hey, casino -thanks for the tips and ideas. the 160 degrees was purely a guess, but i agree that the lower temperature would make a lot more sense, considering that it is a solid hunk of meat. i'll try something in the 147 range and see what happens.
one of these days i will have to try injections, and if i ever do large hunks of meat with bone, it will be a must-do. for now, i'll try the dry brine in vacuum seal, which seems to work well for the smaller pieces of meat. the egg-yolk brush sounds good too, to give a great colour.
thanks again! i am looking forward to the project.