Prime rib roast on the WSM


 
Claude M

Claude M

TVWBB Super Fan
I just got done taking the roast out of my WSM after an hour of fighting with a too cool smoker and sticking it in the oven. For some reason I could not get the WSM hotter than 315-320. Pulled it out at 315. Started with 2 chimneys of K completely lit. The temp shot to 390, assembled everything, no water in foiled pan, all vents 100% open. Using a Tel Tru on lid and the wireless on the grate. Steadily went down to 318. As soon as it started to go down I started a 3rd chimney. Poured it in the bowl 35 minutes into the hour. Shot up to around 350, then back down to 315 in 20 mins. My first failure on the WSM....Rats! I grilled chicken before many times (the roadside receipt and the standard rub that Chris has on the board) without problems maintaining 325-335. Maybe because it's 55 today? But it's kind of breezy too, that should have helped. Oh well, I'm going to make the horseradish cream sauce now and try to figure out what happened, maybe some of you have some input, thanks.
 
Claude, you still could have cooked it at 315º to your desired internal temp, no worries. The wind will suck the heat out of the WSM. How fresh was your charcoal?
 
thanks Bryan, I picked that K up a few weeks ago at HD. So 315 could have done it, good to know. I was afraid it was going to turn out lousy because it never got the initial high temp sear. It turned out fine in the oven and picked up enough smoke flavor (maple) that I was craving.
 
You can always sear at finish. Cook to 10-15 degrees shy of your desired 'done' then remove the grate with the meat on it, remove the center section, then drop the grate with the meat on the lower section immerdiately aboce the coals. Sear, rotating the meat frequently if necessary to avoid overdoing it, and pull when just browned nicely. Alternatively, add lots of lit just before the finish and crank heat.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">But it's kind of breezy too, that should have helped. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

this is why some of us northerners spend time and money building wind breaks. sure a breeze will give you some o2, but it can also rob you of heat off the sides of the wsm(wind chill).
 
I did a really nice Prime Rib roast about a month ago and I didn't have any issue getting high temps.

Wind is DEFINATELY the enemy... especially when weather gets cold. Think of summer time when the weather is hot.. If you put a fan on yourself this is essentially what you are doing to your cooker in the wind. I'm always amazed at how little I need the AC in the house if you have a ceiling or floor fan.

Also the idea of "searing the juices in" is a myth. Many people are doing reverse searing these days so they don't dry out the edges of their meat.
 
OK, that clears things up, always good when you walk away with a little more knowledge after a cook.
 
For what it's worth. I tried some duraflame charcoal this weekend and observed that it burned hotter than the K usually does. This was the first time I tried it so take it as is.
 
WhenI have trouble getting the temps real hot, try just cracking the lid a little. I usually stick a skewer in the lid between the lid and middle section, its only up maybe 1/8", but that will really get your temps up and keep them up. That extra o2 from the lid really gets things hot, plus with the lid open a little, it pulls that heat upward, as opposed to propping the door. Wind is definitely the enemy. I smoked butts this weekend, and it got down to 40 on Friday night, with wind, and I needed to make a windbreak to get the temps where they needed to be.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ryan C.:
I have found if you remove the water pan you can get the temps much higher. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I'd just remove the water from the pan to preserve the indirect cooking method.
 
I cooked one last week but used the 22-1/2" Kettle instead of the WSM. No problems. On at 5PM off at 7PM 125 internal. Lifted the lid twice to rotate the meat. Dome temp about 350-375 which usually runs a few deg higher thangrate temp.
 
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