Video How to Smoke a Chuck Roast on a Traeger Pellet Grill

Learn how to smoke a chuck roast on a Traeger pellet grill following our detailed instructions and recipe below!

This is an easy, affordable, and crowd pleasing dish to prepare to make pot roast, shredded beef for tacos, and countless other purposes.

Reading: Pot roast on a traeger

Let’s Go!

When it comes to smoking beef, a chuck roast is a great option for beginners, or those looking to feed a crowd without breaking the bank on a prime rib roast or beef tenderloin.

You’ve probably seen many a chuck roast thrown into a slow cooker all day to make “pot” roast.

That’s because low and slow is the BEST way to cook this very affordable cut of beef.

Only instead of braising it with liquid in a pot like pot roast, today we are going to slow smoke a chuck roast on our Traeger pellet grill!

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast

Table of Contents

What is a Chuck Roast?

Much like a pork shoulder, or Boston butt, on a hog, a chuck roast is meat cut from the shoulder muscles of a steer, making it one of the best options for smoking pulled beef. (Or shredded beef, depending on which term you prefer).

The seasoning is usually straightforward, as a simple dry rub can bring out all the flavors in the meat, and then a nice long smokey cook on the Traeger pellet grill will tenderize it.

After a whole day of cooking, one good sized chuck roast will definitely feed a crowd.

You can shred it to make sandwiches, tacos, fajitas, or even serve it like pot roast alongside some traditional carrots and potatoes.

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast

What is the Best Type of Chuck Roast to Smoke on a Traeger?

Bone-In or Out?

You could go with the full chuck slab that looks similar to a brisket, or you can look for the blade cut version without the bone.

The bone can add flavor. But it will also increase the time it takes cook.

If you DO get a bone-in chuck roast, there is no need to remove the bone before cooking.

It will slide out cleanly and easily after the chuck roast has been smoked, much in the same way one does on a perfectly smoked pork shoulder.

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Size

The size of the chuck roast you choose to smoke on your Traeger depends on how many people you want to feed, but also on the time you want to spend smoking the meat.

A 3 to 4-pound chuck roast will take around 7-8 hours to smoke on a Traeger at 250°F and will feed about 7-9 people.

So yes, smoking a chuck roast on your Traeger can take all day.

There is also nothing wrong with smoking it the day before you serve it.

Smoked chuck roast will reheat wonderfully in the oven in an aluminum pan covered with aluminum foil.

You can even add a little beef broth to the pan to bring it back to life and infuse some additional moisture.

This way you can enjoy visiting with your guests rather than tending to the smoker on the day of your gathering.

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast

How to Prepare a Chuck Roast for the Traeger Pellet Grill

You can think of the process of smoking a chuck roast on the Traeger split into three parts.

The first part is preparing and seasoning the chuck roast
The second part is setting up and smoking the meat on the Traeger
The final part is resting, and then pulling or shredding it and incorporating it into whatever dish you are using it in.

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Trimming the Fat

Leaving a little exterior fat is ok. You are smoking the chuck roast long enough that most of it will render away.

Depending how it was butchered and packaged, you’ll notice one side may have a thicker “Fat Cap” on it.

It’s OK to leave some of this in place but ideally trim it down to no more than about 1/4 inch of thickness.

After trimming, score through the fat cap with a good knife in 2 perpendicular directions to help the fat underneath render out during the smoking process and allow some more of the rub to penetrate the meat.

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast

Best Rubs for a Traeger Chuck Roast

You have lots of options for seasoning and preparing your chuck roast depending on the flavor profile you are going after.

You can use anything from a traditional American BBQ rub to something more exotic or internationally flavored such as a spicy chipotle rub for fajitas.

Maybe something more Asian inspired for stuffing dumplings or serving with lo mein?

Conventional American BBQ rubs have A LOT of sugar in them as that is what helps form the crusty bark on the exterior of ribs or a pork shoulder as it cooks in the smoker.

Because we are going to set our Traeger to only 225-250°F, you don’t need to worry about any sugar burning at those “low and slow” temperatures.

However, unlike pork, which pairs well with sugary BBQ rubs, beef is usually better suited for more straightforward salt and pepper style seasoning.

You can add a little cayenne for extra heat or garlic and onion powder for additional flavor, but go easy on the rubs that are heavy in sugar content.

We are big fans of Bad Byron’s Butt Rub Seasoning on smoked beef, especially brisket and chuck roast because it is heavy on flavor, and has no sugar.

It also works great anytime you are cooking something like our hot and fast brisket or a whole chicken, and you don’t want a sugary rub to burn at those higher smoking temperatures.

