Standing rib for Christmas


 

Jack Straw

TVWBB Fan
Well I've decided to cook an 8 lb. standing rib for Christmas dinner but am not sure witch method to go with. I've done a 4 pounder with a dry water pan before with good results but have never tried low and slow then searing in the oven at high temp. Anyone tried both and have a preference one way or the other?
 
Yup, done both.

I like the higher heat method for brevity and/or if I want a range-of-doneness finish (more done near the ends, less toward the center; best when you have guests with a range of tastes in finishes). But if I'm doing a roast where I want a fairly even level of doneness throughout then I go with a low temp cook, sear finish. I usually just sear over coals, direct, but the oven works too.

Have a great holiday, Jack. I've enjoyed your posts here (and elsewere) all year.
 
Kevin,

I've got a 7.5 and 6.5 rib roast dry aging right now. I was going to do the low and slow with one being med. rare and the other medium. However, I'm now thinking empty water pan or gasser for both since I can get the range of doneness for the 17 guests preferences. If I put the smaller roast on the lower rack of the WSM do you think they'll finish at the same time? Do you still recommend the sear with a 350 temp cook?
 
Ron--

With two roasts you could go either way, high heat or low/slow, pulling as each hits your target internal.

The dynamics of the lower rack are different when there is no water in the pan. Regardless, finish time is more a factor of overall roast size--thickness primarily--so if their sizes are similar in that way then they should finish fairly close to each other. Variances in heat at each level can throw that out of whack--it's not often by much--but if you're able to track internals of both you can always switch positions, if needed, somewhere bewtween half and three-quarters of the way through the cook.

When I do high heat cooks I most often start at a much higher temp at the outset for the sear phase and then lower the heat to ~350 for the duration. A straight 350 cook does not always need a finishing sear--much depends on the temp of the meat when it went into the cooker, how stable the temp was during the cook, and what the components of the rub are. I usually just gauge it by look shortly before the roast hits my target internal. Often it's good enough already. If a sear is required I do so over direct coals or, occasionally, get my oven up to temp in the house; the former more often as the oven is usually occupied.
 
I'm planning on doing a 7 3/4# standing rib roast tomorrow using the slow cooking method (225*-250*). I'm just a little unsure of the best temp. at which to sear it. Also, am torn between Jim Minion's marinade overnight or the Worcestershire and Montreal Steak Rub overnight.

Should I expect around 20 min./pound to get it to about 120* before searing it?

Open for suggestions--don't want to screw up such a nice piece of meat.

Tom
 
I use the Cook's Illustrated method of searing first in a very hot roasting pan or cast iron skillet. Then I season with a blend of granulated garlic, kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Roast at 225° till 123°. about 30 mins per lb.
The temp will only rise 2-3 degrees when cooked like this.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Al
 
If you sear first and then put into the smoker, will the meat absorb any smoke flavor?

Rita
 
Doesn't seem like it would, but I'm not sure that more than a little smoke on the outside would be desirable to me.

Tom
 
Rita,

The surface of the meat will be coated with the particulate matter that constitutes the smoke flavor regardless to whether its raw or seared.

There will be much less of a smoke ring, however.

Al
 
Rita, yes, it will.

When I sear I do so in the cooker or kettle with it cranked at the outset of the cook, or do a finishing sear directly over coals. Occasionally I do a high heat oven finishing sear. I don't brown in a pan but that is another way of doing it.
 
Thanks Al and Kevin. Searing on the grill instead of on the stovetop will make for a lot less cleanup. And searing first would make it easier to monitor internal temps for when to pull from the WSM. Otherwise I assume I'd have to pull the roast off the smoker about 5 degrees below the usual point to adjust for a final sear.

One year I tried not searing it at all and was pleasantly surprised that it didn't make as much of a difference as I expected, even visually.

Rita
 
Thanks Kevin and the rest for your input. I think I'll go with the more standard method, starting out in the 450 neighborhood and ramping down to 350 to finish. Kevin, thanks for the heads up on having various degrees of doneness(?) with the traditional method, I hadn't thought of that. I think I'll go with an herb crust, two chunks of pecan and three tumblers of Makers Mark. Sounds like the ticket! Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukha to all!!
 

 

Back
Top