Hello -

I found a 6 pound bottom round roast at the store for a rediculously
low price, so I thought I'd give it a try on the smoker. I read the
BBQ FAQ and the relevant posts here, figured I was set.

I put the meat on at 41 degrees internal, smoker temp 225. Three hours
and a bit more at 225-250 gave an internal temp of 139. I took the
roast out then and let it rest in a cooler for half an hour, at which
point the internal had peaked at 147 degrees.

The flavor's very good, and it's swimming in juice, but it's tougher
than I'm willing to put up with again. I knew it was gonna be a bit on
the chewy side, but not this chewy. At this point, I have two
questions.

Does anybody here have any ideas for a better procedure for this cut?

Would anybody care to recommend a different cut of beef for next time?

I probably wouldn't have gotten that roast, but $.69 a pound for beef
is mighty hard to pass up. Thanks for any advice y'all might have.


Best -

Uncle Wulf

In article >,
Uncle Wulf <this group> wrote:
>Hello -
>
>I found a 6 pound bottom round roast at the store for a rediculously
>low price, so I thought I'd give it a try on the smoker. I read the
>BBQ FAQ and the relevant posts here, figured I was set.
>
[snip]
>
>The flavor's very good, and it's swimming in juice, but it's tougher
>than I'm willing to put up with again. I knew it was gonna be a bit on
>the chewy side, but not this chewy. At this point, I have two
>questions.
>
>Does anybody here have any ideas for a better procedure for this cut?

Grind it into hamburger.

You could also braize it, i.e, potroast.

Make jerky. It's low fat content makes it good for this.

Slice it, jaccard it, cut it into chunks, marinate it in a
tenderizing marinade, and make kabobs.

Chuck Demas

--
Eat Healthy | _ _ | Nothing would be done at all,
Stay Fit | @ @ | If a man waited to do it so well,
Die Anyway | v | That no one could find fault with it.
| \___/ | http://world.std.com/~cpd

On Mon, 3 May 2004 00:32:04 +0000 (UTC), (Charles
Demas) wrote:

>In article >,
>Uncle Wulf <this group> wrote:
>>Hello -
>>
>>I found a 6 pound bottom round roast at the store for a rediculously
>>low price, so I thought I'd give it a try on the smoker. I read the
>>BBQ FAQ and the relevant posts here, figured I was set.
>>
>[snip]
>>
>>The flavor's very good, and it's swimming in juice, but it's tougher
>>than I'm willing to put up with again. I knew it was gonna be a bit on
>>the chewy side, but not this chewy. At this point, I have two
>>questions.
>>
>>Does anybody here have any ideas for a better procedure for this cut?
>
>Grind it into hamburger.
>
>You could also braize it, i.e, potroast.
>
>Make jerky. It's low fat content makes it good for this.
>
>Slice it, jaccard it, cut it into chunks, marinate it in a
>tenderizing marinade, and make kabobs.
>
>Chuck Demas


Thanks, I'd kinda reached that conclusion myself. Do you have any
suggestion for a different cut that might be suitable for the smoker?
Not brisket, I've got a couple of those, and family and friends say I
do them pretty darn well. Of course, the wife and most of the friends
are yankees, so they can hardly be expected to have an informed
opinion. I'm looking for a "roast" type cut that would yeild
acceptable tenderness at higher temps in less time than the 12 to 15
hours it takes me to do a brisket.


Best -

Uncle Wulf

In alt.food.barbecue, Uncle Wulf > wrote:


> Thanks, I'd kinda reached that conclusion myself. Do you have any
> suggestion for a different cut that might be suitable for the smoker?

Underblade chuck roast, at least 4 inches thick, tied with butcher's
twine. Shove garlic into every place you can, then rub it heavily with a
chile-laced rub. Cook it until it falls apart.

Yum.

--
....I'm an air-conditioned gypsy...

- The Who

In article >, Uncle Wulf
> wrote:

> I'm looking for a "roast" type cut that would yeild
> acceptable tenderness at higher temps in less time than the 12 to 15
> hours it takes me to do a brisket.

