Getting Ready for my first Standing Rib Roast

[petehalsted]

Just came out of the freezer and into the fridge.

Being a bit lazy today and didn't try to google it, how long should this take to thaw in the fridge? I am thinking, I can leave it in fridge until Thursday, then apply rub Thursday, and onto the smoker Friday. It is froze solid and would hurt like hell if you let it slide out of the freezer and onto your foot. Don't ask me how I know that!

I haven't decided if I want to do it bones one, bones off, or bones off and then tied back.

Planning on doing a traditional rub with Rosemary, Garlic, etc. partially because I have quite a bit of Rosemary on hand.

Plan on doing it in uncovered foil pan sitting on cooling rack, in my MES 30. Based on Bear's post I am convinced it will still get good smoke and bark, and much easier to manage and catch liquid for Au Jus.

This will be practice as I am planning on doing one for our next big family dinner.

I have done plenty of briskets but for some reason I am more paranoid about messing this up!

 

[SmokinAl]

Sounds like a solid plan!
I would leave the bones on to smoke, then cut them off when you carve it up.
In my house the bones go to the chef!
Al

 

[tallbm]

I have yet to do a standing rib roast but it is on my bucket list. I like the idea of having the ribs on when serving for the Flintstones effect :D

As for thawing I think you are good. Worse case just leave it out on the counter for a while at some point if it seems to frozen. Beef should have no problem doing so as long as you don't leave it out all day :)

I lean towards not smoking stuff directly sitting in a pan just to make sure I get even smoke and color all around/over the cut of meat. I often will put a rack inside of a pan to get the meat up off the pan and to avoid the discoloration or soaking with juices. After I have gotten enough smoke I just drop the meat in to the pan and wrap.

Also unless it is certain cuts (chuck roast for example) I am now a practitioner of not wrapping my meat to allow max smoke and more bark. Next time I do a prime rib I plan to not wrap at all and I will likely marinate to get a little more flavor deeper into the meat.

Just my 2 cents, I hope some of it may help but do what you feel you will enjoy most in the end :)

 

[oddegan]

I smoked one last Sunday with the bones on and then removed them at carving like Al suggested. I smoked it on one rack with a pan sitting underneath on another rack to catch the juices. I pulled the roast at 140 (SWMBO likes it a little more done) let it rest for 30 minutes while I made au jus with the collected juices and whipped up some creamed spinach. Then seared the roast on the grill for a nice char. I really like the results this method gives me. The best of both worlds.

 

[zwiller]

I'll probably get banned but not a fan of smoked rib roast. Seems gimmicky. I am probably spoiled from eating at Lawry's... Consider doing Bears smoked ribs cut from the roast but roast goes in oven. Best of both worlds...

Until you do a few it is a little scary with the $ outlay. To me, the key is 2 things. Nice long dry rub/pellicle over a few days and reverse sear. Good thermometer being essential.

 

[petehalsted]

Update:

Just pulled from fridge and unwrapped it. One decision already made for me, the butcher had already frenched it

It's still quite a ways from thawed, so I have started the dry brine of Kosher Salt, I like to dry brine with just the salt. I am going to leave it out for an hour or so, then back into the fridge overnight.

Tomorrow, I will add the CBP, Rosemary, and garlic. and into the smoker.

Plan at this point is to smoke at 225 in my MES 30 with AMNPS using my standard 40/40/20 Apple/Cherry/Pecan mix. When IT gets around 125-130, I will decide how the bark is looking and either finish it in the MES or move it to my Smoke Hollow Vector where I can get a higher temp to sear it more if I feel it needs it. Shooting for Final IT of 135. Momma will want her's more done than that, but I can sear her's after slicing.

 

[petehalsted]

Did some more reading yesterday and have revised my plan slightly. I am going to go LOOOWWW AND SLOOOWWW @200. Which means I will definitely need to reverse sear on grill.

The bones are already cut off and then tied back. I am guessing I should remove them and sear each part separate?

 

[ab canuck]

Will be watching this...... lol made me hungry this morning...

 

[petehalsted]

And so it begins.

It had a pretty nice pellicle started this AM. I rubbed with a bit of olive oil, garlic, CBC, a touch more salt, and Rosemary. I am definitely in the "best part of Prime Rib is the crust", camp.

Into the MES 30 set at 200. In the pic you can see how I setup my AMNPS, I don't have the rails but it wedges in nicely and doesn't sit on the floor. Meat temp was 36. Alarm set for 125, when I plan to sear it on the grill.

Removed the top Rack, set roast on 2nd rack, I put pan on 3rd rack. I put a bit of beef broth, onions and garlic in the pan, to get it started.

I will try to post the results before I put my self in a meat coma.

 

[petehalsted]

Actually just had to run and and change it, when looking at pic realized I put the tray in backwards.

when only doing 2 row I put the burning row to the left, when I have all 3 rows filled, I put the burning row on the right.

Based on comments from Todd, I do on the left with the theory that the element creates a draft and draws air across the tray. But when I do 3 full rows on a long smoke, I occasionally get the row next to the element spontaneously lighting about half way through the cook. I am guessing its a combination of the element heat, long time drying, and the heat coming from the second row as it lights can cause the 3rd row to light. So buy putting the burning row closest to the element, it burns through to the 2nd row, before it has enough time to be spontaneously lit and the 2nd and 3rd row are far enough away to not worry about.

