Need help with Chuck Eye roast idea..

[LT72884]

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] I have an idea and would like some more input or ideas to help me out.
it is a complicated idea but here goes..

First i want to get me a nice cut of beef chuck. the one that has the eye in it. Once i have it all seasoned up with some sort of rub, such as ground black pepper, kosher salt and garlic powder, i then would seer it on all sides. once seered on all sides i would move it to my dutch oven that i have placed in my weber grill. place 6-8 coals underneath the dutch oven and throw some wood chips such as hickory or apple wood on the 6-8 coals for added smoke flavor. put the lid of the weber on and let the smoke go into the meat for about an hour. then i will put the dutch oven lid on and then put 6-8 coals on top and replace as necessary.. What do you guys think. any suggestions from the pros, such as how long to cook it and if an hour is long enough for smoke flavor.
thanx in advacne

EDIT
the reason i suggest a beef chuck with the eye is becasue i really dont feel like spending $50+ on a rib eye roast.
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[Katie H]

Hi, LT. Welcome to DC. Your idea sounds yummy. However I'm not much of a griller, but there are plenty of folks here who will be able to answer your questions. The answers will come...sometimes right away. Sometimes in a day or so. Just be patient.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Welcome LT...To accomplish what I think you want to do you may try this. Sear/brown your roast over well lit charcoal for 2-4 minutes per side depending on how hot your fire is. Next move your roast to where it is not directly over the coals. Add a small amount of your apple wood, and close the the lid of your grill for up to 1 hour. Then move the roast to your dutch oven with lid on. Place the majority of your coals on the lid, with a few underneath. Cooking time will depend on the size of the roast etc. Count on a couple of hours plus or minus.

 

[keltin]

Uncle Bob’s technique is spot on. But you do realize that a chuck roast is not known for it’s tenderness? Typically this cut is braised, and braising can interfere with your smoky flavor that you’re trying to achieve. You may want to do as Uncle Bob says and then immediately wrap tightly in foil (air tight at that) and put back on the grill or in a 225 oven for a few hours. For a shred roast, go for temp of 195 to 205F. For a sliced roast (but probably a bit tougher), go for about 145 to 155 up to 165. You’ll get the smoky flavor, but you should be prepared for a possibly tough cut.

Personally, I don’t see the need to smoke beef as beef has it’s own flavor, as does lamb. Pork can be a bit in between, and smoking really works well on it. Chicken is a chalkboard, so you paint your own flavor, and smoking is an option. One of the exceptions is brisket…..now that is a challenge, but a brisket can also easily be made into tasty corn beefed.

To be different, I have taken a beef roast and seared it on hot coals with a LOT of wet wood chips. Quick and fast, lots of smoke, no longer than 12 minutes on the fire, and then slice it before it can even rest and spread the slices on a cookie sheet, top with a sauce and bake at a low temp (250 to 300) to set the sauce and finish the cooking. It’s interesting, but the things is, tough beef is tough beef. Braising is the best choice for a chuck roast…..or full blown low and slow cooking. It doesn’t lend itself well to this in between method so be prepared for that.

To tell you the truth, I’d be more interested in searing the roast on hot coals with a LOT of wet wood for good smoke. Have it 12 to 15 minutes on the grill, then use Katie’s recipe for an awesome roast and see what happens (I've used this recipe as described, no smoke, and the meat is amazing!). Since it finishes in a braise, it may detract from the smoke, but I can guarantee that this method makes one of the BEST chuck roasts I have ever had. Big tender sliceable hunks of melt in your mouth beef with gravy to boot. The smoke could only add to it.

 

[kitchenelf]

A chuck roast is a low and slow cut of meat. Meaning, you have to cook it at a low temperature for a long time. You will definitely need to up your coal usage and if you do put in a Dutch oven (braising) I would imagine it would take upwards to 4 hours to cook until tender. Maybe I'm missing something?

Uncle Bob has some good ideas - I just think it will take longer!

 

[keltin]

A chuck roast is a low and slow cut of meat. Meaning, you have to cook it at a low temperature for a long time. You will definitely need to up your coal usage and if you do put in a Dutch oven (braising) I would imagine it would take upwards to 4 hours to cook until tender. Maybe I'm missing something?

Uncle Bob has some good ideas - I just think it will take longer!

Amen sister, preach it! LOL!

J/K, it's a suthern thang! But I agree with you on the low and slow!

 

[LT72884]

WOW, i was not expecting any replys from this site but i was wrong.. Im glad you came through and are helping me out.

well i could change the meat form a chuck to a rib because they are all ready tender. but according to the butcher at my local store, he says that sometimes they take a rib roast and slice a chunk off and sell it as a chuck. thats why there is the eye in there. its the same eye thats in the rib eye. two different butchers at two different stores say that. but who knows..

so since i have never ever done a smoke for any amount off time. how do you do a smoke for 15 minutes. how do you put wet wood chips on hot coals with out putting the coals out??

LOL sorry, i have lots of questions. im a indoor cook not an out door.

OHHH one more thing. temp control and monitoring with a DO

 

[Uncle Bob]

The key word is "few" say 1/4 cup. They will not hurt your fire. Another way is to place the chips in aluminum foil and wrap loosely. Poke seceral holes in the foil. Place it in the charcoal. This allows the wood to smoke and not flame out.

