By Daniel Hale

Tailgating calls for food that’s easy to serve, easy to eat, and substantial enough to satisfy hungry sports fans. Here at BarbecueBible.com, we believe you can do better than the usual burgers and hotdogs. BBQ beef sliders check all three boxes, especially when the beef has been smoked low and slow over smoldering hardwood. Just one catch: You’ll want to smoke the beef the day before the game. Which, come to think of it, isn’t a catch at all, because by doing most of the prep ahead of time, you get to enjoy the game.

For this recipe, I went with chuck roast instead of brisket. It’s a smaller, more manageable cut of beef with plenty of marbling and rich flavor. It’s a lot more affordable (and these days, who isn’t worried about the grocery bill.). And when smoked properly, it makes a spectacular filling for BBQ sandwiches.

I used the Monument Denali 605Pro gas grill and Monument smoker box to smoke the chuck roast low and slow, developing a flavorful, smoky bark before chopping the beef for our sliders.

And yes, you can smoke beef on a gas grill. You just need the right setup, some wood chips, and patience.

Why Chuck Roast Works for BBQ Sliders

Chuck roast comes from the shoulder of the steer, an area that gets plenty of exercise. The meat contains loads of connective tissue and intramuscular fat, which make it particularly well-suited to low-and-slow smoking.

As the roast heats, the connective tissue gradually breaks down, helping transform a tough cut of beef into meat tender enough to cut with the side of a fork.

Chuck also has a practical advantage over brisket. You can purchase a roast weighing three to five pounds rather than committing to a 12 pound packer. For this smoke, I started with a boneless chuck roast weighing a little over 4 1/2 pounds.

If you have the time and patience, you can smoke a chuck roast until it’s tender enough to pull or shred with forks. I had neither, so I chopped the smoked chuck with a cleaver instead. It makes an excellent sandwich filling, especially when mixed with barbecue sauce.

How to Set Up the Monument Denali 605Pro for Smoking

A gas grill might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about smoking beef, but with indirect heat and a smoker box, it’s entirely possible.

I used the Monument Denali 605 gas grill, setting it up for indirect grilling with a target temperature of approximately 250°F.

The Monument smoker box holds wood chips, allowing them to smolder over an active burner and produce smoke inside the grill. The chuck roast sits away from the direct heat, where it can smoke slowly without scorching.

My target was 250°F, although the grill temperature fluctuated between approximately 230°F and 280°F throughout the smoke. Maintaining a steady low temperature can be tricky on a gas grill, even with the burners turned down.

Steven shared a little hack for managing the heat: Prop the grill lid open slightly with a small metal rod to allow some heat to escape. (I wish I’d known that one before I started!)

I added wood chips twice during the initial smoking stage. The goal was to develop a noticeable smoke flavor and a dark exterior bark, not to produce heavy smoke for the entire grilling session.

A few tips for smoking on a gas grill:

• Use indirect heat so the roast isn’t sitting directly over an active burner.
• Monitor the grill temperature and adjust the burners as necessary.
• Replenish wood chips when needed, especially during the early stages of smoking.
• Use a meat thermometer to follow the roast’s progress.

Smoking the Chuck Roast

I started by seasoning the chuck roast generously with Steven’s Texas Brisket Rub, covering all sides of the meat.

Once the Denali 605Pro was preheated and the smoker box was producing smoke, I placed the roast over indirect heat and closed the lid.

After four hours, the internal temperature was approximately 142°F. An hour later, it had only climbed to 147°F.

That slow progression isn’t unusual with a large piece of beef. Evaporative cooling can slow the rise in internal temperature, a phenomenon barbecue enthusiasts know as the stall. And personally, it drove me crazy.

By this point, the chuck roast had spent around five hours in the smoke, developing its bark and smoke flavor.

Rather than continuing to smoke the beef uncovered, I moved to the next stage: a covered finish to help tenderize the meat.

Finishing the Chuck Roast

Once the smoking stage was complete, I transferred the roast to a foil pan with beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, and onion powder.

I covered the pan tightly to retain moisture and moved it to the oven to finish. That’s a little tip I picked up from barbecuebible.com editor Nancy Loseke: Once the grill has done its job developing the smoke flavor and bark, there’s no need to keep burning propane—unless you want to. Your oven can take it from there.

The purpose of this stage is to help break down the connective tissue while keeping the meat moist. The liquid also collects beef juices that can be used later when preparing the sliders.

After more than eight hours of total grilling and finishing time, the chuck roast reached approximately 205°F internally.

