rump roast vs. chuck roast

[comabri]

I've decided to make my first pot roast. I'm a little confused about the different cuts of meat I saw at the store. What's the difference between rump and chuck roast? Can both be used as a pot roast? Which is better?

Thanks.

[JJ40]

Good question...there's a CL recipe (for beef carbonnade, I think) that calls for chuck roast, and I couldn't find that anywhere.
Again, I think part of the problem is that I live in Canada (see flank steak question...I'm having trouble with that one too!) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[cookgirl]

I use just about any roast when I make pot roast and I haven't had a fiasco as of yet. I think the differences in the roasts mentioned and the billion other kinds (I'm A.D.D. at the grocery store, so I really don't know.)is where the roast cut comes from...I mean what area of the animal the cut is from. I also think there may be a slight difference in the tenderness of the meat.
I swear...If you slice the roast and hide cloves of garlic in it, use worchester balsamic vinegar, and a myriad of your favorite spices (or potatoes, julienned carrots and consomme') and cook it for like 4 hours...It's gonna be good!

[KateH]

I don't know anything about pot roast, but ...

...according to Epicurious, chuck roast is from the neck and shoulder, and "for maximum tenderness, chuck cuts must be cooked slowly". Rump is best cooked using "moist-heat" methods. They recommend either cut.

If your library has Cook's Illustrated, they have an article from Jan 1994 called "Beef 101: Buying a Pot Roast."

[ElinorC]

They are both cuts that need slow moist cooking versus the cuts like a tenderloin that can be roasted without moisture. Both the rump and the shoulder are areas with big muscles. I think chuck is a little less expensive than a rump cut.