These Smoked Chuck Roast Tacos might be some of the juiciest, beefiest tacos you'll ever make. The chuck roast gets coated in bold Cow Cover Hot Rub, smoked low and slow until a beautiful bark develops, then braised with beef broth, Rotel, onion, garlic, and lime until it's fall-apart tender. Pile that smoky shredded beef onto warm corn tortillas, finish with fresh onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime, and you've got tacos that are worth every minute of the cook. Let's get to it.
Start by getting that chuck roast ready for the smoker.
Coat the entire roast with a thin layer of yellow mustard. This acts as a binder and helps the seasoning stick to every side of the meat.
Once it's coated, season the chuck roast generously with Kosmos Q Cow Cover Hot Rub. Make sure you get all sides covered evenly.
Let the roast sit at room temperature while you get the smoker fired up and ready to go.
Preheat your smoker to 250°F.
For wood, use your favorite smoking wood. Oak, hickory, or pecan all work great with beef and will give the chuck roast plenty of smoky flavor without overpowering it.
You're looking for steady heat and clean smoke before the roast goes on.
Place the seasoned chuck roast directly on the smoker grate and let it cook low and slow.
Smoke the roast for about 3–4 hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of around 165°F.
This is where the bark develops, so don't rush it. Let the outside of the roast build that deep color and flavorful crust before moving on to the next step.
Once the chuck roast has developed a beautiful bark, transfer it to an aluminum pan.
Add the beef broth, Rotel tomatoes, sliced yellow onion, minced garlic, and the juice from 1 lime.
Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and place it back on the smoker.
The braising liquid will help break down the chuck roast and turn it into tender, juicy, pull-apart beef.
Continue cooking the chuck roast until it reaches somewhere between 205°F and 215°F internal temperature.
More importantly, pay attention to how the roast feels when you probe it. The probe should slide into the meat with very little resistance.
Once it's tender, remove the pan from the smoker and carefully open the foil. Let the roast vent for about 30 minutes to release some of the steam.
After venting, let the chuck roast rest for another 20–30 minutes.
Once it's had time to rest, shred the beef directly in the pan. Mix the shredded meat back into the braising liquid so it can soak up all those smoky, beefy flavors.
Don't leave any of that liquid behind—that's where a lot of the flavor is.
While the beef is resting, warm your corn tortillas.
Place them directly over a hot grill grate, griddle, or burner for about 15–20 seconds per side.
You're looking for warm, pliable tortillas with just a little bit of char around the edges.
Fill each warm tortilla with a generous portion of shredded smoked chuck roast.
Top with diced white onion and fresh chopped cilantro, then finish each taco with a squeeze of fresh lime.
Serve them hot with extra lime wedges on the side.
These tacos bring together everything you want in a great barbecue-inspired meal—bold seasoning, smoky beef, rich braising juices, and fresh toppings to balance it all out.
The chuck roast comes out tender enough to pull apart with ease, while the Rotel, garlic, onion, and lime add a punch of flavor to every bite.
Load up a few tortillas, grab some extra napkins, and dig in.
Catch you on the next recipe!
Have you worked with Kosmos for a while, and come up with something even better? Many of our recipes are submitted by our wonderful customers, who come up with all sorts of ideas that we could never think of.
Go here to submit your own recipe. If accepted, you'll get 10% off the whole store.
Not to brag, but these Cajun Corn Ribs might just be the most fun way you've ever eaten corn. They're smoky, buttery, packed with bold Cajun-inspired flavor, and they curl up beautifully on the grill. With just a few simple ingredients and about 20 minutes of cook time, these corn ribs make an easy side dish or appetizer that's guaranteed to disappear fast. Let's get to it.
Hanger steak is one of those cuts that doesn't need much to be incredible. A hot charcoal fire, a bold steak seasoning, and a little butter with fresh herbs are all it takes to turn this underrated cut into something seriously delicious.
These Smash Burger Tacos are what happens when a classic smash burger meets your favorite taco.
Everyone wishes that they could have award-winning competition BBQ at their backyard barbecue parties. With Kosmo's BBQ, that's exactly what you'll have, every time.