Here’s something worth emphasizing: Internal temperature alone doesn’t guarantee tender beef.

Although the roast had reached the temperature normally associated with shreddable chuck, it wasn’t quite as tender as I had hoped. One section pulled apart relatively easily, while the larger portion still offered a little resistance.

Since it was getting late, it was time for Plan B. I decided to chop the meat instead.

And that proved excellent for sliders.

If you’re aiming for fully shredded beef, you have to keep cooking until a temperature probe or skewer slides into the thickest part with very little resistance. That final tenderness test is more important than reaching a particular temperature on the thermometer.

Building the Smoked Chuck Roast BBQ Sliders

With the beef rested and chopped, it was time to assemble the sliders.

I mixed some of the chopped smoked chuck roast with barbecue sauce, using just enough to coat the beef without overpowering the smoke flavor. You can use any barbecue sauce you like, including Steven’s Chipotle Molasses Barbecue Sauce. Personally, I prefer a sauce with less sugar for health reasons. I’m partial to Stubb’s Simply Sweet Reduced Sugar BBQ Sauce.

For the sandwiches, I kept it simple: Hawaiian slider rolls, smoked BBQ beef, and provolone cheese. The sweetness of the rolls worked nicely with the smoky beef and barbecue sauce.

These sliders are ideal for tailgating because you can prepare the beef the day before the game. Save some of the juices from the covered finishing stage to keep the meat moist when reheating.

On game day, simply reheat the beef until hot, toast the slider rolls, add the provolone, and assemble the sandwiches.

Smoked Chuck Roast BBQ Sliders for Game Day

The finished sliders were fantastic. The smoky beef, barbecue sauce, melted provolone, and sweetness of the Hawaiian rolls made a spectacular sandwich!

The Monument Denali 605Pro did a great job smoking the chuck roast. Paired with the Monument smoker box, it gave the beef plenty of smoke flavor and developed a nice bark, all on a gas grill.

Not bad for a tailgate sandwich!

Recipe

Smoked Chuck Roast BBQ Sliders

Smoked chuck roast, chopped or shredded and tossed with barbecue sauce, served on Hawaiian slider rolls with melted provolone cheese.

Yield: Approximately 16–20 sliders (estimated)

Method: Indirect smoking

Equipment: Gas grill, smoker box, meat thermometer, disposable foil pan, aluminum foil

Ingredients

For the smoked chuck roast:

• 1 boneless beef chuck roast (approximately 4 1/2 pounds)
• Steven Raichlen’s Texas Brisket Rub (or your favorite barbecue rub), enough to generously season the roast
• Wood chips, for smoking
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon jarred minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon onion powder

For the sliders:

• 16–20 Hawaiian slider rolls
• Your favorite barbecue sauce, to taste
• Sliced provolone cheese, enough for each slider

Instructions

1. Season the beef: Generously season the chuck roast on all sides with Steven Raichlen’s Texas Brisket Rub.
2. Set up the grill: Prepare the gas grill for indirect smoking at approximately 250°F. Fill the smoker box with wood chips and position it over an active burner according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
3. Smoke the chuck roast: Place the roast over indirect heat and close the lid. Maintain a grill temperature near 250°F, replenishing the wood chips as needed. Smoke until the roast develops a dark bark and reaches an internal temperature of approximately 165°F.
4. Cover the roast: Transfer the chuck roast to a disposable foil pan. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, and onion powder. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
5. Finish the roast: Return the covered pan to the grill over indirect heat. Continue smoking at approximately 250°F. When the internal temperature reaches 205°F, begin checking for tenderness. The beef is ready when a temperature probe or skewer slides into the thickest part with very little resistance.
6. Rest and chop: Remove the roast from the grill and let it rest for 20–30 minutes. Chop or shred the beef, reserving some of the pan juices.
7. Add the barbecue sauce: Toss the beef with enough barbecue sauce to coat it. Add a little reserved pan liquid if needed to keep the meat moist.
8. Prepare the slider rolls: Split the Hawaiian slider rolls and lightly toast them on the grill. Place a portion of BBQ beef on each bottom bun and top with provolone cheese. Warm briefly until the cheese melts.
9. Assemble and serve: Replace the top buns and serve warm.

Make-Ahead Tailgating Tip

Prepare the smoked chuck roast the day before the game. Refrigerate the chopped or shredded beef with some of the reserved pan juices in a covered container. On game day, reheat the beef thoroughly to 165°F, adding reserved liquid as needed to keep it moist. Toss with barbecue sauce and assemble the sliders shortly before serving.

