How to Smoke Boneless Chuck Roast Beef

Smoked Pulled Beef Chuck Roast is like best Sunday pot roast you've ever had with an extra kiss of smoked flavor you never knew you wanted. Tender, melt in your mouth, full of beefy flavor.

Shredded beef chuck roast on a wooden plate with grilled Brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes topped with gravy in the background.

Smoked Chuck Roast

Chuck roasts are well marbled pieces of beef with some really tight connective tissue. They tend to be a tougher cut of meat, but some TLC from the smoker can make them ultra tasty. By smoking a chuck roast low and slow, you allow that fat to slowly render and the low heat to break down and soften that connective tissue that can make chuck roasts chewy.

Chuck roasts are popular for making pot roast, and while many folks are familiar with cooking these in a slow cooker or oven, smoking them is the way to go, IMHO.

You also can't go wrong with this recipe! It's beyond easy to make with only 4 INGREDIENTS. Yes. You heard me. Four. Chuck roast, onion, beef stock, and some nummy beef seasoning are all that stand between you and dinner.

Uncooked chuck roast seasoned with Signature Beef Seasoning next to a bottle of Beef Seasoning on a wooden cutting board.

How to Smoke a Chuck Roast for Pulled Beef

I season my chuck roasts liberally with my Signature Beef Seasoning, but you can also use equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic powder to add flavor without masking or covering up the beef. From there, the chuck roast hits the smoker at 225 degrees F. I use oak wood for this recipe, because I feel like oak can really stand up and support that rich beef flavor. While the chuck roast smokes during this first step, I like to spritz with beef stock every hour to keep things moist.

Next step is to increase the heat on the smoker to 250 degrees F. Add the smoked chuck roast to a pan of beef stock and onions and return to the smoker to keep on cooking! You're shooting for an internal temperature of 165 degrees F before you cover the whole pan tightly with foil and let that chuck roast finish cooking.

Smoked chuck roast braising in beef stock and sliced onions in a disposable aluminum pan.

Internal Temperature for Smoked Chuck Roast

My recommended internal temperature for chuck roast is at least 200 degrees F. At that temperature, the connective tissues in the chuck will have broken down and gelatinized so they just melt in your mouth. Since we also covered the roast and braised in liquid, the roast will be incredibly juicy and tender as well.

If you don't already own one, I really recommending getting a high quality instant read thermometer. I've used Thermoworks products for years and love their quality.

Smoked and shredded smoked chuck roast on a wooden cutting board.

Tips for Smoking Chuck Roast

Hold up, meat lover! Before you dive into this tasty recipe, check out these tips for getting the most out of your meat:

Grab some claws. Snag some of my Hey Grill Hey Meat Shredders to make quick work of shredded the meat.
Cook to tenderness, not time or temperature. Getting your roast up above 200 degrees is where you'll start to see the roast get tender, but some chuck roasts need to hit 210 before they are ready to shred. Keep checking for tenderness and meat that easily pulls apart.
Add your favorite flavors! Beef broth and onions are classic flavors. You could also add in herbs, red wine, potatoes, carrots, or mushrooms to braise with the beef.

More Pulled Meat Recipes

Whether you're a fan of pulled beef, chicken, or pork, Hey Grill Hey has all the recipe to keep your meat tooth satisfied! Check out more tasty recipes below!

Simple Smoked Pulled Pork
Whiskey Peach Smoked Pulled Chicken
Cider Brined Pulled Pork

Smoked Chuck Roast Recipe

Shredded chuck roast on a wooden cutting board.

Smoked Chuck Roast (for pulled beef)

Smoked Pulled Beef Chuck Roast is like best Sunday pot roast you've ever had with an extra kiss of smoked flavor you never knew you wanted. Tender, melt in your mouth, full of beefy flavor.

Prep Time : 10 mins

Cook Time : 9 hrs

Resting Time : 15 mins

Total Time : 9 hrs 25 mins

Servings : 6 people

Calories : 567 kcal

▢ 1 chuck roast (3-4 pounds)
▢ 1 yellow or white onion (sliced)
▢ 3 cups beef stock (divided use)
▢ 3 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Beef Seasoning (or equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic powder.)

Preheat the smoker. When ready to cook, start your smoker going at 225 degrees F and preheat with the lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes.
Season the chuck roast. Season the roast liberally with the Beef Seasoning (or equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic powder), using your hands to press the rub into every surface of the meat. (Optional, rub your meat the night before smoking and refrigerate).
Smoke the roast. Put the roast directly on your grill grate, fat-side up, and cook for 3 hours, spraying with 1 cup of the beef stock every hour (reserve the other 2 cups of stock).
Add the broth and onions. Place the sliced onions in the bottom of a large disposable aluminum foil pan and pour the remaining 2 cups of stock in the bottom of the pan. Transfer the roast into the pan on top of the onions and set the pan in the grill.
Finish smoking. Increase your grill temperature to 250 degrees F, and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (about 3 more hours). If you're watching a thermometer, you'll notice the temperature will stay between 155 and 165 degrees for quite a while. This is called the stall period and is totally normal.
Cover with foil. Once your roast hits 165, cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and continue cooking until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat registers at least 200 degrees, up to 202 degrees F (this step can take another 3 hours). Every roast will be done at a slightly different temperature, so look for your probe to slide into the meat like it is sliding into softened butter.
Rest, shred, and enjoy. Remove the pan from the smoker and let rest for 15 minutes. Separate the roast from the cooking liquid. Shred the roast and separate the fat from the cooking liquid. Moisten the roast with the remaining cooking liquid, or make it into au jus for dipping, or turn it into gravy.

If you are cooking a smaller 3-4 pound chuck roast, follow the same steps, but plan slightly less time per step (usually only about a half hour less). The whole roast will cook in closer to 7-8 hours. Also, reduce the onion and broth amounts by half.