Try a shoulder clod, aka arm roast. (it's the steer's triceps) Cooking
directions are similar to the chuck cuts -braise slowly. Some people
cook it until it pulls but I find that too dry.
The good thing about it is the uniform grain makes it easy to slice
into sandwich meat.

monroe(cook til medium)

In article >, says...
<snip>
<
<
<Thanks, I'd kinda reached that conclusion myself. Do you have any
<suggestion for a different cut that might be suitable for the smoker?
<Not brisket, I've got a couple of those, and family and friends say I
<

Try tri-tip. 2~3 pound tri-tip untrimmed, dome temp around
250F, cooked to internel temp of 145. Only takes 2~3 hours
on my WSM. Rub/season/marinate as you're wont.

Bill

bill wrote:
> In article >,
> says... <snip>
> <
> <
> <Thanks, I'd kinda reached that conclusion myself. Do you have any
> <suggestion for a different cut that might be suitable for the smoker?
> <Not brisket, I've got a couple of those, and family and friends say I
> <
>
> Try tri-tip. 2~3 pound tri-tip untrimmed, dome temp around
> 250F, cooked to internel temp of 145. Only takes 2~3 hours
> on my WSM. Rub/season/marinate as you're wont.
>

I've come to think tri-tip is better off grilled. It's good slower too but
too dry for me.


--

In article >, says...
<bill wrote:
<> In article >,
<> says... <snip>
<> <
<> <
<> <Thanks, I'd kinda reached that conclusion myself. Do you have any
<> <suggestion for a different cut that might be suitable for the smoker?
<> <Not brisket, I've got a couple of those, and family and friends say I
<> <
<>
<> Try tri-tip. 2~3 pound tri-tip untrimmed, dome temp around
<> 250F, cooked to internel temp of 145. Only takes 2~3 hours
<> on my WSM. Rub/season/marinate as you're wont.
<>
<
<I've come to think tri-tip is better off grilled. It's good slower too but
<too dry for me.
<
<
<

I try to pick the fattiest looking untrimmed ones from the butcher case at
Albertsons. First time I got one from their new meat cutter he looked at me wierd
until I told him what I was going to do with them. He was used to trimming most
of the fat off for the grilling customers.

So far they've come out pretty good. Thawing 2 at the moment for this weekend.
I think I'm going to try marinating them in some coconut/mango/habenero sauce.

At least the dogs haven't complained so far. Oh, I like them grilled too, it's
just too hot lately to futz with grilling. Smoking them, I can retire to the A/C
comfort of the house where it's a nice 74F and monitor the temps with my remote
thermometers. It hit 106F on the patio again to day and that's in the shade.

The dogs have taken root in front of one of the A/C vents.

Bill

bill wrote:
>
> I try to pick the fattiest looking untrimmed ones from the butcher
> case at Albertsons. First time I got one from their new meat cutter
> he looked at me wierd until I told him what I was going to do with
> them. He was used to trimming most of the fat off for the grilling
> customers.

I'm a little confused here, you can get ones with fat on them in the case,
or you have to ask to have them cut untrimmed special?
10 years ago I used to be able to get them with a nice fat cap on em, but
starting about 4 years ago or so they started trimming the shit out of them,
hell, many now have almost zero fat cap. Bleh. Now that I grill them I dont
bother asking the butcher special for an untrimmed piece.
On a side note, our local store doesnt even carry lamb any more.

> So far they've come out pretty good. Thawing 2 at the moment for
> this weekend. I think I'm going to try marinating them in some
> coconut/mango/habenero sauce.

Sounds pretty good, I'll share my favorite tri-tip marinade and hope you'll
post the recipe for yours in return.

1/2 C soy sauce
1/4 C red wine vinegar
1/8 C cooking oil
2-3 cloves garlic minced/crushed
2 T powdered ginger
Several shakes Lawery's Seasoned pepper <--essential

Marinate overnight.


