometer to help double-check for doneness.It is important to remember that the meat’s internal temperature can increase by 5-10 degrees even after removing it from the grill.
#6 Holding & Resting
Remove the roast from the offset smoker. Leave the beef wrapped tightly in foil or butcher paper, wrap it in a clean towel, and place it inside a cooler to rest for at least 1 hour.
#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 for about 15 minutes to cool to less than 150 degrees F.
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 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.
Notes
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 immediately is ok, but sitting in the fridge for several hours allows the rub to penetrate the meat.
Always focus on the internal temp of the meat vs. the time. Cook time can vary, especially the size of the roast.
Knowing the temp in your grill is crucial, so if your grill doesn’t have a temperature gauge, purchase a digital BBQ thermometer. David uses a Thermoworks Smoke™ probe thermometer. It has two channels, one for the meat and one for the smoker, with remote control. David is in love with it. The remote control saves him a lot of worrying about the smoker’s temperature. The alarm sounds each time it falls below the ideal smoking temperature. If you are a serious pit master, we highly recommend it.
Store leftover smoked chuck in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
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