Anyone tried Pulled Beef?

[Habanero Smoker]

Anyone have a recommended IT for pulled Beef?

I took a 3lb Chuck roast to 195 deg and FTC'd for 2 hours and it was not pullable.  I had to slice/chop it.  It as good eating but not tender enough to pull.

I am afraid of going to high of IT and drying it out.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

I not sure why it didn't pull or shred. You could have gone higher, such as up to 200°F - 205°F.

Did you use Mr. Walleye's recipe or another recipe?
What temperature did you smoke/cook at and for how long?
What were you using to monitor the cabinet?
Did you reposition the meat thermometer to make sure that was the actual internal temperature in the deepest part?

[Jimbo]

I not sure why it didn't pull or shred. You could have gone higher, such as up to 200°F - 205°F.

Did you use Mr. Walleye's recipe or another recipe?
What temperature did you smoke/cook at and for how long?
What were you using to monitor the cabinet?
Did you reposition the meat thermometer to make sure that was the actual internal temperature in the deepest part?
[/quote]

Habs,

I rubbed it with John Henry's Brisket Rub, smoked for 4 hours with oak and continued to cook for an additional 6 1/2 hours (10 1/2 hours total cook time).  Wrapped in foil and some apple juice for the last 4 hours of cook time.  PID was set to 210 deg for 6 hours and then 225 deg for the rest of the cook.  I did not reposition the meat thermometer but did use my Thermopen to check along the way and it was always close to the reading the meat probe was giving.

[Caneyscud]

Most of the time I've had to get a chuckie above 200 for it to "shred".  And to hold it at that IT for some time is a good thing also.  When, the IT gets to 200-205, lower cabinet temp to 205 and cook another 30 minutes or so.  Getting to 205 slowly is good, but keeping it in that temp zone for a time is better.  Chuckies are kinda funny and depend on where on the shoulder they are taken from as to how they cook.  I've had good luck with what I like to call the 7-bone roasts (the cut scapula bone sorta looks like a 7).  Also the more marbled, the more tender the roast seems to be and certainly more flavorful and succulent.  Taking to 205 should be no problem, especially "in foil". 

[squirtthecat]

My one and only chuckzilla (~9 pounds) was taken to 205, then it spent the afternoon/portion of the evening in a crockpot (w/ a few glugs of L&P, maybe some wine) on low.   It fell to pieces around midnight. (started in OBS the night before)  I just used tongs to pull it apart to get it out.

[drewpatton]

So, my update....
I followed the recipe exactly. When I went to bed it was rocking along just fine. My wife gets off work at 7 am and I asked her to wake me so I can check the IT and reset the timer on the cabinet. Well as sweet as she is, she checked the IT and said it was about 167, and didnt bother to wake me. She didnt know the cabinet turns off at 9hrs 40 min. By the time I awoke at 10:45 and checked. it had been off since 8:30 and the IT was down to 110. At that point I pulled it out and just chopped it up as best as i could and made sandwiches out of the tough dry meat. what could I have done to fix it? For any future f-ups...
Thanks
Drew

[OU812]

Throw it in the crock pot with some beef base or the like and cook on low.

[RickWL63]

It happens man.  I had a similar thing a few weeks ago when the family was watching a movie.  Forgot to check the timer.  At that point, I just fired up the oven and continued the process with pulled pork.  I wish there was a way to diasble the timer, but so far, we are stuck with 9:40 and a few resets.

[MPTubbs]

It happens man.  I had a similar thing a few weeks ago when the family was watching a movie.  Forgot to check the timer.  At that point, I just fired up the oven and continued the process with pulled pork.  I wish there was a way to diasble the timer, but so far, we are stuck with 9:40 and a few resets.

Rick-

Get yourself a PID and you just bypassed the timer!

                                      ;D

[RickWL63]

MP, I might have to come out and look at your setup.

Rick

[OU812]

MP, I might have to come out and look at your setup.

Rick

Me too, Me too.  ;D

[SnellySmokesEm]

Would a bottom round roast work for pulled beef???