Smoked Beef Chuck Roast

Ingredients

• 1 four-pound boneless beef chuck roast
• 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons coarse black pepper
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup dark beer or additional broth
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thick
• 3 chunks oak or pecan wood

Before you cook

• Pat the chuck roast dry on all sides with paper towels.
• Trim any loose ragged fat but leave the interior marbling alone.
• Combine the salt, pepper, granulated garlic and cumin in a bowl.
• Rub the mixture over the entire roast and let it sit at room temperature for 45 minutes.
• Slice the onion into thick rings and scatter them across the bottom of a foil pan.

Steps

1. Set the smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit with two chunks of oak on the coals.
2. Place the roast directly on the grate and smoke for 4 hours, until the outside is dark brown and dry to the touch.
3. Lift the roast into the foil pan on top of the onions.
4. Pour the beef broth and beer around the roast, not over the top, so the bark stays intact.
5. Cover the pan tightly with foil and return it to the smoker.
6. Cook for about 3 more hours, until a fork twists in the meat with no resistance and the internal temperature reads 205 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Rest the covered pan on the counter for 30 minutes.
8. Pull the meat apart with two forks right in the pan so it soaks up the onion broth.
9. Skim the excess fat off the surface and stir the meat through the remaining juices.
10. Season with more salt to taste and serve over rice or with soft rolls alongside.