Smoked Bottom Round Pot Roast
This smoked bottom round pot roast is a budget-friendly take on classic pot roast, cooked low and slow on the smoker using a combination of dry brining, searing, and braising. The roast is smoked in a shallow braising liquid with onions, garlic, herbs, and beef stock, then cooked until probe-tender. Finished with carrots, potatoes, and a simple gravy made from the braising liquid, this method produces a flavorful, sliceable pot roast with deep beef flavor and a tender texture when handled correctly.
Equipment
- Smoker, pellet grill, or conventional oven
- Refrigerator
- Heavy skillet or Dutch oven
- tongs
- Wooden Spoon
- Measuring cups and prep bowls
- instant read thermometer
- Sharp slicing knife
- cutting board
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Pot Roast:
- 4-5 lbs. bottom round roast quartered
- Kosher Salt as needed
- Black pepper as needed
- 3 T Beef tallow
- 2 sweet onions sliced
- 1 head garlic
- 2 ½ T tomato paste
- 1 ½ C red wine
- 1 Qt. Beef stock plus more if needed
- 1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 6-7 carrots cut into chunks
- 1 bag baby potatoes American Medley bite-sized potatoes
Ingredients for the Gravy:
- 2 T beef tallow
- 2 T flour
- 2 C braising liquid from the pot roast
Instructions
- Preparing the Beef: Take out the bottom round roast and season with the salt until well coated. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight (Note: If you have less time and still want to dry brine the meat, quarter the roast like I did. You can reduce the dry brine time down to ~1 hour to get the effects).
- When you’re ready to cook, take the roast out of the refrigerator. Add beef tallow to a hot skillet. Once melted, add in the bottom round roast and brown thoroughly on all sides. Once this occurs, remove the beef from the pot.
- Add in the onions, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until they begin to turn golden brown. Mix in the tomato paste until well incorporated, then pour in the wine. Allow the wine to simmer until it has reduced by half.
- Add the beef back into the pan along with the head of garlic. Pour in the beef stock until it covers the roast ~⅓ – ½ of the way up. Add the bay leaves and thyme, then partially cover and transfer to the smoker.
- After ~2 hours, add in the carrots and potatoes, cover, and continue cooking.
- Allow the beef mixture to braise in the smoker until probe tender, ~205 degrees. Once this occurs, remove the pan from the smoker and remove the beef, allowing the pieces to rest.
- For the Gravy: Melt 2 T beef tallow in a saucepan, then slowly whisk in the flour. Once a blonde roux has formed, pour in the braising liquid and reduce to desired consistency. Season with salt to taste.
- After about 10-15 minutes, slice the beef. Place the sliced beef with carrots and potatoes and top with gravy. Enjoy!
Notes
- Braising Liquid Level: Keep the braising liquid at about one-third to one-half the height of the roast. Too much liquid will prevent smoke exposure; too little can lead to drying.
- Storage Tip: Store leftovers with braising liquid whenever possible. Bottom round tightens quickly if reheated without moisture.
- Substitution Note: Chuck roast can be substituted if bottom round is unavailable. It will be more forgiving due to higher fat content but is typically more expensive.