This easy Smoked Beef Chuck Roast on a Pellet Grill recipe is super simple to make. The roast is covered in a flavorful wet rub and then smoked over low heat until tender, juicy, and full of delicious smoky flavor.
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This smoked chuck roast recipe is one of my favorite recipes. I love that the pellet smoker does all the work, leaving time to prepare side dishes or visit with my guests!
I have smoked beef roast with my Pit Boss pellet grill, Traeger pellet grill, and a vertical electric smoker. This recipe will work with any smoker - just add a water pan if your smoker requires it.
Check out this Best Smoked Beef Recipes collection for more delicious pellet grill recipes!
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Why You'll Love This Pellet Grill Chuck Roast
- This roast is a large cut of relatively cheap meat, and smoking it makes it flavorful, tender, and juicy.
- This recipe is easy to make, even if you are a beginner to pellet grilling.
- No wrapping or butcher paper is required for this easy recipe.
- Prep time is only 5 minutes - the smoker does all the work!
Ingredients For Smoking A Beef Roast
Ingredient Notes
- Beef Chuck Roast. I used a beef roast that was 3.10 pounds (or 1.404 kg). It was the perfect size for six people, plus we had some leftovers too.
- Smoked chuck roast rub: I made a homemade wet rub with yellow mustard, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, paprika, and sea salt.
See the printable recipe card for exact measurements and a full list of ingredients.
How To Smoke A Chuck Roast On A Pellet Grill
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F and top it up with your favorite wood pellets. I like to use Competition Blend, Signature Blend, hickory, pecan, or apple wood. If using an electric smoker, fill the water pan with beef broth or apple juice for even more flavor.
Step 2: Mix the ingredients for the spice rub (prepared mustard, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, paprika, and sea salt) in a small bowl. Apply the wet rub over the surface of the meat, ensuring it covers all parts of the roast: the top, bottom, and sides of the meat. Use your fingers to push the rub into the meat.
Step 3: Once the smoker comes up to temperature, place the seasoned chuck roast directly on the grill grate and put your probe thermometer in the thickest part of the roast.
Step 4: Close the lid and smoke until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 145°F with a temperature probe. This will take about 3 hours and 55 minutes. For detailed doneness, follow these guidelines:
Rare - 135°F
Medium-rare - 145°F
Medium - 155°F
Well done - 170°F.
Step 5: Remove the smoked roast from the grill and place it on a cutting board. Cover it with aluminum foil and let the meat rest for 10-15 minutes.
Step 6: Slice the tender roast into thin slices with a sharp knife against the grain and serve with your favorite side dishes. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Serve this smoked beef roast with Creamy Cucumber Salad With Mayo, Smoked Corn on the Cob In Foil, and Hawaiian Macaroni Salad for an amazing dinner everyone will love.
And for the ultimate easy meal, smoke the side dishes alongside the beef roast! Make Smoked Baked Potatoes, Smoked Baked Beans, and Traeger Smoked Corn.
You can also shred the meat with forks for smoked pulled beef and use it in tacos, Smoked Macaroni and Cheese, or Leftover Brisket Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.
Variations
- Brush your favorite barbecue sauce on the sides of the chuck roast during the last few minutes of cooking.
- Change out or adjust the amount of spices in the rub. Add some chili powder or cayenne pepper to give the roast a bit of heat.
- You can omit the prepared mustard if you want a dry rub, but I think it adds great flavor!
Storage Instructions
Refrigerator
Leftover smoked chuck roast can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freezer
Store leftovers in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Reheating
Reheat the smoked chuck roast in an oven-safe dish with water or beef broth. Cover tightly and heat at 300 degrees F for about 20-30 minutes. You can also use your microwave or air fryer.
Serve it in sandwiches with your favorite BBQ sauce, on a green salad, or add it to Instant Pot Venison Stew or Smoked Beef Chili.
Recipe FAQs
Chuck roast is a cut of beef from the shoulder area of the cow. It is also called shoulder steak, boneless chuck roast, or chuck shoulder pot roast. It is a tougher cut of meat that benefits from low and slow cooking.
It has a lot of marbling, which makes the roast tender and juicy when smoked. It is a more affordable cut of meat than the sirloin roast.
For a 3-pound chuck roast, the smoking time will take about 3 hours and 55 minutes. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the roast and other factors, such as outside temperature and how hot your pellet grill cooks. A larger roast will take longer to cook, and a 2 lb chuck roast on a pellet grill will take less time to cook. Make sure to plan plenty of time - you don't want to rush it!
Chuck roast is a smaller cut of meat compared to beef brisket, and it cooks quicker than other beef roasts. Smoking a chuck roast will give you tender, juicy meat that will melt in your mouth - perfect for smoked pulled beef sandwiches!
You should smoke a chuck roast between 225 degrees and 250 degrees F. This slow cooking will turn the roast into tender, fall-apart tender meat.
