Simple Sous Vide Chuck Roast Recipe and How To Guide

How to Sous Vide Chuck Roast Top

Chuck roast is one of my favorite cuts of beef, especially when using the sous vide method. It is super flavorful and really, really versatile. It's also inexpensive and easy to find, making it a great option for roast beef, pot roast, steaks or French dips!

When cooking a chuck roast you have two main options, either make it tender like a great steak or cook it at a higher temperature to approach a more traditional braise-like texture.

This is why sous vide chuck roast temperatures and times can be all over the place, because it really depends on what you want your final dish to be. Do you want a juicy steak? How about a succulent sous vide pot roast? Maybe shredded beef? A classic sous vide roast beef? You can do any of those with a chuck roast, but they all take different times and temperatures!

You can cook some other cuts of meat in a similar way, like sous vide top round roast, or sous vide bottom round, but I think the chuck is more flavorful and has a better texture.

How to Prep Sous Vide Chuck Roast

You can either cook the chuck roast whole, or cut it into slabs. I usually use 1" to 2" slabs so it's easier to sear afterwards, but a whole roast beef will be great for presentation as well.

There is usally some fat you need to cut off, and remove any gristle that you see.

I prefer to lightly salt the chuck steak before sous viding it but some people prefer to sous vide it unsalted. I use kosher salt but any kind is usually fine.

I often like to season it with some garlic powder and worcestershire sauce to boost the flavor. And sometimes I'll add fresh herbs or citrus peel to the bag. I'll leave the raw garlic and onions, as well as the black pepper, until after the sear though.

How to Seal Chuck Roast

You can use and heat safe, food grade plastic bag to seal your chuck roast. I normally use a vacuum bag but a Ziploc brand freezer bag also works well with the water displacement method.

What Temperature for Chuck Roast Top

People always ask what the best sous vide chuck roast temperature is, and the only honest answer is "it depends". As mentioned above, there are multiple dishes that you can create with chuck roast, so a lot of it comes down to what you are looking for.

Medium Rare and Medium Chuck Roast Temperature

If you want a good steak-like texture, then you usually will want to cook it at medium-rare to medium doneness. This is usually 130°F to 140°F (55°C to 60°C). If you prefer a rare steak, then you probably want to look for another cut, because chuck roast needs to cook for at least 24 hours, and sometimes up to 48 hours, which isn't safe at rare temperatures.

Well-Done and Pot Roast Temperature

If you are looking for a more well-done or lightly braised pot roast temprature, then I will usually go with 150°F (65°C). This results in a well-done, but still surprisingly juicy piece of meat. Instead of viewing it as a "ruined steak" as many people do, I view it as a "perfect pot roast".

Shredded Fall Apart Chuck Roast Temperature

If you are looking for a shreddable, really fall-apart texture, then you can bump the temperature up even higher. Starting at 156°F (69°C) it'll start to break down much more. I'll go as high as 176°F (80°C) if I want it to really just fall apart, with 165°F (74°C) being a nice mid-point.

How Long to Sous Vide a Chuck Roast Top

Much like the temperature, the length of time will depend on your final dish. The longer you cook it, and the higher the temperature, the more it will tenderize and break down.

Tender Sous Vide Chuck Roast Steaks

I love ribeye steaks but they are so expensive I tend to only have them as a special treat. Luckily for me, if you sous vide a chuck steak at a standard steak-like temperature for a few days it comes out tasting almost as good as a sous vide ribeye, at only about a third of the cost.

In order to tenderize the sous vide chuck steak enough for it to be enjoyable you need to cook it for at least a day, and sometimes up to three days. I tend to do a 36 hour cook but it will depend on the quality of steak you use. I prefer the low temperature of 131°F (55°C) but you can do as high as 150°F (65°C) depending on how well-done you like your steak.

Braise-Like Chuck Roast

If you want something along the lines of a more traditional pot roast-type meat you can increase the temperature. It's a wonderful cut of meat with lots of fat to render leaving a flaky, moist meat behind.

Depending on the texture you are striving for, there are many different time and temperature combinations you can select to simulate a traditional-style roast. I usually cook it at 176°F (80°C) for 12 to 18 hours for a very braise-like, shreddable texture or 156°F (73.9°C) for 18 to 24 hours, for a firmer, but still flaky texture.

It can also be helpful to cover the top of the water bath with a lid or plastic wrap to prevent evaporation with the high temperatures. That will keep the water level from getting too low.

How to Sear a Chuck Roast Top

Much like sous vide ribeye, prime rib and other fatty cuts, chuck roast benefits greatly from a good sear.

Once the sous vide chuck roast is tender, I will usually let it cool some before searing it. And for the best sear, I'll use step chilling and then reheat it during the searing process. Or you can give it a bump to 100°F (37°C) before searing up to the final temperature.

This works best when searing with a cast iron pan or a grill over high heat, or at least medium-high heat.

You can also use a sous vide torch to sear the meat when it is done. This won't raise the temperature any, so it can easily be done fresh out of the bag.

How to Serve Chuck Roast

There a lot of ways you can present chuck roast to your guests.

