First time Prime Rib on Traeger Pro 22 (Photos and thoughts)

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BartenderAL72

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jan 6, 2020
39
27
Key West, Florida
Hey Everybody. So...my folks are in town and Momma requested a PR. She certainly doesn't ask for much, so I was happy to oblige.
I recently received the Traeger Pro 22 from my in-laws for the Christmas holiday, and figured it would
be a perfect time to dive into smoked prime rib, as I've never tasted a smoked one. I've baked quite a few with great results, so how hard could it be? :emoji_astonished:
This would be my 2nd cook on the Traeger. Thanks to this forum, last weeks pork butt results had me happy with the meat, but not satisfied with the smoke, and also
thanks to this forum, I've taken steps to correct the smoke situation. Armed with an A-MAZE-N 12 inch tube, Lumberjack pellets, and an 7.5lb PR from
Winn Dixie ($8.99lb), I was ready to see what I could make happen.
I always forget about aging the PR in the fridge for at least a day, but this time I remembered. This roast came from the store
with the ribs partially removed and tied back to the bones.
With fat cap scored, and the roast rubbed in kosher salt, I let her rest in the fridge for a day and a half (34hrs).
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This morning at 5:15, I took her out of the fridge and got busy with the prep. Preheated the grill per Treagers instructions,
and lit the smoker tube per instructions.
Filled tube with hickory and pecan, and filled the hopper with hickory.

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I cut multiple 2-inch deep slits in the roast and stuffed it with split, peeled garlic cloves, and fresh thyme. Then rubbed
with cracked pepper and little Lawry's.
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Then I mixed 1 cup dijon mustard and 3 tablespoons jarred horseradish in a bowl and slathered all over the roast.
I picked up this method partially from Emeril Lagasse a number of years ago, only he didn't use the thyme, he preferred cajun mustard,
and he'd sear the roast in a hot skillet before coating with the mustard mixture. You guys advised smoke won't
penetrate after a sear, so I skipped that step.

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I read the instructions for the A-MAZE-IN tube and it said I might want to modify a heat shield for the tube to prolong
pellet smoking, so I cut a foil pan and it seemed to be a perfect fit.
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Mounted the temp gauge and got this baby on at 06:00...right on the rack.
Shut the lid and set the temp for SMOKE for the first 2 hours (notice the probe placement).
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My Christmas gift to myself, the Thermaworks Smoke and The Smoke Receiver worked pretty well. It lost connection a few times when I got too far away from the base thermometer, but for the most part it worked perfectly. Certainly convenient.
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After 2 hours, I moved the temp from Smoke to the 180 temp setting. The temp toggled between 183 and 210 but was mostly around
the 200 mark for the majority of the cook.
Around 4.5 hrs later and never opening the lid, the meat probe registered 118...and in my infinite wisdom I thought I should turn off the grill and
let is slowly rise to 125. I had a warm oven I was going to transfer it to (at least that was the plan). In my defense, I had read about this method of slowly cooking
at a temp of 200 in your oven and then at 110 internal meat temp, shut off the oven and let it keep cooking slowly until internal temp hits 125. So why not try a variation of it today in the smoker? You don't try new things, you don't learn new things.
After the grill was already in Shut Down Cycle, it dawned on me that maybe I should have taken a temp with my instant read thermometer - just to be sure. After doing just that, I discovered I had made a mistake.
The meat read 99. I had failed to insert my probe deep enough into the roast.
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I normally wouldn't stick the probe into the top, but I was reading the manufactures directions
on how to increase the longevity of your probe, and they showed inserting it into the top of the roast - and draping the wire toward the probe opening in the grill - thus keeping the wire away from potential hot spots, which I did and I thought it to be deep enough into the center of the roast
and away from a bone. Guess I wasn't deep enough. I removed the probe and stuck it into the side center of the roast - where I know I'm supposed to check temp, and where I had wanted it all along. Now I was faced with waiting for the grill to finish Shut Down Cycle before firing her back up again (I assume that was the steps I needed to follow). Regardless, that's what I did.
With a fortunate feeling of narrowly averting tragedy, I decided to forego moving to an oven and kept the roast on the smoker until it reached 125. Enough with trying and learning new things for today.
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Visually, the exterior of PR would not have been this brown had I cooked it in the oven. I can only assume it's a
result of the smoke.
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I let her rest for a combined 40 minutes inside the grill, and then on a cutting board, before carving.
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1st thing I noticed was the remarkable smoke flavor. REMARKABLE. I have to believe that one of my improvements since
the first cook made a difference (different pellets, introducing a smoker tube, trying a hickory pecan mix). I am EXTREMELY HAPPY
with the level of smoke flavor. That alone makes today a success for me.
2nd thing noticed was the edge to edge pink that I'd never achieved before via cooking a PR in an over.
3rd thing my wife and I both noticed - I've made better Prime Rib in my oven. And after thinking about it all day, all I can chalk it up to is the grade of meat itself.
Unless searing on a skillet and then cooking at 275 in an oven produces better PR than what I did today (aging for 34hrs, and cooking slow and low in a smoker)...then that's all it could be.
Possibly this was not the best PR for my hard earned buck.
I didn't get to pick it out - it was what they had when I went. The "butcher" was already gone for the day. I certainly prefer more marbling if possible, or if the budget allows.
Regardless - it was really, really good. Really good.
And I learned a lot.
And Momma was happy.
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Thanks for letting me learn from all of you. Hope this post can help someone else in their journey.
It goes without saying that I hope to hear your comments and advice if you have any for me.
Cheers!
BartenderAL
 

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Last edited:
Al great post and it looks delcious. Love the use of the fresh thyme. I love fresh thyme and rosemary. That prime rib can our perfect.
 
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Al great post and it looks delcious. Love the use of the fresh thyme. I love fresh thyme and rosemary. That prime rib can our perfect.
Thanks jcam22! I wonder if an argument can be made that by cutting slits into the meat, that I am creating ways for the meat to loose juice, thus ultimatley be less tender? Regardless, the fresh herb seasons the meat nicely.
 
So...if I wanted to reverse sear, would I sprinkle a little seasoning on a slice and then a quick sizzle in a hot skillet on each side? Is that what you all are doing?
 
Nothing wrong with that PR Al. It looks delicious from here.

Point for sure
Chris
 
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