How to cook pot roast on the grill

You can cook delicious pot roast all summer long on the grill. (iStock)

When it comes to comfort food classics, some just seem more appropriate for cooler temps—think chili, lasagna and, most especially, pot roast. But why relegate a tasty dish like pot roast to just the coldest months? So I thought to myself: why not grill a pot roast?

But how? Pot roast is the quintessential, slow-cooking, oven-friendly food. Isn’t the grill reserved for casual dinners and foods that can withstand an enthusiastic sear? Put simply: not always. It turns out that you can add pot roast to the list of unlikely (but totally delicious) foods to grill. Let me tell you how to do it.

What you’ll need:

1-1/2 pounds of chuck roast or rump roast (I tried it with both, and it worked equally well with both)

1/2 cup of brown sugar

Kosher salt

Ground black pepper

Soy sauce

Prep your roast

Before you toss the roast on the barbie, you’ll have to do a little prep. Start by preheating the grill to high—my gas grill goes up to 650ºF and that worked perfectly. If you use charcoal, be sure those coals are red hot! Deciding between charcoal and gas? Check out our guide.

While that’s heating up, place your pot roast in a bowl small enough to hug its sides. Pour the brown sugar over it. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Give that roast a good massage. Then sprinkle with soy sauce to moisten the sugar, salt, and pepper. Massage it some more. If you’re using chuck roast, feel free to tie it up with twine to keep it together. That’s not usually necessary for rump roast.

Give it a sear

You’ll want to get some good caramelization on this roast, so start by searing it on all sides on your hot grill. Once it’s good and seared, remove it from the grill and reduce the heat to 350ºF.

Roast it

Once the roast is seared, wrap it up in aluminum foil, leaving the top part of your wrapper open. Then pop it back on the grill and let it braise in its own juices. Use a meat thermometer (trust me, it’s handy!) and let it cook until the internal temperature reaches 145ºF. This should take about an hour, but start to keep a closer eye on the roast after about 45 minutes.

Once your pot roast is cooked, you can remove it from the grill and let it rest for about ten minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

If it turns out anything like mine, expect a slightly carmelized crust over an astoundingly tender, juicy roast. Serve it with root vegetables like I do or try one of our favorite grilled veggie options.

This article originally appeared on Taste of Home.