Smoked Shredded Beef

By Christie Vanover | Published July 22, 2021 | Last Updated February 16, 2023

Disclosure: Breeo Smokeless Fire Pits compensated me for this recipe.

Shredded beef is one of my favorite recipes, because it uses easy-to-find ingredients that don’t cost too much, and it freezes super well, so you can have it on hand for those days when you don’t have time to cook a meal from start to finish.

This recipe cooks in two stages. First, I’ll be hanging the seasoned chuck roast to encapsulate some beautiful hickory smoke. Then, I’ll finish it in a Dutch oven with aromatics to braise it until it’s fork tender. Let’s get started.

The grill featured below is the Breeo X24 combined with the Outpost™ and Kettle Hook accessories.

To help the chuck roast hold its shape, use butcher’s twine to truss the meat. If you’re unfamiliar with how to do this, there are a lot of YouTube videos out there to help you out, or watch my video below.

If you’re using a Breeo®, set it up with the Outpost™ without the grill grate and add on the Kettle Hook accessory. For this recipe, I recommend using hickory logs, but charcoal will also do the trick.

Once the roast is trussed, season it all over with a beef rub or salt and pepper.

You can hang the roast onto the kettle hook using the twine, or you can use two metal meat hooks under the twine like I did.

The smoking stage

As the roast hangs over the hickory coals, it will slowly cook while also absorbing the hickory smoke. That’s what sets this roast apart from traditional shredded beef.

Throughout the cooking process, keep an eye on the fire and keep adding logs or coals to the Breeo® as needed. The goal is to maintain a steady heat for several hours.

If you’re using a traditional smoker, you can lay the roast flat on the grill grate and smoke it at 250F degrees. 

Plan on smoking the chuck roast for one hour for every pound.

Once the meat has a beautiful mahogany bark and reaches an internal temperature around 140F degrees, it’s time for the next stage.

The braising stage

Remove the twine from the chuck roast and place it in a heavy-duty cast iron kettle or Dutch oven. Be sure the pot has a lid and handle, so you can hang it.

to get aromatics for the smoked shredded beef, add in a sliced onion, dried chiles and a can of beef consume. You could also add garlic, bay leaves and other spices, if you so desire.

Place the lid on the kettle and hang it on the kettle hook over the fire.

If you don’t have a cast iron pot with a handle, you can add the grill grate to the Outpost™ and set a covered pot right on the grate.

When cooking a 3-pound chuck roast, this stage will take another 2-3 hours. The goal for perfectly tender beef is an internal temp of 205F degrees.

If you don’t have a thermometer, use a fork. You’ll know it’s ready when the meat falls apart as you pierce it. If it feels tight, keep cooking it, until it’s tender.

The shred stage

Now that the chuck roast has been flavored with hickory smoke and those wonderful aromatics, every bite is going to be delicious.

Remove the peppers. Using two forks, start shredding the beef right in the pot. If you notice any large chunks of fat, go ahead and remove those.

Then, stir the beef together with the braised onions and juices and season with salt and pepper, if needed.

This shredded beef is fantastic on its own and even better on sandwiches or tacos.