Chuck roasts are commonly used for stew. Now it’s time to use your smoker to make this recipe which smokes the whole beef tender chuck roast before it’s finished cooking in the pot with veggies, herbs, and the white wine braising liquid giving this dish incredible flavor. Smoked beef chuck tender roast stew will be a favorite around the dinner table, with its tender, smoky meat flavor pairing well with the wine.
What is a Chuck Roast?
A beef chuck roast comes from the shoulder, known as the beef chuck primal. The most common name you will find the chuck roast at your butcher or supermarket will be the classic chuck roast or cross rib roast. When used in a recipe, it is often called a pot roast or center cut roast.
The chuck is a moving muscle that gets a lot of activity and movement, resulting in a lot of intramuscular fat. A chuck roast is best when slowly braised or smoked to render this fat. The rendering tenderizes the meat and creates a delicious flavor, much like a typical steak.
Buying a Chuck Roast
For this recipe, shop for a boneless chuck roast between 4-5 pounds in total weight. It is commonly found tied with butchers’ twine. When determining quality, look for intramuscular fat or good marbling, which will help get the tender beefy, and buttery texture. In the end, despite the “rating,” pick a roast with the most marbling. This will be necessary when smoking and braising to get the tender texture we are looking for.
Preparation
For this smoked beef chuck roast stew, we will be smoking the entire roast versus cutting it up into smaller cubes like what is done for a traditional stew. Keeping the beef intact will allow the smoke to flavor to get into the entire roast and allow the roast to maintain its shape as it braises.
Trim off any excess fat or silver skin around the meat’s outer edges and discard any butchers’ twine. Coat the roast in olive oil to allow the rub to stick, and liberally season with your beef rub. This can be a homemade rub of salt, pepper, and granulated garlic or your preferred premade rub.
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How to Smoke a Chuck Roast
A Chuck Roast, like a rack of ribs or Brisket, needs time to cook to allow the fat pockets to render or essentially melt and slowly create a slice of deliciously tender meat. We will smoke the roast and then finish it in the braising liquid to accomplish this.
1. Preheat your smoker to 250ºF using fruit wood like cherry or apple.
2. Place the seasoned chuck roast on the center rack and then insert a leave-in probe thermometer into the center of the thickest part of the roast to monitor the internal temperature as it cooks.
3. When the internal temperature of the roast reaches 165ºF, it’s time to place the meat into the braising liquid, put a lid on the pot, and then finish cooking it in the smoker until the roast is fork tender.
The Wine Braise
Begin the braising liquid when you see the internal temperature of the roast reach 155ºF internal temperature. The reason we braise is to enhance the flavor of the meat and help get it to fork tender while getting some of the smoke flavors from the roast into the liquid.
1. Begin by softening the vegetables. In a large Dutch Oven over medium heat, add olive oil, onions, celery, and carrots, and sauté until soft but not browned. This should take about 8-10 minutes. Now add minced garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes while stirring.
2. Now add the liquids and herbs. Add the wine and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Add the stock, canned tomatoes, and herbs, and get back to a simmer. Around this time, the roast will be at or reaching 165ºF. Place the roast into the braising liquid and cover. Place the pot in the smoker.
3. Increase the smoker’s temperature to 325ºF and continue to cook for 2 hours or until the internal temperature of the roast reaches between 200-210ºF or until your thermometer or fork goes into the roast like butter. Remove from the smoker for the final step, where you thicken the braise.
4. Thick the braise by removing the roast, setting it aside, and the herbs you can discard. Combine the flour and butter in a small bowl and add to the braising liquid. Bring the liquid to a simmer and stir for 5 minutes. While stirring, the liquid will thicken.
5. Slice the roast into pieces, or shred if you prefer, add the meat back into the liquid to coat and then serve hot.
How Long to Smoke a Chuck Roast Per Pound
Plan about 15 minutes per pound for smoking a chuck roast. The leaner the meat, the faster it will cook. Disregarding time, be sure to remove the roast at the proper finishing temperature, which will range from 200-210ºF when the texture of the beef is like butter.
Smoked Beef Chuck Tender Roast Stew
Ingredients
- 4 lbs. Beef chuck tender roast
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- ¼ cup Beef rub
BRAISING STEW
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 2 cups White onion chopped
- 4 Carrots large slices
- 1 cup Celery large sliced
- 5 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 cups White wine or preferred wine
- 1 can Fire roasted tomatoes crushed
- 1 cup Beef stock
- 1 tbsp Thyme dried
- 2 sprigs Rosemary fresh
- ½ tsp Red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
THICKENING
- 2 tbsp Unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 tbsp Flour
Instructions
SMOKE CHUCK ROAST
- Preheat smoker or pellet grill to 250°F using fruitwood such as apple or cherry.
- Rub the roast with olive oil and then liberally apply the beef rub. Insert a probe thermometer and place the roast in the smoker. Smoke for 2-3 hours or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the meat reaches 165°F. The timing will vary depending on the size of your roast or if you are using two smaller roasts, such as those used in the images of this recipe.
MAKE THE POT ROAST STEW
- When the roast's internal temperature reaches 155°F, begin making the stew.
- Start by placing a large Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium heat. Add olive oil, carrots, onions, and celery. Sauté for 10 minutes or until they are soft and translucent but not browned. Add garlic and cook another 1 minute while stirring.
- Add the white wine or your preferred wine choice and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes that are crushed in the can, or you can crush them yourself as you add them to the pot, stock, rosemary, thyme, chili pepper flakes, salt, and pepper bring back to a simmer.
- At this point, the roast will be at or close to 165°F. When this happens, place the roast into the braising liquid and cover. Place the pot with the chuck roast in it onto the smoker.
BRAISE THEN THICKEN
- Increase the smoker's temperature to 325°F and continue braising for 2 hours or until the roast's internal temperature reaches between 200 and 210°F, or until your probe or a fork goes into the chuck roast like butter. Remove from the smoker for the final step to thicken the braise.
- Remove the roast and the rosemary sprigs from the pot. Set the chuck roast aside on a cutting board and discard the rosemary.
- Combine the flour and soft butter in a small bowl with a fork, and then add it to the braising liquid. Bring the braising liquid to a simmer and stir for 5 minutes. While stirring, it will thicken.
- Slice the roast or shred the beef and add it to the pot. Serve with the liquid over mashed potatoes or on its own.
Nutrition
Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so you can pin it to your favorite Smoking Food Board!!
Check out the recipes below if you’re curious about what else to smoke.
Bon Appétit