Again sear/brown your roast. place it in the oven with water or beef stock. If you have a meat trivit use it. If not place the roast on a bed of carrots, onion, potaotes etc. If your oven is a 12 in oven use say 7 coals on the bottom and 15 or 16 on the top. Replace as needed. Don't do alot of "peeking". let it cook for 2 to 4 hours until very tender. It may take longer. it all depends on the size fo your roast...Let the wood chips go for up to an hour more or less, before placing the roast in the pot.


Good Luck!!

 

[LT72884]

MAN im SO glad i came here. I cant wait to try this out. What is a meat trivit? i hope the smoke gives this cut of beef a good flavor.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Well we are so glad you came LT. A meat trivet is made of metal, and is often times placed in a DO to keep the meat from sitting directly on the bottom. This can prevent burning or scortching of the meat should your coals get to hot. If you don't have one, not to worry. Three or 4 canning jar rings can be used. Or cut the top and bottom out of 3 or 4 tun cans. Or as I stated earlier, just use a bed of vegetables. They work fine. Also they ad lots of flavor, and you get to eat them along with the roast. The "smoke" will add it's flavor as will other herbs & spices you put in the pot...Have Fun & Enjoy!

 

[kitchenelf]

Meat trivet - what Uncle Bob means is something to keep the meat off the bottom of the pot. Some roasting pans have wire racks that sit on the bottom and this keeps the meat up. In this instance he is suggesting you place the veggies on the bottom to not only serve this same purpose but hey, you get to eat them after!

 

[kitchenelf]

UB - I'd say we're pretty much on the same page

 

[LT72884]

oh ok i see what a trivit is. ok with katie's recipe for chuck roast ( the link you supplied me) wont the cream of mushroom soup and onion mix hide the smoke flavor that i tried so hard to get in the first place. do you have to cook the chuck in liquid or can you slow cook it with no liquid. dry heat i guess is what im looking for. this is what im trying to do Prime Rib Roast but i dont have a kamado, so im trying to achieve the same thing but with what tools i have, which are a weber grill and a DO.

oh and does braise mean to cook in liquid..

 

[kitchenelf]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong here - a chuck roast needs some liquid. I would use a beef broth or a consommé versus cream of and the onion mix for the very reason you mentioned. If you THEN want to make some sort of gravy out of the liquid in the pan, have at it! It should be awesome. Remove roast/veggies. If there is a lot of oil in the pan remove most of that too. Make a slurry out of equal parts water and flour. Add a couple TBS of this mixture to your bubbling liquid and stir - keep stirring for about 3 minutes (you can turn down to simmer after you add the slurry). You should have gravy. If it's not thickening enough add more slurry.

Yes, braise means cook in a liquid.

 

[LT72884]

Man i keep hearing new words form all these cooking sites. so whats the difference between a rue and a slurry? My understanding is that a rue consists of milk/cream, butter and flour. where as a slurry is only milk and flour.

The reason i choose chuck for this, like i stated earlier, money and if i screw up im only out 7$ for the meat. i wonder if i could use a prime rib for this though.hmmm

Oh another question. can you buy thermometers for DO so i can see how hot they are? is there a general rule of thumb for "this many coals = this temp"

 

[kitchenelf]

A "roux" is an equal mixture of fat and flour (oil flour or butter and flour) made IN the pan and it can be browned to all different color levels to ultimately affect the color of the final dish. Heat the fat first then once heated slowly add and whisk the flour. Heat over medium to low heat. Don't rush it. Let it turn the color you want. You need to cook it for at least 3 - 5 minutes to remove the flour taste. If you burn the roux throw it out - it will be very bitter!

A slurry is equal parts of water or milk and flour, mixed with a fork then drizzled into said mixture to thicken it. It needs to come to a boil to thicken then as the mixture cools it will thicken.

I would imagine you could use a prime rib and it would be FABULOUS! Someone else will have to discuss your DO temp question - I haven't a clue!

 

[LT72884]

sweet. thats cool that you can change the color of it. man i wish i had more time to practice this stuff but being my age school sucks up all your time and so does dance lessons. now i know why my roux's never turned out. i never cooked them long enough and it tasted like flour. plus making and just watching the fat and flour mix together kind made me lose my appetite. i still have that awful taste of flour in my mouth from 4 years ago when i tired ot make a clam chowder for high school.. i had to throw it out.

ok i will ask around about the temp thing, but maybe this sunday i will try a prime rib or a chuck..

if i were to break off some of the branches from my apple tree and put them on the coals would it work like wood chips would.

 

[kitchenelf]

The apple branches should work fine.

OK, now I have a question about DO's. If the DO has a lid on it how doe the smoke get into it to flavor the meat? I know, probably a dumb question but......

 

[LT72884]

what the heck, my email sux. it didnt tell me you posted. ok with the DO im putting the coal on the grate of my weber grill and leaving the DO lid off and using the weber lid to keep the smoke in for about an hour or so. OR i could smoke the meat on the grill for an hour then transfer to a DO..

EDIT

so my DO is in my weber on the grate itself with the coal directly under it. so its kinda cool. its protected form wind and its off the ground.

 

[Uncle Bob]

UB - I'd say we're pretty much on the same page

Is it great minds or something else?