May have bitten off more than I can chew!!`

[Charlie Marlow]

My first time posting to any bulletin board. I’m getting nervous about my Christmas duty. I use a WSM 22 ½ and have done ribs and chicken several times. Did a turkey once last year and a small prime rib at same time. This year I’m trying to do a whole prime rib roast and two turkeys, oh yea gona toss on 15 or 20 sausages too. Starting to freak out about not getting $200 dollars’ worth of meat done right, Last year was storming and had a hard time keeping the temp up. Came out good but I didn’t keep notes. I am estimating the two turkeys will take about 3 to 3 ½ hours and the roast I think won’t take as quite as long (am going to cut it off the bone and cook bones at same time). Not too sure if I can get my WSM to cook at 300 to 325 consistently (sure couldn’t last year) so I’m looking for help in the cooking time estimate, any and all help appreciated.

 

[Charlie Marlow]

By the way the turkey are about 13 lbs each. Rib roast is huge!! Mabe more like 4 hours for turkeys and 3 for roast???

 

[Wolgast]

Just stay calm and do your thing,and i bet it will turn out great. Be sure to load that baby up with alot of briqs a full ring minus a chimney. Then lit with a full chimney and you should get the temps and burn time you are looking for. I think the turkeys will cook more like 2.5h. Be sure to check temps in the roast the whole time. 3hours sounds to mutch for the roast aswell. But start it early so you rest em before service rather then let the guessts wait.

If the cooker wont stay over 300 it will take more time ofc.

Good luck and report back.
And merry christmas m8!

 

[Charlie Marlow]

Thanks Wolgast for the encouragement. Your times for the turkey sound about right. I was padding it just for the volume of meat and possibility of low temps. Trying to serve 18 people at 3:00. What do you think about the roast, should I leave it on the bone or cut it off so it cooks more evenly? Will have about four or five scaredy cats that will have to have no red in the roast but most of us like it the way it’s supposed to be.

 

[Wolgast]

Never done a Rib roast. But here is some timing options. (for a rare 120f)

(3) Ribs, 7 to 8 lbs. 15 minutes at 450°, Then 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours at 325°

(4) Ribs, 9 to 10 lbs. 15 minutes at 450°, Then 1 ½ to 2 hours at 325°

(5) Ribs, 11 to 13 lbs. 15 minutes at 450°, Then 2 to 2 ½ hours at 325°

(6) Ribs, 14 to 16 lbs. 15 minutes at 450° Then, 2 ¾ to 3 hours at 325°

(7) Ribs, 16 to 18 lbs. 15 minutes at 450° Then, 3 to 3 ¾ hours at 325°

And this is for the oven. So just add the time for medium(145f) and well done(160).

I would cook it bone in. Everything with a bone is better

And cook it to your likings and then just toss it on the grill and sear the others just before serving.

 

[Charlie Marlow]

Well, now that I’m coming out of my meat coma thought I should report back. Wolgast, I really appreciate your kind words of encouragement and the cooking time guides. After deciding to take your advice and leave the bone on and looking at the cooking time guide thought I should put the roast on first. Had no trouble with getting the temp up, started it at 325 then it dropped some as expected (meat was set out at room temp for about 1 ½ hours first) to about 290. Did the upside down door trick and pegged the lid thermometer over 350. Let it go at that high temp for about 1 hour. Then put the two turkeys on the lower rack and tried to maintain 325 best as I could. Rotated turkeys after one hour (always kept breast up) and added about twenty sausages. Some Johnsonville bratwurst and some Swiss sausage my buddy makes. Added another chimney of lit briquettes and carried on. Used smaller cherry chunks along the way. Long story short, rib took right at three hours to reach 120 at coldest point (a little quicker than expected), the two turkeys 2 hours 45 minutes and they were 160-170, and the sausages 1 hour. Could tell by the sausages the smoker was hotter in some places, coldest next to the door when doing the door trick. Had to hold the rib little over 2 hours in a cooler, and the turkeys about 30 minutes in another cooler. Had more than plenty food. I have smoked a lot of turkeys over the years and done several rib roasts on the gasser, these were some of the best yet for sure. Took good notes this time so I have more detail if anyone is interested. Sure glad to find this forum, will definitely be reading it and hope to be of some help as well. Just wish I had more time to enjoy and play with my WSM. Hope everyone had a great Christmas and have a happy New Year.