I have a 12lb bone-in (cut and tied) rib roast that I'm picking up tonight to smoke on Saturday. Need a little help with some gaps in my knowledge. I'm planning 35 minutes per lb at 225* until 120* internal, then finish in the oven at 400 to get the crust. Does that sound reasonable? What's a good rub? I would rather make my own rub, and I found a butter and garlic paste as well as an herb and garlic rub, but should I salt the meat 24 hours in advance? Should I season the roast 1 hour, 12 hours, or what? I'm getting some conflicting info online, ad I know that I can figure this out, but if anyone has opinions (oh boy...), I want to hear them. Opinions on smoking a roast, that is.
I usually smoke a beef roast at 185-195. 120-125 for an internal temp works for me, it'll coast after you take it out for another 10 degrees or so. For prime rib I prefer just a basic salt and pepper rub the evening before I'm going to smoke it. Lots and lots of options though.
There is really nothing wrong (and a whole lot right) with salt and pepper -- coarse sea or kosher and No. 16 grind black pepper to match texture. *Maybe* add some dried garlic. I would not salt the meat in advance. I have smoked prime ribs before, and I didn't really like it all that much. I do make a fair amount of brisket, and that might be why. I am also a huge fan of horseradish on rib roast, and it doesn't really go with the smoke phenols. I will say if you pull at 120 and then crust it you are going to end up with an internal at serving of something near 140. That's a full 20 degrees higher than I shoot for, but may be what you want. Hope it turns out great for you. I am sure others will chime in with ideas.
My rub for prime rib is elaborate. kitchen bouquet Salt Pepper KISS. I might add Garlic salt or use Bucks Seasoning once in a blue moon but 9 times out of ten it's just KB, Salt and pepper. Take the rib out of the fridge 30 minutes before. Once a bit "room temp" rub it fully down with the kitchen bouquet all sides. Liberally with the salt and pepper and leave it the heck alone. Let sit for maybe 30 minutes more and start cooking. The smoking part I'm not great at but this works awesome for oven cooking and should carry over well to smoking. Let the meat flavor the meat, no need to cover it up with a lot of fancy smancy nancy boy rubs. That's me. I also prefer bone out but that's also me.
I agree with pretty much all this. - I'm not a huge fan of smoked prime rib, but for roasting I either go super basic - Diamond Crystal kosher salt and 16-32mm fresh black pepper or I go old school French with a wet rub of Dijon, chopped rosemary/thyme, salt, pepper, maybe some minced garlic - puree together and slather all over. - I also like horseradish with PR - but fresh grated ideally and not on the beef as it cooks, just a condiment after. - Pre-salting - if you want - go for it - 12-24 hours in advance but remember to rinse it off, pat it dry, then leave it in the fridge a couple hours to fully dry and crust up before you start the smoke/cook. - I'd pull at 115, then on 425 to crust, and pull at 130-135 the most knowing it'll rise during the resting phase another 10 degrees or so. IMO PR is best on the cusp of Med Rare - Medium as it allows the fat plug along the eye and spinalis (cap) to melt away inside. Slice your bones off after resting, hoard them for yourself, and then slab off steaks for your lucky guests Phil!
Kroger has a house brand five salt/five pepper blend that I've been using a lot lately. Gonna try it on an oven roasted standing rib this weekend.
I always find that salting it in advance pulls out too much moisture. and yeah, kosher salt and rough ground pepper, should have specified that. You can use table salt if you have no other choice but I can't imagine doing that if you've ordered up what you did.
Got a oxy fuel welder? Do it like the restaurants do. Sear the outside with flame. I also am a fan of slow oven roasting and have not smoked. I will go as long and as low as possible in my oven even setting it at 150-170 (i use my infrared noncontact thermometer to confirm oven temp) and cooking a 5 pounder for 12 hours or more. Obviously a meat thermometer is vital here.. the last 20 deg takes almost as long as 2-3 hours. Apparently the enzymes work best to break down the meat at extended low temps. Salt is your friend for flavor. Personally, would not add much more than salt and pepper to the crust. If not a fan of searing up front, a really hot sear at the end in butter and garlic and thyme works nicely. In a cast iron ideally or be ready to ruin a pan. Have your roast drippings in a pan to cook you slices to desired temp if there are some that do not like medium rare. A big prime rib is gonna taste like meat. You can't get enough of the salted flavored crust into the deeper part of the meat. Hence the horseradish and au jus... Just a little FYI. Its an expensive cut that sometimes doesn't come out like you'd expect. I'd like to see your results and others with smoking. The long slow cook times are perfect. Just would like to know how the flavor turns out.
Anyone try to dry age their standing roast? I’m picking mine up tomorrow and hope to get a full 7 day age on it.
i actually prefer prime rib smoked. i am in the keep it simple camp too. salt, pepper, season salt, garlic, maybe some rosemary, for that traditional flavor. Ski
Yeah, probably for ten years or so. There was a discussion here about dry-aging back in the Sheik days -- pretty sure I was able to call bullshit on his operation as he got all silent once I asked him details. I got my whole hog for charcuterie a a couple weeks ago and picked up a freshly cut grass-fed rib roast from the small family butcher that processes animals from the ranch I source hog from (Bud's custom meats -- top flight joint). Been dry-aging since at 35 F, and destined for Christmas Day dinner.
My brother set up a whole dry age room with a pink Himalayan salt wall and everything... Never invited me to try, though. I'm hurt. He lives in LA.
Any tips on getting a good dry age? I’ve never done it before and don’t have any fancy setup. I’m going to try and get my fridge to 35* and cover the roast with towels that I’ll change it daily. Sound about right?
I have never smoked a prime rib, so can only answer to the other part. I usually have done a salt crusted roast by making a paste of coarse salt and water and encasing the roast in it then baking until 120. My wife believes that it is too salty and can't be healthy, so I made one at Thanks giving with an herb and garlic crust. A whole bunch of fresh parsley chopped up fine with 4 cloves of garlic and enough olive oil to make a paste. It was very delicious, but needed more salt.
Should work. Depending on the fridge and how it cycles and how it carries humidity, you should get some drying, but a week is not a lot of time, and I doubt you will get any detectable biological character. I have both toweled and left open; open seems to age faster. I wouldn't expect a lot of difference, just a little bit of concentration of flavor. Butchers typically trim the crust but I don't -- tastes good to me. Let us know how it turns out.
Yes, Lionel, the ribs are all mine (once Carol gets her vig). Thanks for all of the advice, I'll check with Carol to see what doneness she wants. Then I have enough knowledge to either moderately or grandly disappoint her. But I will do it with confidence. I like the garlic herb rub; but I'll add some salt
I did some work for a beef company one time and the guy gave me two huge bone in rib roasts. He told me to wet age them since they were already vacuum sealed. I cooked one that week and wet aged one in the back of my fridge for about a month. Rubbed it and roasted it for Christmas dinner and it was so tender you could cut it with a fork. Did it at 500 degrees for the first 15 or 20 mins and then down to 350 till it was done. I have a smaller 3 bone roast in the freezer now and might try to smoke it over Christmas. I agree with those who say salt and peppa. I've done that on the last couple briskets i've smoked and it's great.