After trimming the fat, cover the chuck roast in a thin layer of cooking oil or yellow mustard.

Yes, you read that right.

Many professional barbecue chefs use yellow mustard to help their rub emulsify and stick to the meat.

After the long cook you won’t taste any mustard flavor, trust us.

Be generous with the amount of rub you put on.

Then you can wrap the chuck roast in plastic wrap and put it back in the refrigerator until you are ready to smoke it.

This can even be done the night before to save some time the next day and to let the salt in the rub fully penetrate the meat.

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast

Marinade Injections

For additional flavor, some bbq cooks like to inject their chuck roast with a marinade before putting it in the smoker.

The idea is to add flavor and moisture deep into the meat to help season the bland interior of the beef while its cooking.

There is nothing wrong with injecting, and we LOVE to injected SLICED meats like smoked brisket, ham, and turkey.

The only problem is it adds water weight and significantly extra time to your cook.

By adding 8 oz of injection to your smoked chuck roast you may be increasing your cooking time by an hour or even more.

And think about it, when the chuck roast comes off of the Traeger, you are going to be pulling it apart in a big tray, and adding seasoning at that point too.

So why go through the hassle of injecting the interior if you are going to be adding seasoning later anyways?

Injections work great on sliced meats like the ones mentioned above because you are slicing and serving and wanting the slices of meat to have flavor all the way through.

But with pulled or shredded beef meat like smoked chuck roast, skip the hassle and add your seasoning at the end.

However,

If you REALLY want to inject your smoked chuck roast or any other type of meat, always use a good quality meat injector like this one from JY COOKMENT.

For chuck roast we recommend a blend of beef broth, worcestershire or soy sauce depending on the style you are going for, and a little but of Bad Byron’s Butt Rub mixed in as well.

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast

The Best Wood Pellets for Smoking a Chuck Roast on a Traeger Pellet Grill

You have a lot of freedom when it comes to choosing the right wood pellets to smoke your Traeger smoked chuck roast

Mesquite and hickory will give a very aggressive smoke flavor, so should mixed with milder wood pellets so as not to overdo it.

Alternatively, you can also go for an overall milder smoke flavor by choosing oak or fruitwood pellets.

Pecan, apple, beech, alder, and cherry all give great results on smoked chuck roast.

For a straightforward smoke right out of the bag, we are big fans of Bear Mountain Red and White Smoky Oak Pellets

For the best results, store your unused pellets in a sealed room temperature container like this 20 lb pellet container rather than in the Traeger hopper outside.

Traeger pellets do not last forever, but will definitely last a LOT longer if stored indoors in a quality airtight container.

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast

How a Traeger Pellet Grill Works

In order to cook ANYTHING well on a Traeger pellet grill, you need to first have a basic understanding of how a pellet grill works.

***Completely New to Using a Traeger Pellet Grill? No Worries!****

We’ve previously covered how to start a Traeger, how to season a Traeger, how to change the pellets in a Traeger, and even how to troubleshoot a Traeger that won’t ignite.

Or hop over and check out this Complete Guide to Understanding How a Pellet Grill Works first if you are interested in learning more. We’ll be here when you get back!

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Add your Hardwood Pellets

First, you add hardwood pellets into the side hopper.

The Traeger pellet grill automatically feeds these small wood pellets via an auger mechanism to a fire pot where they are burned up, providing both heat and smokey flavor.

The pellet grill automatically controls the flow of pellets depending on your temperature setting so that you maintain an even temperature throughout the entire cook.

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast

How to Start up the Traeger

There is a specific start up process for the Traeger brand pellet grills you can read all about in depth here if you aren’t sure how to fire it up the first time.

Otherwise, here is the basic process for how to start a Traeger before throwing on your chuck roast:

Plug in the grill.
Flip the power switch to ON and turn the dial to “Smoke”.
You will hear the fan kick on and the auger start to move and begin to kick pellets into the fire pot. Your fire rod will begin to heat up as well.
Leave the lid open for about 5-7 minutes until you start to see white billowing smoke come out of the grill. This happens when the pellets are first igniting.
Once a smoke is being produced, close the lid and change the temperature dial to your desired temperature setting.
Allow about 10-15 minutes to preheat the grill.
While you are waiting, make sure you’ve got the drip pan in place and the grease bucket hanging to catch any grease that comes out during the cook.
Put your grates on if they aren’t already in place.
Using a good bristle free grill brush, clean off the grill grates if there is any leftover stuck on food from the last cook.
When the pellet grill comes up to temperature go ahead and put on your food!