Anyway that is what works for me with my modified MES 30 Gen 2.25 (Gen 2 but with top left vent), I removed water pan, and replaced with slate tile. Chip tray is removed, and I pull out the chip loader a couple of inches and have in the dumped position. I put the pellets in the tray and set on the bottom shelf while preheating smoker. Done this for several smokes now and haven't had any issues, other than once when it got dripped on by some wings that were at the very front of the racks. Which is why you see that small flatten foil pan on the left, it lays on the slate and hangs over far enough to prevent drips into the AMPNS

 

[petehalsted]

The results are in...

It cooked much faster than I expected. I was thinking at 200 it was going to take longer than it did. That's ok, we are real flexible on mealtime. But my I didn't get my Potatoes on soon enough so smoke potatoes are going to be another 30 minutes.

I let it rest for a few minutes tented after pulling from the smoker at 125. Then I cut the strings and separated the ribs and seared everything on the grill.

I then tented the rib roast, while I proceeded to "Inspect" one of the rib bones. I tossed the other 2 rib bones back in the smoker, which is now running at 250 to finish the Potatoes.

I then sliced the rib roast. I overshot Medium Rare by a few degrees as you can see in the photos, but that is fine. I got to sear Momma afterwards anyway.

Flavor is fantastic, and the crust has just the right amount of salty crunchy goodness on it.

Notes for next time. I will likely not do bone on again. I will have them cut with more meat left on the bones so I can do "Brisket on a Stick".

As you see in the photo right out of the smoker, the Rosemary really dried out and flakes off a lot as you handle it. And by the time it was done searing, most of it was gone. But that is ok, it did add a bit just the right amount of flavor to the crust for that traditional savory prime rib crust I wanted.

7 decent size steaks. 2 ends I sliced off for nibbling, and 3 meaty heaven on a stick bones for nibbling. I definitely got my $50 worth. I sent 1 steak to the Park Manager who brought us over some baby backs when we were sick. Two for our dinner and 4 are vacuum sealed and in the freezer.

Just out of the smoker


One of these disappeared immediately after this photo.


This photo I think is pure BBQ porn!


A touch over the mark and not the pretties slice or presentation, but damn is it good!


... Guess the potatoes are going to be a late night snack.

 

[Bearcarver]

Looks Great, Pete!! :)

Mighty Tasty!!---Like.

Almost the way I make all of mine, except I usually use 220°.

Nice Job!:)

Bear

 

[ab canuck]

Well Pete that looks great!!! That is a point worthy smoke for me... lol think I am hungry again....

 

[SmokinAl]

Beautiful looking PR!
I bet it was delicious!
Congrats on making the carousel!
Al

 

[tropics]

Pete that sure is a fine looking PR I would eat it any day Points
Richie

 

[Rings Я Us]

Nice food ,you did it up right!
I'm wondering what you did with that pan of juice.. Lol
Congrats on you feature presentation.
:)

 

[Bearcarver]

Nice food ,you did it up right!
I'm wondering what you did with that pan of juice.. Lol
Congrats on you feature presentation.
:)

Smoking at 200°, all the meat juices are probably still in the roast.
I know the juices stay in mine when I do them at 220°.

Bear

 

[jaxrmrjmr]

Looks good!

I cook mine in my smoker but the wife doesn't like much smoke on it. Just the air circulating in the smoker gives it a touch of smokey flavor. I season up a bone-in rib roast a day ahead of time and leave it uncovered in the frig overnight. Then I cook it at 250° until it reaches 125° and let it rest for 20 minutes. I then sear the outside quickly on the grill. Works for me and they are super easy and delicious.

There is a little supermarket that puts them on sale for $3.99 lb every once in a while. They aren't graded out, but you can find a good one if you know what you're looking for. One heck of a meal for $20!

 

[petehalsted]

Smoking at 200°, all the meat juices are probably still in the roast.
I know the juices stay in mine when I do them at 220°.

Bear

Bear nailed that one! The only juice in the pan was the bit that I put in it to start with. If my smoker could hit higher temps, I could have cranked the temp at the end and set the sear and probably got some juice, but since I have to sear on the grill I didn't. Good news is there was no need for Au jus, you couldn't touch it without juices running everywhere!

I do have a confession. By the time I gnawed one of the bones when I first seared them, nibbled on the 2 slivers I cut off the ends, and a second bone. I ended up not eating any of my steak, but it sure was good this AM with a couple of fried eggs!!!

As I mentioned I didn't get the Potatoes in soon enough, I ended up pulling them out and nuking them for 5 minutes to finish them. I wasn't impressed, not sure I will go through the effort on the potatoes again. I have an extra one left that I am going to do twice smoked potato skins tonight with dinner, so we will see how that goes.

Thanks for the likes and carousel fellas!

 

[Bearcarver]

Bear nailed that one! The only juice in the pan was the bit that I put in it to start with. If my smoker could hit higher temps, I could have cranked the temp at the end and set the sear and probably got some juice, but since I have to sear on the grill I didn't. Good news is there was no need for Au jus, you couldn't touch it without juices running everywhere!

Exactly!!
Who needs Au jus, when ALL the Juices are still in the Roast? Built in Au jus. :)

Bear