Smoked Chuck Roast on the BBQ

The following is the method which I used in this case. I encourage you to adapt it in any way you feel works better for you, that is how we find our favourite ways of BBQ.

My chuck roast started as a 6.6kg piece.

I trimmed out about 1.4kg of fat, white skin and odd bits and pieces and cut the large piece in 2, ending with one piece of 2.8kg and one of 2.2kg. Why did I cut it? I did not want the huge cooking time that comes with a 5kg portion and having 2 pieces meant that I could cover more surface area with rubs. I used different rubs on the 2 pieces.

I used my Kamado ceramic grill. With this method I aimed to end up with the beef moist and pull-apart tender.

I loaded the BBQ with a full load of lump charcoal, using cherry wood chunks for smoke. This time I’m using large chunks of cherry wood and placing it under the charcoal to help with generating clean smoke by burning it through the layer of charcoal, I’ve been getting good results lately with this method.

I use a large foil pan under the meat to shield it from direct heat and to catch the drippings, starting it partially filled with water to help set the bark and initially control the heat of the grill.

I’ll layer my rubs as follows:

- A light sprinkle of Long Cloud SPG

- Let the SPG settle on the meat, then follow with a thin coating of mild American mustard to create a base for the next layer of Long Cloud Bark Bark Rub for the one piece and Beef Rub for the other

I plan to run the kamado at 120C/250F throughout the cook. After the first 2 hours of smoking, once the bark is set, I’ll start mopping with the mopping sauce roughly every hour.

Using a meat probe thermometer I look to reach an internal temp of 76C/170F. At that stage I’ll look to see how moist/fatty the meat is and decide if I’m going to wrap it. I’ll wrap if it feels firm or looks like it is drying out. If not, I’ll let it continue until it reaches an internal temp of 90C/195F, watching for signs of drying out along the way.

Once it reaches 90C/195F internal temp I’ll probe it, looking for it to “probe like butter”. If it still feels tough/ I’ll wrap and let it rise to 94C/201F, probing along the way.

At this stage it should be probing soft. Wrapped in foil or butcher paper and a couple of old towels I’ll rest it in a (warm) chilly bin for at least 1 hour.

Hint: You could also rest it well wrapped in an oven pre-heated to 95C/203F. 

At this stage, if you like a BBQ sauce with your meat, see the recipe on this page or feel free to improvise.

• Preheat the BBQ on low heat.
• Spread mayonnaise on the inside of one slice of bread.
• Top the mayo with sliced tomatoes.
• Top the tomatoes with enough of both kinds of cheese to thickly cover the slice of bread. 
• Spread chutney on the inside of the second slice of bread.
• Place the second slice of bread on top. (Preferably book matched)
• Season with Long Cloud BBQ's SPG and/or grind Black Peppercorns and Himalayan White Rock Salt to taste.
• Butter the outside of both sides of the sandwich and then place it into a BBQ grilling basket. 
• Repeat with other sandwiches.
• Close the BBQ grilling basket and place on the BBQ cooking Grids over low direct heat and watch the sandwiches to prevent burning.
• After about five minutes, the bottoms of the sandwiches should be golden-crisp.
• Flip the BBQ grilling basket and allow the other side to toast.
• Enjoy your BBQ toasted sandwiches with your favourite sliced veggies and/or a hearty salad.

 Easy and hearty dish perfect for a chilly winter evening. Loaded with juicy meatballs and nutty lentils this dish is full of morish Moroccan flavours for an easy weekday meal that is sure to please. 

Serves : 4 to 6

Prep time : 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1.5 hours in the 180℃ oven or  3-6 to hours in a slow cooker. 

Method

• Combine tomatoes, rinsed chickpeas, lentils and water to your casserole dish or slow cooker and stir to combine.
• Combine the mince, half the onion, 1 tbsp Long Cloud Moroccan Rub and 1 tbsp Long Cloud SPG.
• Roll the mince mix into 15-20 small kofta balls. Add a drizzle of oil to the pan on medium heat and brown on all sides. Add to the dish when done.
• Add the rest of the onion and 1 tbsp Long Cloud Moroccan Rub to the pan and fry till golden.

Oven

• Place the dish in the preheated oven at 180℃. Cover for an hour and remove the cover for the last half hour. Add a little water if it starts to dry out. 

Or Slow Cooker

• Transfer dish to a slow cooker.
• Turn your slow cooker on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.

• Spoon into bowls to serve.

Serving suggestions:

• Use a sprinkle of Long Cloud Habanero Salt afterwards for some extra spiciness.
• Serve with a drizzle of natural yogurt.
• A side salad with a citrus dressing makes for a great pairing with the Moroccan flavours.

Serves : 4

Cooking time:  35 minutes.

• Pat the chicken dry and dice into 2cm cubes.
• Add chicken to a medium bowl with the Long Cloud BBQ Chicken Rub, salt, cornflour and toss to coat.
• Whisk the egg, then add to the chicken and toss to coat.
• Place the breadcrumbs in a second bowl. Add handfuls of chicken into the breadcrumbs and turn to coat.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. 
• Cook chicken for about 6 minutes, until golden on all sides and cooked through.
• Add more oil as needed.

Serving suggestions:

Season to taste with freshly ground Salt and Pepper or add a bit of heat with Long Cloud BBQ Habanero Salt.

Serve with rice, corn and your favourite accompaniments.

1.   We recommend using 20 - 25 g of spice mix per kg of raw beef. A 100g Long Cloud BBQ Traditional Biltong Spices or Long Cloud BBQ Chilli Biltong Spices  pouch is sufficient for 5kg of raw meat.   

Tastes differ so if you like your biltong saltier you may choose to increase the amount. Be careful though, it is easy to end up with overly salty biltong. The mix ratio is based on the minimum amount of salt required to safely cure your biltong. Feel free to experiment with additional crushed or ground coriander seeds, pepper and other spices. If you are new to biltong making we recommend that you use the base mix unchanged first before you start to experiment. 

2.   Place strips of beef cut to the desired thickness in a plastic, glass, ceramic or stainless steel container sprinkled with the biltong spice mix at the recommended rate, on all sides.    

3.   Pack the meat together closely, cover and place in the fridge overnight or up to 24 hours. A brine will form.  

4.   Once you are ready to hang your biltong, remove it from the brine, pat it dry with a paper towel and hang it in a well-ventilated space protected from insects, a biltong drying box or similar solution.  

The question of whether you should add vinegar or Worcestershire sauce to the curing process is a personal choice. It is not required to safely cure the meat but some people like the taste or prefer the additional security against mould potentially forming during the drying process. Either way, in some climates a white mould often forms. If this happens it is not a disaster and it is easily remedied by spraying or wiping down the biltong with vinegar. Try to increase the ventilation until a dry skin forms on the biltong.  

Your biltong should be ready in 3-4 days.