A big thank you to Monument Grills for sponsoring this post.

The post Big Beef Flavor, Little Buns: <br />Smoked Chuck Roast Sliders appeared first on Barbecuebible.com.

Weary of the usual tailgating fare? Whether you party on the asphalt or in your backyard, we have the perfect antidote for “wing fatigue”: Smoked Pork Chili Verde.

Forget the usual hot dogs and hamburgers. This smoky, slightly spicy pork chili brings something different to the party, and it won’t cost a fortune.

This recipe—one of our favorites—was developed when we were blessed with an abundance of fire-roasted green chile peppers at a session of Steven’s Barbecue University. Meaty country-style pork ribs (not ribs at all, but a well-marbled cut from the shoulder) were smoked and helped turn these peppers into a dish that could feed more than 50 attendees. The recipe has since been adjusted to feed 12.

Happily, the chili benefits from an overnight rest in the refrigerator. Make it at home the day before the party, then reheat before your guests arrive. We like to serve the chili from a Dutch oven, like this one from Lodge.

What makes this pork chili verde special is its combination of roasted green chiles, tangy tomatillos, tender pork, and a touch of wood smoke.

The green chiles and vegetables develop a rich, roasted flavor when charred over high heat. Meanwhile, the pork gets its own dose of smoke before everything comes together for a slow, gentle braise.

It’s the kind of meal that makes people stop talking about the game long enough to ask, “Who made this chili?”

And that’s saying something when the score is tied in the fourth quarter.

Recipe

Barbecue University Chili Verde

Recipe by Steven Raichlen

Country-style pork ribs are smoked over wood, then gently braised with fire-roasted green chiles, tomatillos, onions, and spices. This crowd-sized chili serves 12 and tastes even better the next day.

Yield: 12 servings

Equipment: Grill or smoker; grill-safe Dutch oven or heatproof casserole; food processor; 2 cups wood chips or chunks, preferably mesquite, soaked for 1 hour and drained

Ingredients

• 20 to 24 fresh chiles, preferably a mix of poblanos, Anaheim, Hatch, or New Mexican chiles
• 2 to 3 jalapeño chiles
• 1-1/2 to 2 pounds fresh tomatillos, husked, washed, and halved
• 2 large Spanish onions, peeled and quartered through the stem ends
• 4 to 5 pounds country-style pork ribs, bone-in or boneless, each 3/4 to 1 inch thick
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 12-ounce bottle or can of beer, in a spray bottle
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, coarse stems removed, with a few sprigs reserved for serving
• 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 6 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin, or more to taste
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican
• Sour cream or Mexican crema, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Set up your grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. Grill the chiles, jalapeños, tomatillos, and onions, turning as needed, until the chile skins blister and blacken and the onions develop a good char.
2. Transfer the grilled vegetables to a large bowl and allow them to cool. Peel, stem, and seed the chiles, reserving their juices. Remove any excessively charred layers from the onions and tomatillos. Coarsely chop the vegetables and garlic.
3. Working in two batches, process the roasted vegetables, cilantro, garlic, chicken broth, cumin, and oregano in a food processor. Pour the mixture into one or two grill-safe Dutch ovens or heatproof casseroles.
4. Prepare the grill for indirect grilling at 225 to 250 degrees F, placing a drip pan between the coal piles. Add 1/2 cup of wood chips or chunks to each pile, replenishing halfway through smoking. Alternatively, use a smoker according to its instructions. On a gas grill, use a smoker box or foil smoking pouch, starting on high until smoke appears, then reducing the heat to medium-low.
5. Season the pork generously with salt and black pepper. Place the ribs over the drip pan and smoke for 1 hour, turning once and periodically spraying with beer. Transfer the smoked pork into the chile mixture, submerging the pieces.
6. Cover the Dutch oven or casserole and place it on the grill. Cover the grill and braise for 1-1/2 hours, maintaining a temperature of approximately 300 degrees F by adding coals as needed.
7. Move the Dutch oven to a heatproof surface. Remove the pork, discard any bones, and cut the meat into bite-size pieces. Stir it back into the chili. Adjust the seasoning with additional broth, cumin, or salt if necessary. Serve in bowls, topped with sour cream or crema if desired, and garnish with cilantro.

See the original Barbecue University Chili Verde recipe.

The post Smoked Pork Chili: A Winning Tailgating Feast (Budget-Friendly, Too!) appeared first on Barbecuebible.com.

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The post 54+ Tailgating Recipes for Game Day appeared first on Simply Meat Smoking.

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