Smoked Cross Rib Roast
On March 02, 2022 (Updated October 24, 2023)
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Ready for a roast that packs all the flavor and makes the most amazing sit-down family dinner? Leave it to Hey Grill Hey and this smoked cross rib roast to help you make a perfect Sunday roast the whole family will love.
What is Cross Rib Roast?
Cross rib roasts come from the chuck primal section of the cow. It is a heavily used batch of muscle, with a great amount of fat (which equals flavor). The tight connective tissues in the roast itself means this particular cut is perfect for slow cooking and shredding.
This roast is a prime cut for smoking. A nice slow smoke, followed by cooking in a braise will add lots of flavor to this roast. Finish it off by shredding and serving it alongside some tasty Smoked Mashed Potatoes for a gorgeous meal.
Cross Rib Roast
This smoked cross rib roast is the ultimate Sunday or family supper roast. Slow smoked and then braised with savory seasonings and aromatics, this roast is loaded with rich flavor in every bite.
Completely comforting and incredibly easy to prepare, this is one roast recipe that will land in your regular rotation. I highly recommend bookmarking this page, or saving the recipe below for easy reference.
How to Smoke Cross Rib Roast
Even though this roast takes a bit of time to get it to that perfect doneness, it is well worth the effort! Plan on making this on a weekend with a group of hungry folks coming for dinner!
- Season. This roast is amazing when seasoned with Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub. You can puchase this awesome rub from our store, or you can keep things simple and season your meat with equal parts kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
- Smoke. Preheat your preferred smoker to 275 degrees F. Once the smoker is running at a consistent temperature, place the roast directly on the grates, close the lid, and smoke until the roast reads 165 degrees F. This will likely take around 4 hours, but be sure to cook to temperature and not to time.
- Braise. Make the braise in a disposable aluminum pan, and add the roast. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, and return it to the smoker. Finish smoking until the roast reaches 205 degrees F.
- Shred and serve. Remove the roast from the grill and shred. Snag some of my meat shredder claws to make quick work of that shredding. Drizzle additonal braising liquid over the meat for added flavor and serve alonside your favorite comforting sides.
How Long to Smoke a Cross Rib Roast
This roast is best cooked in a low and slow smoke. Plan on around 6-7 hours of total cook time for this roast.
Smoke the meat directly on the grill for an initial 4 hours until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Next, finish the beef in a brase covered in foil until it comes to a final temperature of at least 205 degrees F (2-3 hours).
As with any other smoked meat, time is not as important as temperature, and each meat will cook at a different time. Use this 6-7 hour cook time as a general gauge, and rely on a meat thermometer to best keep track of your meat.
More Smoked Roast Recipes
Do you have a large crowd to feed or family coming in to town for the weekend? Smoke up a delicious beef roast to keep everyone full and happy! Check out a few of our favorite smoked roast recipes from Hey Grill Hey.
Smoked Cross Rib Roast Recipe
Here at Hey Grill Hey, we’re all about helping you make good BBQ for the people you love. This shredded roast is sure to put a smile on everyone’s face while making you feel like the ultimate BBQ hero.
Did you have success with this recipe? If so, be sure to leave us a 5-star review below!
Smoked Cross Rib Roast
Ingredients
- 1 3-4 pound cross rib roast
- 3 teaspoon Beef Rub or equal parts salt and pepper
Cross Rib Roast Braise
- 8 Tablespoons butter
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat. Heat your smoker to 275 degrees F with your favorite hardwood. I love oak and cherry with this cut of beef.
- Season. While the grill is preheating, prepare your roast. Season on all sides with the Beef Rub or salt and pepper.
- Smoke. Place the roast on the smoker, close the lid, and smoke for approximately 4 hours, or until the roast reads 165 degrees F.
- Make the braise. Assemble the ingredients for the braise while the roast smokes. Place the butter, garlic, onions, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and rosemary in the bottom of an aluminum pan or cast iron pot (with a fitted lid).
- Braise. Place the smoked roast atop the braising ingredients, and cover the pan tightly with foil. Return the roast to the smoker and continue cooking at 275 degrees F until the roast reads an internal temperature of at least 205 degrees F and shreds easily with a knife. This braising step should take approximately 2-3 hours, depending on the size of your roast.
- Shred and serve. Remove the roast to a serving platter and shred. Strain out the sprigs of herbs from the pan juices. Drizzle the strained liquid over the shredded beef for moisture and flavor. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can this but sliced instead of shredded ?
Yes.
Do you or can you use red wine vinegar ?? Or just normal red wine ??
The recipe uses red wine. You can substitute it for equal parts red wine vinegar and water if you want. So instead of the 1 cup of red win, 1/2 cup red wine vinegar and a 1/2 cup water. It will have a similar, but lesser effect on color and taste.
This was absolutely amazing. I followed the recipe fairly closely, ha, and it turn out beautifully. Served atop lemon pasta the first night, then street tacos the next.
Thank you for helping me with this cut of meat. I had never bought it before and was amazed how tender it was.
Absolutely fabulous.
Smoked this yesterday and it was enjoyed overall. It took right about four hours to get to 165, and just under three more to finish to 205. Rather than shredding as I expected, I needed to slice this up with a knife. The flavor was great, but I really had to work the braise liquid back in to keep it from being too dry.Did I miss something with this recipe to get it shred-worthy, or did I just have a mediocre cut of meat?
Gonna make this soon. Any red wine recommendations for this? I have not really cooked with, or really drink wine, so not sure what to use.
Just out of curiousity, why is this cooked to 205°F when safe roast temperature is 145°F? Is it to make it easier to shred?
Yes, and you need to cook to that high of a temperature to render the intramuscular fat. 145 won’t get close.
I am enjoying a plate full of delicious beef as I write this. Made this in my Webber Kettle. Came out great! Thank you!
Fantastic recipe! This turned out very well and was enjoyed by all at the dinner table.
Is there much of a difference between a cross rib roast and a chuck roast?