Chuck Rolls are commonly known as the Pork Butt of Beef. It contains lots of muscle, connective tissue, and fat but is harder to slice than pull or shred. A month ago we enjoyed some wonderful Hickory smoked Pulled Beef but this time I wanted to slice the Chuck rather than pull it to see and taste the results. I took the Chuck Roll to an Internal Temperature (IT) of 190ºF versus the 200 – 205ºF.
Bought a 12 pound Boneless Neck Off Chuck Roll in Cryovac from Cash & Carry at $2.59/lb. Separated the roast into four portions and seasoned them with Annie’s Roasted Garlic EVOO and Fagundes Prime Rib rub. Vacuum sealed the roasts before storing them in the freezer. Defrosted one of the 3 lb preseasoned Neck Off Chuck Roll roasts in the refrigerator. Frozen meats should be defrosted in the refrigerator.
Preheated the MAK 2 Star Wood Pellet BBQ Smoker-Grill to 225ºF with Hickory wood BBQ pellets and smoked the Neck Off Chuck Roll for 2 housrs. I use Frogmats to prevent food from sticking to the grates with all my cooks.
After 2 hours of Hickory smoke the Internal Temperature was 82ºF. Increased the MAK 2 Star temperature to 375ºF until the IT reached 150ºF.
Double wrapped the Neck Off Chuck Roll in heavy duty foil and returned it to the 375ºF MAK 2 Star until the IT reached 190ºF. Kept the roast in the foil and allowed it to rest for 30 minutes before slicing.
From start to finish it took 5¼ hours. [ ½ hour to preheat to 225º, 2 hours of smoke at 225º, 1¼ hours to reach the IT of 150º, 1 hour to reach the IT of 190º, and ½ hour rest ] … Note: these times are for planning purposes only. Always rely on the Internal Temperature for proper results.
The Neck Off Chuck Roll was very receptive to the Hickory smoke and the accelerated method did not minimize the flavors, tenderness, and smoke ring. The connective tissues and fat were rendered wonderfully. Sliced or pulled, the Chuck Roll is a reasonably priced cut of beef that will provide you with excellent options.
The Money $Shot$ … Sliced Roasted Neck Off Chuck Roll served with steamed White Sweet Potatoes and Cauliflower … Bon Appétit
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