So I received the green light from the wife to go ahead and put our Easter dinner (a 7 bone 11 lb. choice standing rib roast) in the WSM bullet for dinner. I have done quite a bit of reading on this site over the last week in regards on how to cook it in the smoker. I keep coming back to the high heat montreal steak rub way posted on the main page. While I understand that this type of cut of beef doesn’t really benefit from the slow and low method, I was wondering if anyone has cooked it in the bullet using both high heat and low and slow and if they preferred it one way to the other. I understand a benefit of slow and low will produce a more evenly cooked roast, but I would think that it would end up more tender and juicy as well. But nothing looks nicer than that bark created by a high heat cook and the option of different doneness of cuts I will have. So I am kind of in an indecision state on what to do. Any advice,tips,tricks or stories are appreciated. I cannot mess this up or I will be in the dog house big time and the Easter Bunny will be the next thing I put on the smoker!!
7 bone rib roast
- Thread starter G Shick
- Start date
Paul Johnson
New member
I have not cooked a rib roast on my new WSM as of yet but I have cooked several on my Weber One-Touch.
I have always cooked it in the 275 - 350 range. I know this is a big temp variation but the One-Touch is a chore to keep stable temps.
Ideally I like to cook a rib roast at 325. I usually cook these when I camp with the guys so time is not too much of an issue. A thermometer is a must for this piece of meat considering the price for a 12-16 pound roast!
I use more of an olive oil paste with *fresh* herbs as a sort of rub & smoke it with hickory. It comes out great.
Good Luck
I have always cooked it in the 275 - 350 range. I know this is a big temp variation but the One-Touch is a chore to keep stable temps.
Ideally I like to cook a rib roast at 325. I usually cook these when I camp with the guys so time is not too much of an issue. A thermometer is a must for this piece of meat considering the price for a 12-16 pound roast!
I use more of an olive oil paste with *fresh* herbs as a sort of rub & smoke it with hickory. It comes out great.
Good Luck
Paul, Yes I have a remote thermometer that will keep me in touch with the internal temp at all times. I wouldnt try it without it!! I plan on pulling it off the cooker at 135 and resting for 30 minutes before serving. For the most part I am reading that people prefer to do them at high temps so I'm thinking that is what I will do with just a very small chunk or two of mesquite wood.
dwayne e
TVWBB Super Fan
I would definitely go high heat on this type of meat. I do not believe low and slow would provide any benefit here......couldn't hurt though, I guess.
I've done a couple of these using the minion method (vents wide open) and they've turned out great. I pulled mine a little later in the process (internal 155 or so) because my wife likes med-well to well done.....still turned out juicy and tasty.
The key is to give enough time to rest after you're finished.......I'll tent-foil mine for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes so they retain maximum moisture when you're carving it.
I've done a couple of these using the minion method (vents wide open) and they've turned out great. I pulled mine a little later in the process (internal 155 or so) because my wife likes med-well to well done.....still turned out juicy and tasty.
The key is to give enough time to rest after you're finished.......I'll tent-foil mine for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes so they retain maximum moisture when you're carving it.
Chad Anderson
TVWBB Super Fan
I've done the low N slow before and then transferred the roast to my performer for the 500 degree sear (a smokey house make an unhappy wife). This time around I'm doing the opposite, I'll use the performer for the searing and then transfer to the wsm for the rest of the cook. I've never been entirely successful in getting my wsm up past 425 which is why I use my performer.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I was wondering if anyone has cooked it in the bullet using both high heat and low and slow and if they preferred it one way to the other. I understand a benefit of slow and low will produce a more evenly cooked roast, but I would think that it would end up more tender and juicy as well. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
With a quality roast, it doesn't really end up 'more tender and juicy'. It does produce more even doneness throughout, as you note. If you are needing a range of doneness, or simply prefer that, cook at higher temps. If you prefer even doneness from end-to-end, cook at ~ 200?, sear to finish.
With a quality roast, it doesn't really end up 'more tender and juicy'. It does produce more even doneness throughout, as you note. If you are needing a range of doneness, or simply prefer that, cook at higher temps. If you prefer even doneness from end-to-end, cook at ~ 200?, sear to finish.
Another Bob B
TVWBB Pro
I've done several SRR's using Montreal Steak Seasoning with great success. I've always done them @350 and pulled at 130. It gives you a full spectrum of Rare/Medium Rare/Medium and makes everybody happy
. Good luck and may the Easter Bunny live to see another year. I've got Grandkids. Bob B
Well the rib roast didn’t turn out so well (IMO). I did the one thing that should be avoided at all costs , I overcooked it. A few parts of the problem were that the roast was very uneven. A lot thicker and bigger on one side than the other. I did not notice that until I unwrapped it. Second issue was the remote thermometer I was using was inaccurate and I kept having to probe the roast with my regular thermometer to check temps which let out a ton of moisture and liquid when poked. And I ended up missing 130-135 target and finally pulled it off at 140 on the thick end. Way overdone in my book. Also, I couldn’t get the smoker to get at a steady target temp of 350, it was either running too high or to low so I couldn’t get my timing down. There were a few parts of the roast that were cooked medium-well which were ok, but I believe that because I had to probe it several times for a temperature, I lost a lot of moisture so that even those pieces were a bit dry. But the horseradish cream sauce from this site helped that and was a very good sauce. All in all people ate and didn’t complain, but I didnt get many compliments either. And also after 3 hours or more I didn’t have that nice dark bark or color I was hoing for. Oh well,you win some and lose some I guess and live to cook another day. Next time I will try a slow and low approach with maybe a high sear at the end and also I need to get a decent meat thermometer. Any suggestions?
