Hey Smokers, and welcome to my post where we will run through my recipe and cooking guide for Traeger smoked pulled beef. As you may or may not know, this site is all about cooking on my Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet Smoker and seeing where we can take things – and today, I am going to see what I can do about some pulled chuck.
We eat a lot of pulled pork in this household. I do it up on a Sunday and as we lead a busy lifestyle, it serves us well in burgers, salads and whatever else we can think of during the week. This week however I got my hands on a nice big piece of chuck roast.
So I thought I would do that instead.
Check out my: Traeger Beef Ribs Brisket Recipe and Cooking Guide
Traeger Smoked Pulled Beef: What You’ll Need
Ok, so below is what I used to do my beer can chicken on the Traeger pellet smoker:
Ingredients
- 3–4 lbs/1.3-1.8kg beef chuck roast (mine was actually 3kg/6.6lb)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (as a binder)
- 1 cup SPG (you can of course use any rub here you like)
- Optional: BBQ sauce for serving
As above, I used SPG on mine as we intended to use it a number of ways. If however you are going for one specific use (such as Tacos for example), then by all means adjust your rub recipes as you see fit. The beauty of BBQ – rub your meat with whatever you want!
Equipment
- Pellet smoker
- Preferred pellets (I used hickory but Oak is popular for beef as well)
- Meat thermometer
- Aluminum tray and foil (alfoil) (for wrap) – You can you butcher’s paper here as well
- Spray bottle with 1/2 beef broth and 1/2 water if you like to spritz
The Cooking Process
This is what I did and when…
1. Prepare the Beef
- Preheat the Smoker:
- Set your pellet smoker to 225°F using wood pellets. Oak, hickory, or mesquite are excellent for beef.
- Prepare the Beef:
- Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towel and coat it lightly with olive oil or mustard to help the rub adhere.
- Rub the SPG (or whatever rub you are using) generously over the entire chuck roast, ensuring an even coating.
- Allow the seasoned beef to rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate overnight for deeper flavor.
2. Smoke the Beef
- Place the Beef on the Smoker:
- Put the chuck roast directly on the smoker grates
- Smoke the beef for about 5–6 hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C. Use a meat thermometer for accuracy.
- Spritz the roast every hour with beef broth to keep it moist (optional).
- Wrap the Beef:
- Once the roast hits 165°F/74°C, add it to an aluminum pan and wrap it in aluminum foil (or butcher paper if you prefer), adding a splash of beef broth or beer inside for extra moisture.
- Return it to the smoker.
- Cook Until Tender:
- Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 203°F/95°C. At this point, continue to cook until the meat is probe tender.
When it comes to beef, temperature is (in my opinion) a gauge for when the meat should start to be ready only. Always check for probe tenderness before removing – this means that when you stick a probe (usually the thermometer probe) into the meat, there is absolutely no resistance at all. If you do feel resistance in the probe – keep cooking!
3. Finish it Off
- Rest the Beef:
- One the beef is prove tender, remove the wrapped beef from the smoker and let it rest for 30 minutes – 1 hour (the longer the better) in the foil or butcher paper. This allows the juices to redistribute.
- Shred the Beef:
- Unwrap the beef and use two forks or meat claws to pull it apart into shreds.
- Add Sauce:
- Toss the shredded beef with BBQ sauce if desired, or serve it as-is to highlight the smoky flavor.
My Results
Ok, straight off the bat, when doing this I really remembered how unpredictable I find beef to behave when it is the smoker. I mean I know it was a 6lb piece, but it took ffooorreevvvver to cook. It got to the wrap temperature really quickly – then to around 176°F/80°C even faster (around 4 hours in). It then took around another 8 hours to get to probe tenderness (which was at around 213°F/101°C).
The end result – wonderfully tender and juicy pulled beef! But what it does highlight for me is the importance of using temperature as a guide only and really being patient until it get to probe tenderness. I wrapped in alfoil as I wanted it to pull however I was pleasantly surprised with the bark that remained – even though it was really only uncovered for around 3.5 hours.
Serving Suggestions
As above, we will now use this as a meal base in a few ways.
- Serve the pulled chuck beef on buns with salad or coleslaw for burgers.
- Use it as a filling for tacos or burritos.
- Pair it with mashed potatoes or smoked mac and cheese for a hearty meal.
Tips
- Flavor Boost: Marinate the chuck roast overnight in a mixture of beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic.
- Crispy Bark: After shredding, return the beef to the smoker for 10–15 minutes at 350°F to crisp up the edges.
- Leftovers: Pulled chuck beef freezes well and can be used later in chili, soups, or casseroles.
- Beer is Good: spritz with beer instead of broth for a nice taste variation
Conclusion
So there you have it, my recipe and cooking guide for some smoked pulled beef on the smoker. I hope it has been of assistance but as usual, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out by commenting below. I would also love to hear of your own experiences, preferences or suggestions here as well.
Are there any other products you have been looking at but want to know more about? If so, please comment below and I will do my best to get some details for you.
Until next time
Have fun and get smoking!
Paul
How I Turned My Smoking Passion Into A Full Time Income
Hey there! I’m Paul, and like you, I started as a BBQ beginner with just a Traeger and a dream. Now I’m helping others turn their smoking passion into a sustainable online business.
