Hey,

So I'm doing a rib roast, bone in on the smoker this Sunday. I have read so many different time estimates that I'm worried about having it done in time. It's a bit over 8 lbs. I will be doing it in an offset smoker with charcoal, mesquite and maybe some hickory. I also have apple but I usually use that for pork.

Any idea on time for a temp of about 130? I'm used to doing long cooks like ribs and brisket, not medium rare meats. The roast may have had the bones cut off and strung back on but now that I think of it I think my meat guy didn't cut them. My girlfriend picked it up for me and I only looked at it for a moment at her house. I don't recall seeing the string.

Should I remove the bones and smoke it boneless? Any advice appreciated.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: frayedends,

I've not done a prime rib (I mostly stick to ribs, pork roasts, brisket and chicken), but most of the sites I looked at were pretty similar in time (30-40 min/pound)

Thermoworks Smoked their's at 200F, then finished in the oven.


Personally, I've not had good luck with long smokes with mesquite - I think it gives it a sour taste and would recommend sticking with hickory. If you do use mesquite, I'd go easy on it (it's pretty strong)...

Looking forward to drooling over your pics

quote:

Originally posted by ShouldBFishin:
I've not done a prime rib (I mostly stick to ribs, pork roasts, brisket and chicken), but most of the sites I looked at were pretty similar in time (30-40 min/pound)

Thermoworks Smoked their's at 200F, then finished in the oven.


Personally, I've not had good luck with long smokes with mesquite - I think it gives it a sour taste and would recommend sticking with hickory. If you do use mesquite, go easy on it...

Thanks. Mostly I use lump charcoal and just a few chunks of wood. Mesquite seems good with beef. I don't add wood after the initial burn, just more charcoal if needed. I've had great results with brisket. I think I'm planning on about 4 hours for this thing. But I'm hoping people with experience can let me know if I'm in the right range.

I wouldn't do it low and slow on the BBQ. I like my Prime Rib restaurant style and I can't see that happening.

If was me doing it I'd cut the meat off of the bone and tying it up. I'd then do a rub of just salt and pepper and let it sit till it hits room temp. Then put it on the BBQ and smoke it for half an hour or so at around 200 degrees. Finnish it off in the oven. Pre-heat it to 500 degrees, put in the roast and shut the oven off and pull it out when the internal temp hits 135.
It should come out a medium rare at that point and have a nice crust.


Jim

All day I would think.

While I suppose a prime rib with smoke would taste pretty good, I do it the way that's so easy a caveman could do it.

Room temp, rub with Montreal, toss in the oven at 500F for 5 min/#, shut the oven off and wait two hours. Done to a perfect medium rare.

I wouldn't mind trying that method on my Egg (I've never really considered it before because the other method is so easy), but I suspect that it doesn't cool down near as fast as an oven does so the two hour wait might have to be amended. I might have to give it a whirl one of these days since I have a few in the freezer.

I do mine at 275 degrees on the Big Green Egg. An 8 pound, 3 bone section, takes about 3 1/2-3 3/4 hours. Internal temperature should be 125 for medium rare. Check out Adam Perry Lang's recipe on line. I have the butcher cut the bone off and then tie it back on for cooking, then cut the string and remove the bone when done.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:
I wouldn't do it low and slow on the BBQ. I like my Prime Rib restaurant style and I can't see that happening.

If was me doing it I'd cut the meat off of the bone and tying it up. I'd then do a rub of just salt and pepper and let it sit till it hits room temp. Then put it on the BBQ and smoke it for half an hour or so at around 200 degrees. Finnish it off in the oven. Pre-heat it to 500 degrees, put in the roast and shut the oven off and pull it out when the internal temp hits 135.
It should come out a medium rare at that point and have a nice crust.


Jim

I'd do something similar. I don't think I'd want a super smokey Prime Rib. I want the meat to speak for itself. I do a bit more than S&P, but season it lightly.

Personally I do mine on a spit over my gas grill at 325ish. The burnt off fat adds enough smokiness for me, but I will add some wood chips in smoker box, but not refill it. I've done with bone strung on and just the meat, both turn out awesome. If I do with bone in I cut the bones off at 115ish and finish them inside. Then I add little more seasoning to area that was under bone, stop the spit on that area for a few minutes or so, then turn it back on until 125-128° and tent in foil it while I finish the rest of meal, it will continue to cook and end up somewhere above at or above 130.

Also if you do it bone in, cut the strings off, season and re-tie it.

The last time I did a prime rib, I was living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where it was the same price per pound as brisket. I carved off the bones, seasoned the meat (salt and pepper is perfectly fine for this and so is a brisket rub), tied the bones back on, stuck my Maverick probe into the center, and put on the BGE at 225. I mentioned the Canada part because my notes make a lot more sense if I assume it weighed 2.25 kilos not 2.25 pounds. It took 2 hours on the nose to bring it to medium rare which is 24.24 minutes per pound.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:
I wouldn't do it low and slow on the BBQ. I like my Prime Rib restaurant style and I can't see that happening.

