For all barbecue chuck roast recipes it's essential to marinade the beef before it hits the BBQ smoker or grill. If not – don’t bother with it.
The chuck section comes from the shoulder and neck of the beef, and to be fair it’s really tasty and yet still one of the most economical cuts of meat. Chuck beef cuts tend though to be fatty and a little on the tough side so it’s generally recommended to cook in some liquid rather than to apply direct heat. On this basis braising or a casserole would appear to be the way to go rather than grilling.
That said my fellow pyronaughts, if you really want to try chuck steak on the grill here’s some tips.
TIP - Use a barbecue with a cover, it allows for a gentler more even cooking
TIP - Go for what’s called the chuck eye steak or chuck filet steak because this is the most tender cut.
TIP - Always check that your recipe has a marinating time, the marinade serve to tenderise the steak. Always marinate for at least 24 hours.
Having said all of the above, if you get a flavourful marinade you can kill two birds with one stone, in fact three because this also acts as a baste later in the recipe. Here’s my favourite marinade which is good for about 1 ½ Kg or 3 ½ lb steak.
Ingredients:-
5 cloves garlic crushed
75ml or 3 fl oz dry sherry (fino or amontillado is good)
50ml or 2 fl oz red wine vinegar
50ml or 2 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons tomato purée
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 fresh red chilli seeded and chopped
Method:-
Mix all the ingredients together (you may need to warm it up slightly to get the sugar to dissolve) and then pour over the chuck steak. Leave it to marinade for at least 24 hours, turning occasionally if possible or use a zip lock plastic bag.
It’s best to slow roast so medium coals are the order of the day, so when ready slap your meat on the grill and hold onto the marinade. Cover the barbecue and cook for 60 – 90 minutes and baste every 15 minutes or so.
Best accompaniments for barbecue chuck roast recipes? Try serving with mashed potato or cold as a sandwich.