Chad Anderson
TVWBB Super Fan
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by G Shick:
Second issue was the remote thermometer I was using was inaccurate and I kept having to probe the roast with my regular thermometer to check temps which let out a ton of moisture and liquid when poked. And I ended up missing 130-135 target and finally pulled it off at 140 on the thick end. Way overdone in my book. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I had the same issue with my new Maverick E3. 2 1/2 hours into the cook the remote registered 128. I thought that was a little too fast since I was cooking at 240 and the temp was very consistent
. I ended up using my thermapen which read 119. So I stuck with the thermapen and checked it every 40 mins. I pulled the rib roast off at 125 and then stuck it in my performer at 500 for 15 mins. The rib roast came out perfect; just enough pink for me, less so for my wife. In fact it looked just like this recipe, which what I followed. As per my earlier post, I was going to do the opposite but felt more comfortable with this method.
As far as the WSM temps go, did you keep the water pan empty? Bottom vents all the way open? Standard method for the charcoal? What size WSM are you using? I use an 18" and the only way I can get the temps up to a steady 350 is with an empty water pan, completely open vents, and occasionally propping the door open.
Second issue was the remote thermometer I was using was inaccurate and I kept having to probe the roast with my regular thermometer to check temps which let out a ton of moisture and liquid when poked. And I ended up missing 130-135 target and finally pulled it off at 140 on the thick end. Way overdone in my book. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I had the same issue with my new Maverick E3. 2 1/2 hours into the cook the remote registered 128. I thought that was a little too fast since I was cooking at 240 and the temp was very consistent
As far as the WSM temps go, did you keep the water pan empty? Bottom vents all the way open? Standard method for the charcoal? What size WSM are you using? I use an 18" and the only way I can get the temps up to a steady 350 is with an empty water pan, completely open vents, and occasionally propping the door open.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
I'd suggest a Thermapen, G, as Chad notes.
One thing: If your finish target was 135 because you were looking for a med-rare/med finish, and you were cooking at higher heat, you need to remove the roast about 10? shy of your target. The roast will continue to cook, residually, once removed, during the rest, and the internal will rise. 130? for a med-rare/med finish. A couple degrees lower if you want to skew more in the direction of med-rare, a couple higher if you want to lean more toward medium.
The rise is usually not as substantial with a low/slow approach. If cooking low/slow cook to a bit higher finish internal before removing to rest._
One thing: If your finish target was 135 because you were looking for a med-rare/med finish, and you were cooking at higher heat, you need to remove the roast about 10? shy of your target. The roast will continue to cook, residually, once removed, during the rest, and the internal will rise. 130? for a med-rare/med finish. A couple degrees lower if you want to skew more in the direction of med-rare, a couple higher if you want to lean more toward medium.
The rise is usually not as substantial with a low/slow approach. If cooking low/slow cook to a bit higher finish internal before removing to rest._
Chad,
Yes I had the water pan empty with all vents open 100%. It was a windy day thats why I think the temp was up and down a lot. I cooked it exactly the way as described on the main page with the montreal steak rub. I was using the 18" WSM. In the past I also have had problems getting the bullet up to real high temps even with turning the doorYesterday I used a piece of metal about 3/4" thickness and propped one side the lid on the smoker open. Within 10 minutes that thing was running at almost 500 degress. I seared that way for about 20 minutes and then tried to keep it around 350. Bottom line is I overcooked it. Like Mr. Kruger stated I should have pulled off around 125-130 for med-rare. And I need to get a more reliable remote thermometer. Thanks for the advice....And there will be a next time and I will get it right.
Yes I had the water pan empty with all vents open 100%. It was a windy day thats why I think the temp was up and down a lot. I cooked it exactly the way as described on the main page with the montreal steak rub. I was using the 18" WSM. In the past I also have had problems getting the bullet up to real high temps even with turning the doorYesterday I used a piece of metal about 3/4" thickness and propped one side the lid on the smoker open. Within 10 minutes that thing was running at almost 500 degress. I seared that way for about 20 minutes and then tried to keep it around 350. Bottom line is I overcooked it. Like Mr. Kruger stated I should have pulled off around 125-130 for med-rare. And I need to get a more reliable remote thermometer. Thanks for the advice....And there will be a next time and I will get it right.
R. Hanson ("Rondo")
TVWBB Pro
I've had consistantly great results smoking low n slow using white barkless oak on top of <span class="ev_code_BLUE">K</span> in the WSM
and finishing in the oven preheated to 500* ...we like our standing rib roasts med-rare, so using a weber wireless remote, I smoke to 115* then sear in the oven to 128*, (ain't digital readouts cool!)...then while it's resting, she coasts right into 135*... PERFECT!!!
Chad Anderson
TVWBB Super Fan
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by G Shick:
Thanks for the advice....And there will be a next time and I will get it right. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
There you go
I share your frustrations when a seemingly easy cook goes haywire and doesn't turn out the way it should have, especially when you have guests you want to impress
. And that wind issue can be a real pill too. Fortunately there are ways to prevent the wind from being too much of a factor.
Chad
Thanks for the advice....And there will be a next time and I will get it right. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
There you go
Chad