We used to think of chuck roast as nothing more than stew meat. That all changed when we first cooked the meat sous vide. Now that $7 roast can be transformed into a prime cut of beef.
For this cook, we did a very basic salt and pepper rub to let the taste of the meat shine. And boy it shines. But if we want to take our chuck roast straight to Flavortown, we like to use our favorite seasoning blend, Meat Church, to kick the flavor up a notch.
Time and Temperature
Through loads of experimentation, we’ve found that cooking the chuck roast at 136F for 48 hours is the perfect combo. Leaving the roast in for 48 hours breaks down the connective tissue (collagen), which results in an extremely tender meat. Also, cooking the chuck roast at a temperature of 136F is the sweet spot for that perfect edge to edge rosy color. Just make sure you have a reliable sous vide that accurately regulates the temperature of the bath or your results may vary (check out the Anova or Joule). For other time and temperature options, check out our cooking guide here.
Special Equipment
Sous Vide Machine – This one is obvious. To cook sous vide, you’re going to need a device to precisely regulate the temperature of the bath water. The two best sous vide machines in the game right now are the Anova Precision Cooker and the Breville Joule. The main difference between the two is that with the Anova you can control the device both manually and with a mobile device, and with the Joule you can only control the device by using your mobile device. Either way, both sous vide machines are top class and you can’t go wrong with either choice.
12-quart Container – Although you can use a basic stockpot for your sous vide cooking needs, I highly recommend buying a large plastic container. They are inexpensive and spacious, so you won’t have to worry about cooking a big roast in a small pot. I recommend a 12 quart Rubbermaid container, as it is BPA free, sturdy, and large enough for just about anything you will be cooking.
Container Lid – If you are going to buy a plastic container, I highly suggest buying a compatible lid for it. When you sous vide for a long duration, the heat of the water causes evaporation. With a lid, it eliminates a majority of the evaporation so you can cook for 72 hours care-free.
Cast Iron Skillet – If you are looking to take your searing game to the next level, we recommend investing in a cast iron skillet. By using a cast iron in this recipe, you’ll achieve a deep sear on the protein. Cast irons are also extremely handy for searing just about any and all sous vide meat. Lodge offers the best quality and price, which is why it is our favorite cast iron brand.
Check out our full list of recommended gear here.
Sous Vide Chuck Roast
Ingredients
- 2-3 lb Chuck Roast
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Preparation
Set sous vide machine to 57.5C/136F.
Salt and pepper the chuck roast to taste. Put the roast in a freezer bag with crushed garlic, and remove the air through a vacuum sealer or the displacement method. Drop chuck roast in the bath for 48 hours.
Finishing
Remove bag from bath. Take chuck roast out of the bag, pat dry and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat pan on high and add oil. Sear for 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
Slice and serve chuck roast with aus jus or your favorite sauce and enjoy!
Have you ever tried putting on a smoker for 2 hours to get a smoke ring then Sous Vide it?
i have been thinking of trying this with my green egg.
I’ve tried the smoke to sous vide method with other meats, but not a chuck roast in particular. It is awesome though. Captures the nice, smoky flavors and retains the smoke ring. I’d recommend doing smoke, sous vide then smoke again to get some bark on the outside.
Great recipe. Results are juicy, yet fork tender. Nice to have already had someone do all the trial and error to find the right combination of time and temperature, and glad the results were posted here. Atypical of most sous vide recipes as far as cooking for 48 hours. Not sure searing was even necessary, but added an extra step.
I will give it a go and let you know!
Do you need to add more water over the 48 hour sous vide cooking time for the roast? Is it safe to do while you are sleeping?
Thank you
Hi Karen, great question. If you are using a normal stock pot, you will most likely need to add more water throughout the 48 hour cook due to evaporation. It is safe to cook overnight while you are sleeping , however if the water level is too low the sous vide machine will turn off (which could ruin your cook). I recommend purchasing a 12 quart plastic container with a compatible lid. With a lid, there is minimal evaporation so you can cook for over 72 hours without having to refill the water once. Check out my gear section for the container and lid I recommend.
I have an 11 quart pressure cooker/stock pot I use, and it works well. I fill it to the very top, and then top it off every morning and evening for the next 48 hours, which usually means adding back the 2 cups or so which evaporated. I use warm water, and the cooking temperature is reestablished within 5 minutes of adding the water. Have never been been concerned about safety while sleeping or being gone for the day.
OK smoked the beef chuck roast for 2 hours. Sousvide for 48 then smoked again for 2 hours to get the bark back. It was amazing.
Thank you for letting me know, I’m glad it turned out awesome! I actually did a sous vide to smoke over the weekend with a picanha and it turned out amazing as well. I am going to do a little more experimentation then come out with a big blog post about it.
Great recipe. Crazy how good chuck roast can be after cooking sous vide.
Any thoughts on finishing the chuck roast similar to your prime rib recipe?
I think that would be amazing!
One addtl method for this. In this order:
SV/ICE CHILL/FRIDGE/SMOKE
1. Follow the posted recipe directions, but as soon as the alarm goes off, have a large bowl with ice water, and plunge that SV bag into it, and let sit in the ice bath for 15-20 minutes.
2. Once you can hold the chuck SV bag in hand for one minute and feel ZERO warmth, place in fridge for at least 24 hours.
3. Next day ( or 3 days later, doesn’t matter), take out, remove from SV bag, pat completely dry.
4. Prep smoker for low temp (about 200-225), and then put a light coat of olive oil on roast. Season with whatever smoking rub you like.
5. Place temp probe with remote reader into meat, put in the smoker, and smoke until the roast is 5 DEGREES BELOW your original SV temp.
6. Take it out, rest for about 10 minutes, slice and serve.
Awesome! Great addition, Darren. I’ll have to try this.