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TRAEGER SMOKED CHUCK ROAST

Pellet Smoked Chuck Roast

A recipe for smoking boneless chuck roasts on a pellet grill, featuring a dry rub with coffee and chili powder, resulting in a tender and juicy roast perfect for slicing or chopping.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
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Equipment (affiliate links)

  • 1 Smoker Pellet smoker recommended (e.g., Traeger Pro 575). Preheat to 250°F.
  • 1 Large bowl For mixing dry rub.
  • 1 Wire rack For resting seasoned roasts in the refrigerator.
  • 1 Sheet Pan To place under the wire rack and for resting wrapped roasts.
  • 1 Meat Thermometer Wireless or grill probe recommended for monitoring internal temperature.
  • 1 Butcher Paper or Heavy Duty Foil For wrapping the roasts.
  • 1 Cooler (optional) For resting the wrapped roasts.

Ingredients

  • 3 small Boneless Chuck Roasts about 2 1/4 pounds each
  • 1/4 cup Yellow Mustard (optional binder)
  • 2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
  • 2 Tablespoons Black Pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder (ancho or guajillo, preferably)
  • 2 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Ground Coffee
  • 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder

Instructions

  • Mix the dry rub ingredients together in a large bowl. Coat the roasts in mustard or your choice of binder before seasoning with the dry rub on all sides. For best results, place the seasoned roasts on a wire rack over a sheet pan in the refrigerator overnight or up to 24 hours before smoking.
  • To smoke the roasts, preheat a smoker** to 250°F with the lid closed for at least 15 minutes.
  • Smoke the roasts for about 3-4 hours until the internal temperature reaches 155°F to 165°F and a nice bark has formed. (I recommend using your grill's probe or a wireless thermometer to alert you when the roasts come to temperature.)
  • Tightly wrap the roasts in butcher paper or heavy duty foil before smoking an additional 2-3 hours until the internal temperature reaches 203°F to 205°F.
  • Place the wrapped roasts on a sheet pan in your oven or in a cooler without ice to rest for 30-60 minutes before slicing or chopping.***

Notes

  1. Beef Selection Notes
    You can use this same rub and smoking technique for a larger 4-5 pound roast. The cook times may be surprisingly close due to the water content in larger roasts, but you should always go by internal temperature instead of designated cook time. I would wrap a larger roast once it's in the 165°F to 175°F range.
    Unlike my brisket style tri tip or pulled chuck roast tacos, I wouldn't spend more for prime cuts. There should be plenty of fat and marbling in USDA choice or even select roasts for juicy and tender smoked chuck roast. If you use select, you can add a bit of beef tallow or butter on top before wrapping.
  2. **Smoker Notes
    I used a Traeger Pro 575 and the Traeger Pro Blend wood pellets, which is a blend of oak, hickory, and cherry. Mesquite or the brisket blend pellets would also be great if you can get your hands on them.
  3. ***Slicing Notes
    The grain on a chuck roast is a bit unique and is pretty tricky to consistently slice against. You can try to section it off to perfectly slice against the grain, but I find the meat is tender enough that thinly slicing is perfectly fine. And chopping obviously alleviates any concerns about grain direction.

Nutrition

Serving: 3g | Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 15g