If it is a whole roast, you can serve it on a platter surrounded by vegetables, or even on the cutting board itself for a more rustic presentation.

It is amazing with a side of au jus from the sous vide vacuum sealer bag, or you can thicken the juices in a gravy or sauce. If you want a lot of gravy, you may need to bring in some additional beef stock so you have enough liquid.

A red wine reduction a more refined direction you can take it. Just combine some garlic cloves and a cup of red wine and let it reduce over medium heat until slightly thickened.

A simple pan sauce can be made after the sear by adding some shallots and garlic to the hot pan, then deglazing it with some lemon juice or white wine to remove the stuck bits of meat from the bottom of the pan.

I also love compound butters with minced garlic cloves and herbs mixed in.

Another favorite dish is to slice it thinly for sous vide French dip sandwiches

Best Simple Sous Vide Chuck Roast Master Recipe

This is my go-to steak recipes that will highlight the power of tenderization through longer sous vide times. It uses a chuck roast, which is usually tough and turned into a pot roast. But with sous vide we can tenderize it over time until it is juicy, tender, and the texture of a great steak!

Recipe Info

• Published: 2021-09-22
• Prep Time: 20 Minutes
• Cooktime: 36 to 60 Hours
• Total Time: 36 to 60 Hours
• Serves: 4
• Calories: 536 Calories (501 to 650)
• Tags: sous vide chuck roast, sous vide beef chuck roast, beef chuck roast, beef, sous vide, easy, simple

Ingredients Needed

• For the Chuck Roast
• 2 pounds chuck roast
• 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoons spice rub or herbs (optional)
• To Assemble
• Sides (optional)
• Sauces (optional)
• Garnishes (optional)

Recipe Instructions

Preheat the Sous Vide Machine: Start your sous vide machine preheating. I prefer 131°F (55.0°C) for medium rare or 141°F (60.5°C) for medium.

Prepare the beef: Trim off any fat or gristle. Salt the meat then coat with any spices.

Seal in Sous Vide Bag: Place the chuck roast in a sous vide bag then seal the bag.

Cook the chuck roast: Place the sealed beef in the sous vide bath and cook until tenderized, 36 to 60 hours.

Remove From Pouch: Remove the sous vide bag from the water bath. Take out the chuck roast and dry it off well. You can use paper towels or dish cloths, both work well.

Sear the beef: Sear the chuck roast for 1 to 2 minutes per side over high heat. It should just start to brown but the core temperature shouldn't rise. Remove it from the heat.

Time to Plate: Cut the meat into portions if desired. Add to a plate with any sides or sauces then serve.

About Beef Chuck Roast and Chuck Steak Top

Chuck is cut from the shoulder of the cow and is often used interchangeably when identifying cuts of meat. A chuck roast is one of the most economical cuts that yields the most flavor when cooked properly. Chuck roasts are usually flat pieces and 2 to 3 inches thick. Chuck steaks are a thinner cut of chuck roast. These types of steaks can have bones or be boneless. 7-bone steak is a common reference to this steak because the bone is in the shape of the number 7 (not because it has 7 bones).

Both chuck roasts and chuck steaks need either sous vide or moist heat cooking methods due to the connective tissue in this cut. Certain cuts of chuck roast include several muscles separated by connective tissue. Oven roasting is not generally recommended.

Chuck roasts have a balanced meat to fat ratio. They may be boneless or contain bones. Chuck roast is commonly referred to as the typical pot roast. This is also a great cut of meat to cook in a slow cooker. It is often the type of beef used as stew meat and ground beef. Beef from the shoulder region is also marinated and used in kabobs.

One way chuck steaks can be grilled or broiled is if they have been properly marinated. Marinating allows this tough cut of beef to become tender while cooking. However, to ensure the steaks are perfectly cooked, sous vide the chuck steaks first and then finish them with a quick sear on the grill!

Chuck steak is often used as the cubes in beef stew and is considered the best cut to use for ground beef because of its fat to muscle ratio.

In the United Kingdom, chuck roast is commonly served as the meat during Sunday Roast, a traditional meal. In this type of meal, it is often served alongside Yorkshire pudding and roasted potatoes and vegetables. Although a traditional British meal, it is similarly served in this manner in the U.S. and Canada. In North America it is known as Yankee Pot Roast and also served with potatoes and vegetables.

In the United Kingdom, the chuck steak is known as "braising steak". Thickly cut chuck steaks can be used as pot roasts. Because of its rich flavor, beef chuck is often used in chili; chuck stays moist after longer cooking times as opposed to sirloin which can dry out.

Typical Cooking Methods for Chuck Roast and Chuck Steak

Sous Vide, Braise, and Stew

Other Names for Chuck Meat

For Chuck Roast: Pot Roast and Beef Shoulder

For Chuck Steak: Center Chuck Steak and Beef Chuck 7-bone Steak

Good Substitutes for Chuck Meat

For Chuck Roast: Rump Roast, Bottom Round Roast, and Under Blade Pot Roast

For Chuck Steak: Top Blade Steak and Under Blade Steak

Traditional Dishes for Chuck Meat

For Chuck Roast: Pot Roast

For Chuck Steak: Beef Stew and Pot Roast

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