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There is nothing better than taking an inexpensive piece of meat and turning it into the 5 star dinner. This smoked chuck roast comes out super tender just like your mothers pot roast, but better!
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Video - Step by step
Smoked pot roast
I love pot roast, let's be honest, who doesn't?! This smoked chuck roast is a pot roast with an amazing smoke flavor taking it to the next level. It's a cut of meat that's super easy to prepare and easy on the wallet as well.
Unfortunately, I'm not a millionaire and can't afford to make a smoked beef tenderloin every week due to it's high cost. That's why I love to use chuck roasts whenever I can because of their low cost.
Making Poor man's burnt ends is another great recipe to try with chuck roast. But let's get started on this pot roast and roll some smoke!
Ingredients
This smoked chuck roast recipe is a very inexpensive meal to make with minimal ingredients. That's what makes this recipe great tasting and also light on the wallet.
- Beef chuck roast
- Carrots
- Onion
- Beef broth
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
How to make smoked chuck roast
Smoked beef chuck roast is a VERY easy recipe to make. Let's go through step-by-step on how to make the perfect pot roast.
Prepping the chuck roast
Start with a 3-5lb piece of chuck roast, also called chuck shoulder or shoulder steak. Chuck is the best meat for pot roasts and is a less expensive cut of meat that when cooked low and slow produces a nice tender bite.
We are going to season the meat with equal parts sea salt, black pepper, onion powder, & garlic powder. You can also use kosher salt instead of sea salt. Make sure to season ALL sides of the meat liberally.
Smoking the beef chuck roast
Pre-heat your smoker to 225°F and place the chuck roast directly on the grill rack. I'm using my pellet smoker and placing the digital thermometer that comes with it inside the roast.
Smoke the roast on the smoker / grill grates until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, spraying the roast with water or beef broth to keep the meat moist every hour.
The Stall
When the meat reaches around 150°F you might see it stop rising in temperature as quickly. This is what is called 'the stall'. This is normal, you just have to wait it out and let the meat do it's thing.
It will rise, just give it time. From start to 165°F it could take 5-8hrs depending on the smoker and piece of meat.
Covering / Wrapping
Once the smoked chuck roast reaches 165°F internal, we're going to place the roast into an aluminum pan to finish, not wrapping in butcher paper like you would a beef brisket. Add 14oz of beef broth, one quartered onion, and 5-7 carrots cut into 2" pieces into the pan with the chuck roast.
Cover with a top or wrap the pan in aluminum foil and place back on the smoker rack. Continue smoking for 3-4 hours or until the roast is extremely tender.
Telling when it's finished
The true test on when the meat is ready to be taken off the grill is when it becomes probe tender. Testing the internal temperature of the meat is another good indicator.
I don't recommend going off internal temperature alone when deciding whether the meat is finished, but an internal temperature of 202°F is a good tell that the meat is finished.
You should be able to tell if it is tender by how easy a fork or probe thermometer slides into the meat. If it slides in with no resistance, the meat is tender and ready to be taken off the grill.
If you don't have probe thermometers that come with your smoker, you can be an instant read thermometer online that works great. I use this Thermopro meat thermometer when I'm smoking beef, chicken, or just grilling burgers to tell when it's finished and perfect.
Pull apart tender
Once the roast is finished smoking, take it off the smoker and remove the top of the aluminum pan. There is a good chance you will not be able to remove the meat from the pan to a cutting board in one piece because it's so juicy and tender. That's okay, we want to leave it in the aluminum tray.
Using two forks, shred the meat and allow it to soak up the juices it's been cooking in. No need to grab a knife and slice this bad boy. The carrots and onions will also be extremely tender and flavorful from the juices of the meat.
Plate the beef, carrots, onions and serve. Everyone will devour this beef, it's smoky flavor and juicy tenderness is to die for.
The smoker
I'm smoking this chuck roast on my pellet smoker, just like the Camp Chef 36 smoker or Traeger 780. Pellet smokers are an easy and great way to impart fantastic smoke flavor on the beef, something you won't get from cooking in an oven or slow cooker.
Pellet grills are also great because there is no need to babysit a firebox all day like you would with an offset smoker.
A traditional offset smoker, like this Oklahoma Joe's Smoker can also be used when smoking this chuck roast recipe. As I mentioned, these take a little more attention but give you an unbeatable flavor from real wood chips instead of pellets.
My favorite wood to use when smoking beef is a oak, pecan, hickory, and apple wood chips. Mesquite wood is also a stronger wood that can be used with beef.
When making beef on a pellet grill, competition or trophy blend pellets are also a great choice in addition to the woods mentioned above because they use several different types of wood.
Charcoal grill / Gas grill
I wouldn't recommend using a charcoal grill when making chuck roast. The reason being you need to keep a consistent low temperature all day long. Charcoal grills are just not that great at this.
This is possible with a gas grill. So if you already have a gas grill in the backyard, just fire it up on low and get started. Just make sure to have a full propane bottle, it's going to take a while to cook.
Now that you know what to use to make this great tasting meal, let's get started with the meat!
Perfect side dishes
Just like a traditional pot roast, mashed potatoes and corn should be on the top of your list of side dishes for this smoked chuck roast. You will have onions and carrots that will cook nice and tender with the beef, however, you can NEVER have too many sides.
- This mashed potato recipe from LoveandLemons pairs perfectly with the smoked beef.
- Our smoked corn on the cob also goes great with this chuck roast and can be cooked at the same time. Just throw them on the smoker for the last hour, super easy!
- Don't forget the gravy on those potatoes and beef, I normally just use the store bought packets from McCormick.
Leftovers
As always, you can just reheat the meat in the aluminum tray inside the oven for 20 minutes at 350°F. Another great option is to make a shredded beef sandwich. Top with a little bbq sauce and melted cheese for the perfect lunch.
FAQ
Expect it to take about 10 hours with this recipe. Always smoke to temperature of 165°F and then go another 3-4 hours.
Yes. Around an internal temperature of 150°F the meat will slow down cooking, called the stall. Just be patient and wait it out, it will reach 165°F.
The meat will need to reach about 200°F for it to become tender. 3-4 hours of cooking after placing in the aluminum foil pan will get it to or over 200°F.
Yes. The meat will continue to break down and become more tender, especially since it's submerged in broth. Once the roast reaches an internal temperature of about 205°F, it will be fall apart tender.
Try smoking these too!
Old pro tips
- Use fresh cracked black pepper for the best flavor
- Hickory and oak wood is best for smoking chuck roast
- Place small potatoes in the pan with the carrots and onion for nice tender potatoes
Ingredients
Meat
- 4 lb chuck roast
Roast Seasoning
- 2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
Vegetables & Broth
- 5 carrots (Cut into 2" pieces)
- 1 onion (sweet, cut into quarters)
- 1 14oz beef broth
Equipment
Instructions
- Pre-heat the smoker to 225°F and season the beef on all sides with the salt, pepper, onion, and garlic pepper.
- Place directly on smoker rack and smoke until an internal temperature of 165°F. Spray the meat every hour minutes with water or beef broth to keep moist.
- Once it reaches 165°F, remove the chuck roast from the smoker and place into an aluminum pan. Add the beef broth, onion, and carrots to the pan and cover. Place back on smoker.
- Smoke another 3-4 hours or until extremely tender. Remove from smoker and serve with desired side dishes.
Pro Tips
- Use fresh cracked black pepper for the best flavor
- Hickory and oak wood is best for smoking chuck roast
- Place small potatoes in the pan with the carrots and onion for nice tender potatoes
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