smoking beef roasts

I have been using Beef Bottom Round Flats in place of briskets and don't plan to go back. If cooked to 190* they look and taste like brisket, but tend to retain more moisture IMO. If they were priced like brisket I would still use them, but since they are usually ~$1.50 less per pound around here, its a no brainer.

I have also cooked them to 125-130* and sliced them thin like med-rare roast beef for sandwiches. It's great! It's not prime rib, but it is darn good eating. Also, they seem to average about 10-13 pounds which is usually what I'm after and it fits nicely in a smokette.

Around here the chain restaurants cook round,or bottom round,as their approach to beef.

They don't cook as long,have less shrinkage,and they serve them sliced across the grain.

Caterers tend to go with the chuck,instead of brisket.

Shoulder clods will have some sliceable and some pullable.

Chuck rolls can pretty much be pulled.

Chuck/shoulder

Hope this helps a little.

Todd/Tom - Thanks for the help. So if I'm understanding you guys right you can cook a round or a chuck to 190* and not necessarily end up with shoe leather? I did a 4lb round yesterday to 130* and it was great. I've been using smaller cuts as often times I'm only cooking for 4 or 5. We're pretty fortunate to have a lot of corn fed beef readily available in the grocery stores around here.