D
--

In article >, says...
<bill wrote:
<>
<> I try to pick the fattiest looking untrimmed ones from the butcher
<> case at Albertsons. First time I got one from their new meat cutter
<> he looked at me wierd until I told him what I was going to do with
<> them. He was used to trimming most of the fat off for the grilling
<> customers.
<
<I'm a little confused here, you can get ones with fat on them in the case,
<or you have to ask to have them cut untrimmed special?

At this particular Albertsons < don't know about the others > the packaged
tri-tip is usually trimmed. The tri-tip in the butchers case is usually
untrimmed and they trim/cut it any way you want. Of course I only get it when
it's on sale. Last time was $2.49 a pound. I bought ten.

<10 years ago I used to be able to get them with a nice fat cap on em, but
<starting about 4 years ago or so they started trimming the shit out of them,
<hell, many now have almost zero fat cap. Bleh. Now that I grill them I dont
<bother asking the butcher special for an untrimmed piece.
<On a side note, our local store doesnt even carry lamb any more.

For lamb, I walk across the parking lot to the Indian/Muslim store. Boy,
do they have lamb, usually at half the price of any where else I go to.
And it's Halal. Mutton, beef tongue, big chuck ribs, flank meat
at the Mexican store. Goat, seafood, deer, quail, duck, at the
Vietnamese/Chinese/Korean stores. Smart and Final for packer cuts.
Gotta love diversity.

<
<> So far they've come out pretty good. Thawing 2 at the moment for
<> this weekend. I think I'm going to try marinating them in some
<> coconut/mango/habenero sauce.
<
<Sounds pretty good, I'll share my favorite tri-tip marinade and hope you'll
<post the recipe for yours in return.
<
<1/2 C soy sauce
<1/4 C red wine vinegar
<1/8 C cooking oil
<2-3 cloves garlic minced/crushed
<2 T powdered ginger
<Several shakes Lawery's Seasoned pepper <--essential
<
<Marinate overnight.

I'm one of those cooks that cooks by taste, so an exact recipe would be
impossible. But if I was to start by using yours, it would go like this:

1/2 cup soy sauce < the sodium lite variety, wife has to watch the salt
intake >

1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar < red pepper >

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/8 cup peanut oil

Double the garlic and add an equal amount of minced onion
or one whole head of elephant garlic in place of the other 2

1 tsp fresh sliced ginger root from my garden

1 tsp chinese 5 spice

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

marinate

As for a favorite, I just use what I have on hand. Nothing I make seems to taste
the same way twice.

This week the cheap meat seems to be at Ralphs. Fresh pork shoulder roast
$0.89/lb, cured hams same price, standing rib roast or steaks $3.99/lb.
Beef back ribs at Food 4 Less $0.98/lb. I'll pick some of those up if they
haven't trimmed all the meat of of them.

Tonite I'm throwing together for dinner 'thom ngon hop khau vi' spicy crab soup,
chicken and mushroom balls, brown rice, and rice noodles, and what ever else
volunteers from the refrigerator/pantry. Why? Wife's out for dinner and it sounds
interesting. If it tastes like crap, the dogs get it. So long as it doesn't come
out of a bag or can that says dog food on it, they'll eat it.
Pizza man delivers.

<
<
<D
<


Bill

bill wrote:
> In article >,
> says... <bill wrote:
> <>
> For lamb, I walk across the parking lot to the Indian/Muslim store.

Doh! I don't live near the local Indian high concentration (Fremont) but I'm
sure there's something within 10 miles or so.

> do they have lamb, usually at half the price of any where else I go
> to. And it's Halal.
> Mutton, beef tongue, big chuck ribs, flank meat
> at the Mexican store.

Gotcha covered there, lotsa Carniceria's round here, fun to shop at. Even
better are the markets with all the veggies and peppers. Yum. But you know
that already.

> Gotta love diversity.

I hear that.

That's a pretty interesting coconut/mango/habanero marinade. If you take
another look, you might know exactly how interesting. <BG>
Still looks pretty tasty, I'll be trying it this summer for sure. Thank you.


