Hickory-Smoked Chuck Roast Burnt Ends

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A backyard smoker project that costs a fraction of brisket and tastes just as good. A whole chuck roast takes on hickory smoke at 250°F, gets cubed at 165°F, then goes back on with butter, brown sugar and barbecue sauce until every piece is sticky, jiggly and probe-tender at 203°F. Twelve ingredients, mostly from the spice rack, and the smoker does all the work while you get on with your day.

Ingredients

• 4 lb boneless beef chuck roast
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard
• 2 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pats
• 3 tbsp honey
• 3/4 cup barbecue sauce

Instructions

1. Set up your smoker for indirect cooking at 250°F using hickory wood (chunks over charcoal, or a full hopper of hickory pellets). While it comes up to temperature, pat the chuck roast dry, rub it all over with the yellow mustard, then mix the black pepper, salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder and onion powder and coat every surface of the roast heavily. Let it sit at room temperature while the smoker settles.
2. Place the roast fat side up directly on the grate and smoke at 250°F, undisturbed, for 3 hours. Pour the apple cider vinegar into a spray bottle and spritz the roast lightly every 45 minutes after the first 2 hours to keep the bark from drying out.
3. Continue smoking until the internal temperature at the thickest point reads 165°F, about 4 to 4 1/2 hours total. The bark should be dark mahogany and firm to the touch. Move the roast to a cutting board and let it rest 15 minutes so it firms up for slicing.
4. Cut the roast into 1 1/4-inch cubes and pile them into a disposable foil pan or small roasting pan. Scatter the butter pats over the top, drizzle with the honey, then spoon over the barbecue sauce and toss gently to coat every cube.
5. Cover the pan tightly with foil and return it to the 250°F smoker for 1 1/2 hours, until the cubes are fully tender and a probe slides into a cube with no resistance at an internal temperature of 200°F to 203°F.
6. Uncover the pan, stir the cubes in the sauce, and smoke uncovered for a final 20 to 30 minutes so the glaze tightens and clings. Rest 10 minutes off the heat, then serve straight from the pan with pickles, white bread or slaw.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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