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast

How to Smoke a Chuck Roast on a Traeger Pellet Grill

What Temperature do you Smoke a Chuck Roast on a Traeger Pellet Grill?

After going through the startup process described above, set the temperature to 250°F, and let the Traeger come up to temperature.

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How Long Does it Take to Smoke a Chuck Roast on a Traeger?

At 250°F, it will take roughly 1.5-2 hours per lb to fully cook a chuck roast to the point where you can pull or shred it.

So a 3-4 lb chuck roast may take anywhere from 6-8 hours.

This will vary based on outdoor temperature, humidity, the fat content of the chuck you purchased and whether or not is is bone-in or boneless.

Make sure to use a good temperature probe to keep track of your meat’s temperature while it is cooking.

We are big fans of this one from ThermoPro.

While we have used and recommended ThermoPro for years, lately we have also become big fans of the MEATER leave in thermometer.

It is extremely accurate and has an incredible 165 foot bluetooth range and works right with your smartphone so you don’t need to carry a separate controller around with you like many other remote thermometers require.

It’s got a great free app that is constantly being updated and even has an algorithm to predict how much longer your type of meat will take to cook based on cooking temperature, target temperature, and current internal temperature.

It’s like a GPS for your meat!

Anyways, back to our smoked chuck roast…

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast

To What Internal Temperature Should Smoked Chuck Roast be Cooked?

You are going to leave your chuck roast on the Traeger until it hits somewhere between 197-203°F when measured with a good temperature probe or instant thermometer.

Don’t rush it!

Chuck roast is not a cut of meat you want to serve medium or even medium well like a nice ribeye roast.

There is too much intramuscular fat and connective tissue that needs to break down and render at higher temperatures.

The chuck roast will be tough and unappetizing if you cook and serve it like a tenderloin or prime rib roast.

Smoked chuck roast is best served when cooked to 200°F internally, then allowed to rest, and then pulled or shredded.

It will not be fall apart tender or pull well even if you take it off at 180°F.

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast

Using the “Texas Crutch”

One way to speed up your cooking time and increase your Traeger smoked chuck roast’s tenderness is by using a tried and tested barbecue technique known as the “Texas Crutch”.

Don’t worry, it’s not complicated.

You see, when big pieces of meat like brisket or pork shoulder are being cooked low and slow, and hit about 150°F internally, they tend to “stall out” and stop rising in temperature.

Sometimes for hours depending on the size of the meat.

This can be maddening if your guests are arriving soon and the internal temperature needs to rise another 50 degrees and hasn’t budged for over an hour!

Without getting too much into the science behind why this happens, just understand it has to do with a lot of trapped moisture evaporating at this temperature and continually cooling your meat as it evaporates.

One way to “power through the stall” is to take your chuck roast off of the Traeger when it hits 150°F, and double or triple wrap it tightly in aluminum foil.

Then replace your thermometer, place the meat back on the Traeger, and let it continue to cook.

The aluminum foil will keep the moisture from evaporating, possibly keeping your meat from drying out as much while to cooks, and most importantly, let it continue to steadily rise in temperature.

Leave it wrapped until it gets to your target temperature range of 197°-203°F and then remove it from the smoker.

Unwrap the chuck roast and let it rest for about 20-30 minutes before pulling or shredding it.

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast

Making Traeger Smoked Pot Roast by Braising to Finish

Love Pot Roast?

Us too.

Want to make it on your Traeger?

Cool. Here’s what you do:

Smoke your chuck roast directly on the Traeger for the first 3 hours or so as described above until it hits around 150°F internally.

Now, instead of wrapping directly in aluminum foil as in the previous section, place it in an aluminum pan and add about 2 cups of good quality beef stock into the pan.

You are also welcome to add some sliced onions and carrots, or anything else you want.

If you are going for Mexican flavors, maybe toss in a couple seeded jalapenos.

For more Asian flavors, add some soy sauce and a little rice wine vinegar.

Then tightly cover the top of the pan with aluminum foil and place it back on the Traeger.

You can still run your temperature probe underneath the foil and into the chuck roast to keep an eye on the internal temperature.

Don’t just peirce the top of the foil though or all that good tenderizing steam will escape and kind of defeat the purpose.

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast

How to Pull or Shred a Traeger Smoked Chuck Roast

Once you’ve removed the smoked chuck roast from the Traeger and have let it rest for about 20-30 minutes, it’s time to pull that meat!

You can use 2 forks or, better yet, a pair of BBQ Bear Claws to make the job even faster (and fun)!