Dale
--

In article >,
says...
<bill wrote:
<> In article >,
<> says... <bill wrote:
<> <>
<> For lamb, I walk across the parking lot to the Indian/Muslim store.
<
<Doh! I don't live near the local Indian high concentration (Fremont) but I'm
<sure there's something within 10 miles or so.
<
<> do they have lamb, usually at half the price of any where else I go
<> to. And it's Halal.
<> Mutton, beef tongue, big chuck ribs, flank meat
<> at the Mexican store.
<
<Gotcha covered there, lotsa Carniceria's round here, fun to shop at. Even
<better are the markets with all the veggies and peppers. Yum. But you know
<that already.
<
<> Gotta love diversity.
<
<I hear that.
<
<That's a pretty interesting coconut/mango/habanero marinade. If you take
<another look, you might know exactly how interesting. <BG>
<Still looks pretty tasty, I'll be trying it this summer for sure. Thank you.
<
<
<Dale
<

Well if there isn't a store for it around here in So. Cal. it's
because those people couldn't get transportation to get here.

Btw, threw in mushrooms and a tilapia filet into that pot of
dinner I was cooking. Wasn't haute cuisine, but there wasn't any
left for the dogs either.

Bill

Uncle Wulf > wrote in message >. ..
> Hello -
>
> I found a 6 pound bottom round roast at the store for a rediculously
> low price, so I thought I'd give it a try on the smoker. I read the
> BBQ FAQ and the relevant posts here, figured I was set.
>
> I put the meat on at 41 degrees internal, smoker temp 225. Three hours
> and a bit more at 225-250 gave an internal temp of 139. I took the
> roast out then and let it rest in a cooler for half an hour, at which
> point the internal had peaked at 147 degrees.
>
> The flavor's very good, and it's swimming in juice, but it's tougher
> than I'm willing to put up with again. I knew it was gonna be a bit on
> the chewy side, but not this chewy. At this point, I have two
> questions.
>
> Does anybody here have any ideas for a better procedure for this cut?
>
> Would anybody care to recommend a different cut of beef for next time?
>
> I probably wouldn't have gotten that roast, but $.69 a pound for beef
> is mighty hard to pass up. Thanks for any advice y'all might have.
>
>
> Best -
>
> Uncle Wulf

It looks to me, Unk, that at .69 per pound you got your moneys worth.
Probably, at less than select grade too I would suspect. (see
http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/Beef/rp357.htm#qg for a guide to beef grades.
There's a nice chart there for reference and comparison)

In the future, and in considering the length of cooking time in our
beloved process, use a really fatty heavilly marbled piece of meat, or
one loaded with collagen such as brisket, or it'll just seize up on
you.

Pierre

On 5 May 2004 09:54:35 -0700, (Pierre) wrote:

>Uncle Wulf > wrote in message >. ..
>> Hello -
>>
>> I found a 6 pound bottom round roast at the store for a rediculously
>> low price, so I thought I'd give it a try on the smoker. I read the
>> BBQ FAQ and the relevant posts here, figured I was set.
>>
>> I put the meat on at 41 degrees internal, smoker temp 225. Three hours
>> and a bit more at 225-250 gave an internal temp of 139. I took the
>> roast out then and let it rest in a cooler for half an hour, at which
>> point the internal had peaked at 147 degrees.
>>
>> The flavor's very good, and it's swimming in juice, but it's tougher
>> than I'm willing to put up with again. I knew it was gonna be a bit on
>> the chewy side, but not this chewy. At this point, I have two
>> questions.
>>
>> Does anybody here have any ideas for a better procedure for this cut?
>>
>> Would anybody care to recommend a different cut of beef for next time?
>>
>> I probably wouldn't have gotten that roast, but $.69 a pound for beef
>> is mighty hard to pass up. Thanks for any advice y'all might have.
>>
>>
>> Best -
>>
>> Uncle Wulf
>
>It looks to me, Unk, that at .69 per pound you got your moneys worth.
>Probably, at less than select grade too I would suspect. (see
>http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/Beef/rp357.htm#qg for a guide to beef grades.
>There's a nice chart there for reference and comparison)
>
>In the future, and in considering the length of cooking time in our
>beloved process, use a really fatty heavilly marbled piece of meat, or
>one loaded with collagen such as brisket, or it'll just seize up on
>you.
>
>Pierre