Expert Tips
- Use a digital meat thermometer to cook by temperature, not by time.
- Let the roast sit at room temperature while the pellet grill is preheating.
- Place the roast in a foil pan to catch any drippings if you want to make gravy.
- Avoid opening the lid to check the roast while it is cooking, as moisture and heat will escape.
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Printable Recipe
Smoked Beef Chuck Roast On Pellet Grill
Ingredients
- 3 pound beef chuck roast
- ¼ cup prepared mustard
- ½ tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 250°F.
- Mix the ingredients for the wet rub (prepared mustard, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, paprika, and sea salt) in a small bowl.
- Brush the rub mixture over the chuck roast and ensure it covers all parts of the roast: top, bottom, and sides. Use your fingers to push the rub into the meat.
- Once the smoker comes up to temperature, place the beef chuck roast directly on the preheated grill and put your thermometer probe in, horizontally through each side, into the center.
- Close the lid and smoke until the roast's internal temperature reaches your desired level of doneness. A temperature of 145°F will take about 3 hours and 55 minutes. Rare is 135°F, medium-rare 145°F, medium 155°F, and well done is 170°F.
- Remove the smoked roast from the grill and place it on a cutting board. Cover it with foil and rest for 10-15 minutes to allow the juices to reincorporate into the meat.
- Slice the roast against the grain and serve.
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Notes
- Use a digital meat thermometer to cook by temperature, not by time.
- Let the roast sit at room temperature while the pellet grill is preheating.
- Avoid opening the lid to check the roast while cooking, as moisture and heat will escape.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Geoff Caras says
Hi Jeri,
Thanks for what you do! The rub that you have here is my go-to rub so I was happy to see that...
My question is -- have you tried to cook a roast like a brisket? You are suggesting pulling off the roast at 135 degrees ( like an oven-cooked roast) for medium rare. This is OK if you want to make a traditional roast that is going to be sliced. I have 3 roasts to smoke - and I was thinking of wrapping at 170 degrees and pulling when they are tender - like 203 degrees. Then I cam make burnt-ends or pulled beef out of them. Would love your thoughts on this method!
Jeri Walker says
Thank you so much Geoff for your kind words! 🙂 I haven't tried to cook a roast like a brisket... yet - it is on my to-do list; however, I think it is a fantastic idea! And burnt ends from a chuck roast? Yum! When are you planning on smoking the roasts? If not for a few days I could test a recipe and let you know how it goes! Otherwise, please share your results!
John says
Did you try the brisket method? i.e. wrapping at 170 and cooking to 200.
Jeri Walker says
Hi John! I did! I haven’t published the full post yet, but here’s what I did: I smoked it at 250°F for 3 hours until it hit 160°F, then wrapped it and smoked it to 200°F. I let it rest in a cooler for an hour - and WOW, it turned out incredibly juicy. 🙂
I also tried another version where I smoked it until 155°F, then placed it in a pan with 1 cup of beef broth, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ a sliced onion, and 4 cloves of minced garlic. Covered it tightly with foil, smoked it until 200°F, and shredded it. Totally different texture, but equally tasty!
Deanna says
I have a 6 lb chuck roast to smoke. Would it take the same amount of time to cook or twice as long?
Jeri says
Hi Deanna, a 6-pound chuck roast will take twice as long, so probably about 6-7 hours. A good estimate is one hour for every one pound of meat. Hope this helps! 🙂
Mary Lee Beck says
I am confused- in the comments and tips section it calls for brown sugar- but the recipe says only 2 tsp raw sugar. How much brown sugar should I use? Looking forward to it! And I agree- you always have the best smoker recipes.
Jeri says
Hi Mary! Sorry for the confusion! You can use either raw sugar OR brown sugar. I updated the recipe card to reflect both! I'm so happy to hear that you enjoy our smoker recipes! Let me know how the roast turns out for you! 🙂
Addie says
This is the perfect summer dinner! So hearty and flavorful!
Katie Youngs says
You always have the best grilling recipes!
Alexa says
We loved this smoked chuck roast! Made it for Canada Day and it turned out amazing!
Will definitely make it again!
Jeri says
That's awesome, Alexa! I'm so glad you liked it!
Addie says
So tender and flavorful! We loved this for dinner.
Jere Cassidy says
Your photos have me drooling and I always wonder what to do with a chuck roast. Smoked meat is the best, definitely making this. My hubby will be happy.
Freya says
This is definitely one for the man in my life to try! It looks so good and has us both drooling!
Erin Gierhart says
The smoker adds such great flavor to this meat! I am never going back to using my oven!
Jeri says
I know, right? Me Either! Glad you liked it!
Anaiah says
I love using a smoker when making meat! This smoked chuck roast recipe was delicious and each bite so tender and juicy. It had the perfect amount of seasoning too and went great with a side of asparagus. Thanks for the recipe!
Jeri says
I'm so glad you liked it, Anaiah! Asparagus would be a great side, yum!