Here at Spider Grills, we’re not “no-nonsense”. We like a little nonsense, we just don’t want it at the expense of all our sense. This is why I’m always going to give you the RECIPE first, the nonsense will be at the bottom if you want to read it (I’d recommend checking it out, we gave you a solid serving tip in this one).
Smoked Chuck Roast (The Poor-Man’s Brisket)
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: ~ 7 hours
Equipment
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Weber Kettle & Spider Venom
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Kingsford Classic Hickory Charcoal (or your favorite)
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Kingsford Hickory Smoking Chunks (or your favorite)
Ingredients
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3 lbs Boneless Chuck Roast
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12 oz Beer
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3 tbsp of Butter
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2 tbsp of Lane’s BBQ Brisket Rub
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2 tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar
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1 tbsp of Worcestershire Sauce
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Hot Sauce or Mustard
Instructions
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At least 1 hour ahead of your cook, or up to 4 hours, apply a thin coat of hot sauce or mustard to the chuck roast and season the meat aggressively with Lane’s BBQ Brisket Rub.
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30 minutes before your cook, set the meat out to bring it up to room temperature.
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Set up your kettle for an indirect cook: Fill the side closest to the Venom with charcoal and spread the smoking chunks throughout the pile. Place a tin foil pan with ~ 1 inch of water on the other side. Use a handful of hot coals or a fire starter to light one side of your charcoal pile.
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Set your Venom to 225° F and set your top vent appropriately.
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When your Venom reaches temp, place the chuck roast over the aluminum pan, insert your meat probe into the thickest part of the meat, and cook undisturbed for 2 hours.
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While your roast is smoking, combine the beer, Worcestershire, and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl.
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After the first two hours, pause your Venom and open the lid, checking to be sure the rub has set up into a nice bark. If everything looks good, use a kitchen brush to mop the beer mixture over the roast enough to lightly coat the surface.
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Check the roast every hour, brushing on the mixture each time. Repeat this until the internal temp is at 170° F.
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Once you reach 170° F, carefully remove your grill grate and retrieve the drip pan. Place the roast in the pan and pour ~ 1 cup of the beer mixture over the top. Cover with foil and return to the grill for about 2 hours. If you need to speed things up here, you can set the temperature as high 275° F.
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Cook inside the pan under foil until the internal temp has reached 200° F. At this point, remove the roast from the grill, place a few pats of butter on top, and rest in the pan for 15-30 minutes.
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Slice against the grain in thin slices and serve immediately.
The Nonsense
There’s no more notorious cut of meat than a brisket. The holy grail of any pit master’s repertoire, mastering the brisket can be a lifelong pursuit for some. While we love a good brisket, here at Spider Grills, we’re all about making life easier and saving money, without compromising on the highest quality BBQ. That’s why we LOVE the so-called “Poor-Man’s Brisket”.
A 3-pound beef chuck roast will cost you on average $15-$25 at your local grocery store and can easily feed a family of four. For that price, you can get surprisingly close to the classic taste and texture of an $80-$120 brisket in about half the time. It makes the chuck roast the perfect cut to practice your brisket smoking skills without breaking the bank (or just to fool your friends and family into thinking you have the brisket finally figured out).
One of our favorite ways to serve this up for the family is to save the drippings, add them to a bit of beef broth, and throw in a little of your favorite beef seasonings and herbs to make an Au Jus. Slice the roast as thinly as you can, lay them on a fresh baked hoagie, top with caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, and a bit of horseradish, and you’ve got yourself a fancy redneck French dip sandwich. Thank us later.