Yes, I definitely got my money's worth. The first time around, it was
a little too chewey. After 2 days in the fridge (the amount of time it
took to get up enough courage to try it again) the leftovers would
have been a challenge for my rottweilers. Solved that problem by
making the leftovers into meat pie. Tenderized them suckers nicely,
and the smoke flavor of the meat with the mushrooms and onions really
helped the dish along.

I had actually gone to the store looking for a plain old chuck roast
like we used to get down South. None to be had. Everything in the case
was trimmed flat nekkid, too. Damn Atkins diet craze, I suppose.
Thanks to all for the advice.


Best -

Uncle Wulf

In article >,
Uncle Wulf <this group> wrote:
>On 5 May 2004 09:54:35 -0700, (Pierre) wrote:
>
>>Uncle Wulf > wrote in message
> ...
>>> Hello -
>>>
>>> I found a 6 pound bottom round roast at the store for a rediculously
>>> low price, so I thought I'd give it a try on the smoker. I read the
>>> BBQ FAQ and the relevant posts here, figured I was set.
>>>
>>> I put the meat on at 41 degrees internal, smoker temp 225. Three hours
>>> and a bit more at 225-250 gave an internal temp of 139. I took the
>>> roast out then and let it rest in a cooler for half an hour, at which
>>> point the internal had peaked at 147 degrees.
>>>
>>> The flavor's very good, and it's swimming in juice, but it's tougher
>>> than I'm willing to put up with again. I knew it was gonna be a bit on
>>> the chewy side, but not this chewy. At this point, I have two
>>> questions.
>>>
>>> Does anybody here have any ideas for a better procedure for this cut?
>>>
>>> Would anybody care to recommend a different cut of beef for next time?
>>>
>>> I probably wouldn't have gotten that roast, but $.69 a pound for beef
>>> is mighty hard to pass up. Thanks for any advice y'all might have.
>>>
>>>
>>> Best -
>>>
>>> Uncle Wulf
>>
>>It looks to me, Unk, that at .69 per pound you got your moneys worth.
>>Probably, at less than select grade too I would suspect. (see
>>http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/Beef/rp357.htm#qg for a guide to beef grades.
>>There's a nice chart there for reference and comparison)
>>
>>In the future, and in considering the length of cooking time in our
>>beloved process, use a really fatty heavilly marbled piece of meat, or
>>one loaded with collagen such as brisket, or it'll just seize up on
>>you.
>>
>>Pierre
>
>
>Yes, I definitely got my money's worth. The first time around, it was
>a little too chewey. After 2 days in the fridge (the amount of time it
>took to get up enough courage to try it again) the leftovers would
>have been a challenge for my rottweilers. Solved that problem by
>making the leftovers into meat pie. Tenderized them suckers nicely,
>and the smoke flavor of the meat with the mushrooms and onions really
>helped the dish along.
>
>I had actually gone to the store looking for a plain old chuck roast
>like we used to get down South. None to be had. Everything in the case
>was trimmed flat nekkid, too. Damn Atkins diet craze, I suppose.

It isn't Atkins thats causing it.

Atkins doesn't mind fat; Atkins is a low CARB diet.

In fact, Atkins recognizes that fat gives you a full feeling, and
if stalled in weight loss, Atkins suggests a high fat diet for a
short time to "restart" weight loss.


Chuck Demas

--
Eat Healthy | _ _ | Nothing would be done at all,
Stay Fit | @ @ | If a man waited to do it so well,
Die Anyway | v | That no one could find fault with it.
| \___/ | http://world.std.com/~cpd