Smoked Beef Chuck Roast

This smoked beef chuck roast is tender, juicy, and as flavorful as a smoked brisket. Best of all, using a chuck roast is easier and quicker to prepare.

There are many cuts of beef that are suitable for smoking. However, chuck roast is one of the best unsung heroes of the smoker. Unlike a large beef brisket, a chuck roast require minimal effort because it doesn't need to linger in a smoker for upwards of 18 hours. It is ready in a fraction of the time. Also, since it is a fattier beef roast, it smokes up delectably tender, moist, and loaded with smoke flavor!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Chuck roast - Chuck roast is a tougher cut of meat with a lot of fat and connective tissue. This breaks down as it smokes and creates a juicy smoked beef roast. If you would like to smoke a leaner cut of beef, try smoking a rump roast, but be aware it only needs to be cooked to medium-rare. It should be ready to eat in approximately three hours, and when sliced thinly it makes phenomenal sandwiches!
• Yellow mustard - This adds flavor and helps the seasoning stick. You can use other types of mustard, or even olive oil.
• BBQ Dry Rub - You can use my homemade barbecue dry rub or your favorite spice mix from the grocery store. My rub contains a mixture of brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, coarse black pepper, cayenne pepper, and ground mustard.
• Wood chips - I recommend mesquite, hickory, or oak wood chips (or pellets if using a pellet smoker).

How to smoke it

Begin making this smoked beef roast recipe by preheating your smoker to a low heat of around 235 degrees. As the smoker heats up, generously rub yellow mustard over the whole roast, then liberally dust it with your BBQ rub.

Add your wood chips to the smoker, and once you have a steady stream of smoke, set the chuck roast on the grates and smoke for 6-8 hours, or until perfectly tender.

The smoked chuck roast is done smoking when the internal temperature of the roast reaches 180 degrees if you plan to cut it into thin slices, or 205 degrees if you wish to have shredded smoked beef. Let the chuck roast rest for 30 minutes to allow the juices to settle prior to slicing or shredding.

Tip: If your smoker temperature didn't stay under control and the roast is too tough when it reaches the proper temperature, wrap it in foil and place it back in the smoker. It will get increasingly tender the longer it cooks.

Note: I did test this recipe by also wrapping a chuck roast in aluminum foil for the second half of the cooking session, as well. It finished cooking in only 4 hours (two unwrapped and 2 hours wrapped). However, the final result wasn't nearly as good. It lacked the delicious black bark on the exterior. It looked braised rather than smoked and didn't have as much smoky flavor. I recommend only using foil if you are in a hurry and need to speed up the smoking process.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

This is a great recipe to smoke in advance to enjoy throughout the week. The leftover smoked beef roast should be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to one week. Leftovers can be used for incredible roast beef sandwiches or enjoyed on their own.

Reheat individual servings of meat in the microwave or gently simmer slices in beef broth in a slow cooker or saucepan on your stovetop. The beef broth will transform into a delicious au jus! Alternatively, your smoked roast can be frozen for up to two months.

What to Serve with Smoked Beef Roast

All of your favorite BBQ fixin's will be right at home next to your smoked beef roast. In particular, I recommend a table spread consisting of smoked baked beans, homemade vinegar coleslaw, and finally, a crisp tequilaberry salad. Oh, and of course, a refreshing cucumber martini to wash it all down!

This recipe was originally published here on April 19, 2019.

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