Smoked Beef Cross Rib Roast (also called Cross-Rib Roast or Chuck Cross Rib Roast) on a Traeger is a flavorful, budget-friendly cut from the chuck primal. It has great marbling and beefy taste but benefits from low-and-slow smoking followed by braising to break down connective tissue into tender, shreddable meat. traeger.com

Recommended Method (Traeger-Inspired Smoke + Braise)

This hybrid approach—smoke for flavor, then braise for tenderness—comes highly recommended by Traeger and popular BBQ sites. Total time: ~6-8 hours (cook to temperature, not time). Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

For the roast (3-4 lb cross rib roast):

•  1 (3-4 lb) beef cross rib roast

•  2-3 Tbsp beef rub (Traeger Big Game, Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub, or a simple mix of kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and a bit of rosemary)

•  Olive oil or mustard (optional binder)

For the braise:

•  8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter

•  8 cloves garlic, minced

•  1 medium yellow onion, sliced

•  1 cup red wine (or beef broth)

•  2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

•  3 sprigs fresh thyme

•  2 sprigs fresh rosemary

•  Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1.   Prep the roast: Pat the roast dry. Rub with a light coat of oil or mustard, then generously season all sides with the beef rub. Let it sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes or refrigerate uncovered overnight for better bark and flavor. heygrillhey.com

2.   Preheat Traeger: Set your Traeger to 275°F (use oak, hickory, cherry, or mesquite pellets for beef). Allow it to preheat fully with the lid closed.

3.   Smoke the roast: Place the roast directly on the grill grates. Smoke for about 4 hours or until the internal temperature reaches ~165°F. This builds great smoke flavor and bark. heygrillhey.com

4.   Braise: Prepare the braise in a disposable aluminum pan, cast iron Dutch oven, or similar. Add butter, garlic, onion, wine, Worcestershire, thyme, and rosemary. Place the smoked roast on top. Cover tightly with foil (or the lid). Return to the Traeger at 275°F and cook until the internal temp hits 203-205°F and the meat is fork-tender/shreddable (another 2-3 hours). traeger.com

5.   Rest and serve: Remove from the grill, rest 15-30 minutes (tent with foil). Shred or slice against the grain. Strain and drizzle the braising liquid over the meat for extra moisture and flavor. Optional: Sear briefly for crust if desired, but not usually needed.

Target internal temperatures:

•  Pull for slicing (medium-rare/medium): ~135-145°F (less common for this cut).

•  Ideal for shredding/tender pot roast style: 200-205°F. traeger.com

Tips for Success on Traeger

•  Size matters — A 3-4 lb roast is ideal for even cooking. Larger ones may take longer.

•  Wood choice — Mild to medium woods like oak, cherry, or hickory pair well with beef.

•  Monitoring — Use a reliable meat probe (Traeger has built-in options or use a MEATER/wireless thermometer).

•  Variations:

•  Simpler rub-only version: Smoke low and slow at 225-250°F to ~203°F without braising (longer cook, ~1.5-2 hours per pound). heygrillhey.com

•  Injection (optional, from other recipes): Butter-garlic-herb mix for extra juiciness. masterbuilt.com

•  Bacon wrap or stuff with garlic for more flavor (popular in Traeger communities).

•  Sides: Smoked mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, gravy from braising liquid, or serve shredded in tacos/sandwiches.

This method delivers rich, smoky, fall-apart tender beef. Always cook to internal temperature for safety and best results. Enjoy! If you have a specific size roast or preferences (e.g., sliced vs. shredded), I can refine this further.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​