Chuck Roast ~ Making Pulled Beef

Chuck roast comes from the shoulder of a steer, and is a working muscle,  so it can take some time to cook tender. My latest technique includes some tips, tricks and options for making pulled beef.  I use this in sandwiches, soup, stew, and countless Mexican dishes like street tacos, burritos and enchiladas. 

The first thing I do is break out the major muscle groups, and trim away all the connective tissue between the major muscle groups.  Just take a minute and visualize the necessary cuts, and oftentimes the muscles separate easily and only need a little knife work.  Next, trim the connective tissue and remove any sliver skin or gristle.  Re-shape the pieces and tie with kitchen twine.  This helps them cook evenly. 

Now comes the flavor and seasoning step.  The various options shown below are injections, surface marinades, and rub.  Sometimes, with really thick chuck roasts, I will combine all three. For injecting, the minimum is some jazzy beef broth, but I use commercial competition injections from Big Poppa Smokers and Kosmo's, and I reduce the recommended ratios for competition cooking by 2/3rds.  I inject around 1-ounce per pound of meat weight, and allow the meat to sit in any excess injection in the refrigerator.   A few hours later I'll drain the injection juices.   For the surface marinade step...,  I like Minor's AuJus Prep (liquid) along with Head Country Premium Marinade and use 2 or 3 teaspoons of each product, and let that soak-in for a couple of hours in the refrigerator.  I don't like sweet rubs on beef, so salt and cracked pepper are the minimum... but Montreal Steak seasoning checks all the boxes for my taste. 

Here is the chuck roast all doctored up.  I like to let this rest in the refrigerator for at least 2-hours before going on the smoker, or in the oven (yes, either method of cooking for the first step works just fine).

I usually cook in the 275° range, on a smoker or in an oven, until I get some good color which is about 2-hours or so.  The internal temp will be in the 160° range, and the pieces will be sort of plump. 

Now comes the finishing step, and finishing is VERY important with a chuck roast. Your options are braising in a foil wrap or in a covered aluminum pan, or even a Dutch oven.  Or you can use a pressure cooker, or a slow cooker (aka Crock Pot).  Note:  I use a conventional pressure cooker, not an Insta Pot style, so.... read your instructions carefully for the recommended timeline. 

Braising is easy, add some liquid, maybe some onions and garlic, then monitor tenderness over the next couple of hours. Add additional liquid if needed.  The ideal internal temperature will be around 200°, but probe tenderness is more important than internal temp. 

When the roast is tender, rest in a cooler for at least an hour, and be sure to save all the cooking juices from the foil or pressure cooker.  Shred the meat, and add a little juice (check for saltiness and dilute as needed), and enjoy.