Once you have pulled the meat, taste test it for seasoning, you likely need to add some salt, beef stock, or some more Bad Byron’s Butt Rub.

Add a little salt at time, mixing it in and re-taste testing as you go.

As you shred the beef it should start to soak up more and more of that beef stock will impart more saltiness too.

At this point you can serve immediately AS-IS, re-cover the pan and save it for later or begin to immediately incorporate it into your chosen recipe such as BBQ Beef Sandwiches, steamed baos, or fajitas.

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast

How to HOLD a Smoked Chuck Roast on the Traeger

What do you do if you finish your smoked chuck roast well before your guests arrive?

If you hit that magic 200°F temperature internally early in the day or evening, drop the temperature on your Traeger down to 180°F.

Then leave the chuck roast lightly wrapped in aluminum foil so it doesn’t dry out, and close the lid.

This works great in an oven too depeding how long you are waiting and if you want to save your expensive pellets.

Anything above 170°F will keep the meat at a food safe temperature (unlike leaving it sitting out on the counter…don’t do that) while also keeping it hot.

If you keep the lid closed and/or the pan covered with aluminum foil, it will stay plenty moist as well.

You can hold the meat here for several hours if you need to until your guests arrive, and you may find it shreds and tastes EVEN BETTER after doing so.

Pro Tip: Hold the meat at this temperature in its WHOLE form rather than shredding if you can, then shred and season immediately before serving for maximum tenderness and moistness.

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast

How to Store and Reheat Traeger Smoked Shredded Beef

If you are saving your Traeger smoked and shredded chuck roast for a party the next day, or using the beef in a recipe that you are going to prepare at another time, then you can easily store it in the refrigerator after shredding it and letting it cool for about 20-30 minutes.

Make sure to keep it covered at all times so that it does not dry out.

When you are ready to reheat it, you can add a little additional beef stock to liven it back up and put it in the oven, covered in foil at 300°F and reheat for about 30-45 minutes depending on the amount of beef.

Stir it occasionally and check the temperature to get it the point of being piping hot without overcooking it or drying it out, somewhere around 180°F with an instant read thermometer.

Enjoy!

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast

What Else Can I Smoke on my Traeger Pellet Grill?

Looking for some more smoky inspiration for that new Traeger?

More Beef

Traeger Prime Rib
Pit Boss Beef Brisket
Perfect Smoked London Broil
Smoked Ribeye Roast
Hot and Fast Pellet Grill Beef Brisket
Smoked Corned Beef
Smoked Ribeye Steaks
Smoked Filet Mignon
Pellet Grilled Steak
Perfect Grilled Hamburgers
Smoked Eye of Round Roast Beef
Easy Smoked Flank Steak
Traeger Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream
Pit Boss Smoked Beef Tenderloin
Smoked Chuck Roast for Pulled Beef
Pit Boss Smoked Prime Rib
Traeger Smoked Beef Brisket

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast

Pork

Traeger Baby Back Ribs
Pellet Grill Smoked Pork Chops
Smoked Fresh Holiday Ham
Spiral Sliced Smoked Hot Dogs
Smoked Bratwurst with Beer Braised Onions
Gas Grilled Bratwurst
Pellet Grilled Bratwurst
Roasted Pig in Your Backyard
Traeger Smoked Pulled Pork
Traeger 3-2-1 Pork Ribs
Masterbuilt Electric Smoker Boston Butt
Pit Boss Pulled Pork
Masterbuilt Baby Back Ribs
Pit Boss Smoked Baby Back Ribs
Pit Boss Smoked Pork Loin

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Seafood

Honey Smoked Salmon
Smoked Oysters in a Garlic White Wine Sauce
Smoked Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce
Smoked Lobster Tails
Honey Smoked Tilapia
Perfect Smoked Halibut
Smoked Mahi Mahi Fillets
Smoked Swordfish Steaks
Smoked Crab Legs with Cajun Clarified Butter
Smoked Mackerel with Maple Balsamic Glaze
Smoked Catfish with Cajun BBQ Rub
Smoked Red Snapper with Blackening Rub

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Poultry

Spatchcocked Chicken on a Pellet Grill
Pellet Grill Smoked Turkey Breast
Pellet Grill Turkey
Spatchcock Smoked Turkey on a Pellet Grill
Easy Smoked Turkey Legs
Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters
Beer Can Chicken on a Pellet Grill
Trash Can Turkey – OK, technically not made on a grill or smoker but one of the most fun ways there is to cook a Turkey…at over 700 degrees in only 2 hours!

Read more: Christmas Beef Chuck Roast