Rib roast questions


 
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Nate L

TVWBB Member
I'm thinking I might try a standing rib roast--prime rib--this Christmas. I usually like experimenting, but this will be one very expensive piece of meat (with guests coming over), so I want to try to get it right the first time. It's interesting to me that there are so many different angles on cooking it: some people swear high heat, some low; some sear, some reverse sear; etc. Searing after it has cooked makes me nervous because I prefer the rare side of medium rare and don't want to overdo it. So, I'm thinking of an initial sear (maybe on my weber grill) and then cooking it at 250 in the wsm. So here are a couple preliminary questions: 1) I've read a couple people talk about the string burning when searing over high heat; someone recommended soaking the string. Is there any consensus on that? Can I tie it after searing? 2) If it's ready early, can I keep it warm without further cooking? Or should we just eat when it's ready?
I'm sure I'll have more questions as the day approaches. Thanks.
 
Prime rib. Yum. Double yum.
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I don't know if there's a big difference between high heat searing or not. I usually do them at 325 for the entire cook and they come out fine, but you can cook lower for longer and maybe they will be moister and more tender, and if you do cook lower, then use a high heat sear for a short period.

I like to make a crust with kosher salt, cracked pepper, and herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage, etc. You can also make slits in the meat and insert garlic cloves. I usually cut garlic cloves in half and insert in slits in the meat. I'm not sure why it works, but it seems to make the meat noticeably more moist.

With the salt crust, you won't get a whole lot of pan drippings unfortunately. But what dripping you do get can make a great au jus. I will usually put some cut up onions, carrots, and celery in a roasting pan with the roast on top of the veggies. The veggies get carmelized and saturated with fat and meat juice and herbs/seasonings. When you take the meat off, leave the veggies in the pan and deglaze with about 6 ounces of red wine, add beef broth and simmer. Strain out the veggies and you have great au jus. I will also take a couple tablespoons of flour and mix with a little beef fat (roux) and add to the au jus, but don't use too much. You want to add just a hint of body to the jus, but you don't want it thick like gravy. This is optional anyway; you don't need to add the flour.
 
Standing Ribs have become standard fare for Christmas diners. This year will be # 23. I do them HH on the OTG using lump indirectly. I get a medium rare roast with a nice seared outside. I'm afraid if I changed my methods, there would be a ......well lets just say I'm sticking with what I know works. When it just my wife and I, I'll do it on the rotisserie and they come out fantastic..
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mac McClure:
Standing Ribs have become standard fare for Christmas diners. This year will be # 23. I do them HH on the OTG using lump indirectly. I get a medium rare roast with a nice seared outside. I'm afraid if I changed my methods, there would be a ......well lets just say I'm sticking with what I know works. When it just my wife and I, I'll do it on the rotisserie and they come out fantastic.. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Do you mind sharing your method? Times, temps, etc..

Thanks!
 
I do mine on the WSM. I give it a bunch of salt, pepper and rosemary (run extra rosemary sprigs between the twine).

Minion method (to better control heat), empty foiled lined water pan, and a couple oak chunks. Run the WSM at 250 until you hit 125 internal. Remove the roast, open the wsm door (and lid) and get the fire cranking - like 450-500. Takes a few minutes. Return the roast to the top rack for 20-30 minutes (or until about 135). The low heat cooking with give you a rosy inside across each slice, rather than a smaller bit inside surrounded by more done to the edges you get with higher heat cooking. The high heat at the end will give you will give you a nice crust.
 
Jay, my turkey this year is gonna be a Prime Rib. Think I'll follow your lead. Thanks.

Happy Holliday Smokin'

Mark
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Russell:
This oughta be on the grilling forum. You don't bbq a rib roast! :
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do tell, and why not?
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When it comes to beef rib roast, I like just salt and pepper to season. Let that beef speak for itself!

I like to use a lower temp for cooking to keep it more rare througout. 225-250. I find that even at this temp, the meat still develops a pretty good, dark, rich exterior, but searing would definitely enhance it and give it a real crust.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave K:
This is the recipe that I have used in the past, and it comes out really good. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

What is most interesting to me after reading that recipe is the cook time. I have been looking at recipes all day from various sources and the general consensus is 30 min /lb at 225-250. This recipe states 28 min/lb at 325-350. Not that it matters but interesting.

Mark
 
Paul Kirk goes high; Mike Mills goes low; the Jamisons go low; Ray Lampe goes high. The responses to my questions also seem to divide. I guess the good news is that both ways work. I've never done a high heat roast in the wsm, and I'm a little reluctant to try with a piece of meat that costs almost as much as the smoker. But I guess as long as I don't overcook the thing, it'll turn out fine. (I'm still interested in whether I can sear with the roast tied--will the string burn?)
This is a great forum.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by mk evenson:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Russell:
This oughta be on the grilling forum. You don't bbq a rib roast! :
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</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

do tell, and why not?
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</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You GRILL it indirectly, or rotisserie, typically cooking to medium/medium rare, w/ smoke being optional. Here in TN, we "bbq" cuts we're trying to make tender, typically shoulder, ribs, beef brisket. We might "smoke","roast", or "grill" a pork loin, turkey, rib roast, or whatever, but the purpose is to cook it to being "done", not "bbq-ed" to tenderness.

Oh, I saw where you're from. I know, out there ya'll consider tri-tip bbq. It's all good. Call it what ya want.
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Dave, I see. A matter of semantics. Appropriate for tradition. I am a newcomer. Still learnin'.

Always nice to learn something new. Even on the west coast.

Mark
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ryan Ko
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o you mind sharing your method? Times, temps, etc..Thanks! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
OK here goes.
Roast prep.
Insert Fresh Garlic slivers randomly into the roast.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Grill setup.
Two full lit chimneys of Lump charcoal. (I like RO) One poured on each side of an disposable Aluminum pan placed in the center of charcoal grate.
Place the roast an a rack in the center of the cooking grate.
Add chunks of you favorite smoking wood.
My lid temps run between 350* and 400* depending on the ambient air temp and wind conditions.
I keep all vents full open for the first hour. Then adjust them to keep the lid temp closer to 350*.
Cook times very, but usually around 2-3 hrs for a 6 or 7 bone roast. I use a wireless meat prob to keep tabs on it. When it's Med Rare I pull and let it sit under a foil tent.
I plan on taking some photos this year. I'll post them if they come out right.
 
Nate,

I made this one last night...Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, light garlic powder. Cooked HH, indirect with a 12oz beer in drip pan. Internal temp for meat was 46deg when put on and cooked to internal temp of 120deg per my ET73.....Took a little over 1.5hrs....

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Bill, hope mine looks that good on turkey day. Just found out that I am smokin 2 prime rib roasts as we have been invited.

Happy Holliday Smokin' Yall

Mark
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bill Johnson:
Nate,

I made this one last night...Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, light garlic powder. Cooked HH, indirect with a 12oz beer in drip pan. Internal temp for meat was 46deg when put on and cooked to internal temp of 120deg per my ET73.....Took a little over 1.5hrs....

DSCN1471.jpg


DSCN1476.jpg
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ya just made me slobber all over my keyboard.
 
Standing Rib is my favorite method for Roast Turkey
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Don't get me wrong, I like turkey and will be making that for Thanksgiving, but that's typically a larger group thing and hard to break from "tradiition". I keep hinting, though
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Now Christmas, that's mine and it will be Standing Prime. If you search on this site you'll find LOTS of mind sharing. For the most part though - it's hard to mess these up. Either on the WSM or the Kettle IMHO. I've made a bunch.
 
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