If was me doing it I'd cut the meat off of the bone and tying it up. I'd then do a rub of just salt and pepper and let it sit till it hits room temp. Then put it on the BBQ and smoke it for half an hour or so at around 200 degrees. Finnish it off in the oven. Pre-heat it to 500 degrees, put in the roast and shut the oven off and pull it out when the internal temp hits 135.
It should come out a medium rare at that point and have a nice crust.


Jim

I'd do something similar. I don't think I'd want a super smokey Prime Rib. I want the meat to speak for itself. I do a bit more than S&P, but season it lightly.

Personally I do mine on a spit over my gas grill. The burnt off fat adds enough smokiness for me. I've done with bone strung on and just the meat, both turn out awesome. If I do with bone in I cut the bones off at 115ish and finish them inside. Then I add little more seasoning to area that was under bone, stop the spit on that area for five minutes or so, then turn it back on until 125-128°.

Also if you do it bone in, cut the strings off, season and re-tie it.

It's super delicious coming off the BGE with lump charcoal and a few chunks of hickory. Definitely not too smoky, and since cooking times are short (smaller cut of meat, and cooking to medium rare instead of 203F) it doesn't come out smoky like a brisket.

Additionally, I find the bring the meat up to room temperature recommendation dangerous if somebody uses an actual thermometer instead of making a wild assed guess. Here is Amazingribs.com's busting of the bring it up to room temperature myth where it took 10 hours to bring a 4.5 pound pork shoulder from 38 to 72 on the counter. I'm with them, 30 minutes max sitting out before it goes into the oven/smoker/grill.

I'm not an expert by any means but my one suggestion... electric probe thermometer.... no guessing. I use one on any roast now and stop the cooking at just about 105 degrees internal temp. I know everyone says even at rare it needs to be more but it could just be my probe but that usually puts it at rare to medium rare.

personally I think most of the fear they try to set in with meat and especially beef is bull. but then I've been eating raw beef for over 40 years now (excluding the 7 years I was a vegetarian)

It's ready when it's ready. That can suck when you have people over, but that's the only way to BBQ. Pull a little under your target temp so you can account for carryover.
Rib roasts do best w just a kiss of smoke. Look up a guy called meathead and his method/recepies/tutorials-he knows meat and BBQ.
Enjoy

I find that with cooking nice meat for people that they don't know WTF good meat is supposed to taste or look like anyway since they can't cook worth a damn anyway. Especially women. You cut them a perfect med rare slice of prime rib and they will hate it regardless of what it tastes like because it's too red looking for them or the fat isn't the proper texture or other stupid things.. Give the women the cuts in the "color" they like. Be prepared to to throw the slice in the oven for longer and they will at least not disparage it outright. The men can at least be educated!

Thanks for all the tips guys. This isn’t my first rodeo with food or smoking It is my first rib roast on the smoker. I have the best thermometers and the people eating are all connoisseurs of great food. Mostly I was wondering what time I could expect on the smoker. I think I have a good idea. I’m bringing this roast to a different house so I can’t really just hold people off. I need it to be done when I leave. Anyhow you guys have some great tips. I won’t overdo the smoke. Planning 4 plus hours I will crisp it up on direct heat if needed.

I have done a good number of prime ribs on my smokers. In fact I'm doing a 8 pounder today. I run the smoker around 250 like I normally do. Generally I use salt and pepper and that's it. Although I have used beef rubs in the past I've come to appreciate just plain salt and pepper on beef.

You smoke to temp on prime rib. Time doesn't factor into it. I take mine to a internal of about 126 and pull from the smoker and tent foil it in a pan for 20 minutes or so during which time it will continue to cook to about 130. This is where I like it. It may be too rare or too well done for some people but that's where I like it. If I wanted to sear it I'd probably take it off sooner and sear and then rest or not rest at all. Depends on where the temp comes to after searing.

I also spritz during the cook with a beef stock and whiskey mix. This helps in forming a nice crust. The sugars in the mix will caramelize on the top of the roast.

Best advice is don't wander off during your cook. Monitor your temps. I have had roasts go from 118 to 126 in the smoker in 15 to 20 minutes. Other time it can take 30 to 40 minutes to cover the same range of temp. It just happens.

This is a prime case of where a red neck sous vide cooker made out of a large cooler is very handy. Do your cooking, spin the cooler up near the end and hold it for a couple hours until time to eat

Lastmanstanding: Thanks for the tips. I won't be leaving the cooker (except for sitting inside for a while, but I have wireless thermometers connected for the meat and the smoker).

quote:

Originally posted by mark_a:
This is a prime case of where a red neck sous vide cooker made out of a large cooler is very handy. Do your cooking, spin the cooler up near the end and hold it for a couple hours until time to eat

This is an awesome idea. I hadn't thought of it. I have the Anova. I will start a little early to be sure it's ready and souse vide at 125 until time to go.

Well it was a success. I cooked it on the smoker until it was about 125. My temps ranged from 220-275. I have to work on keeping this smoker to temp. Charcoal burns away too fast.

Anyhow I put it under the broiler to crisp it up once it was done. Everyone was happy and loved the smoky flavor.

Looks awesome!

Good job. How long did it end up taking?

Jim

Nice job looks fantastic!!!