Help me plan a staycation-week prime rib cook

[DaveD]

Hey folks, we're having a "staycation" in a couple of weeks, having canceled our plans to spend a week with my lovely bride's daughter & 2 grandkids out on the Oregon coast (rental house already paid for, so they'll go out on their own, they live in the area). I'm planning on a cooking frenzy, and one of the things I want to make is this here Angus Choice prime rib I got from Wild Fork a few months ago, which looks to be three bones, best I can tell.



All the disclaimers: I have never honcho'd a prime rib cook before; my lovely bride has always done them in the oven and just slays it every time. But I gotta start somewhere, and it's a good time of year to minimize use of the oven indoors, we'll be in the Dog Days by then... So by definition, the kitchen oven & stovetop not in play for this.

My available tools are Weber Spirit 3-burner gas grill with GrillGrates, Joule sous vide wand, and Pit Boss Copperhead 5 vertical pellet smoker, and that's it. So I can use the SV or smoker to bring up IT slowly, or do 2-zone, and can sear on the gasser either at the start or finish... I've read a few threads here and gleaned some tips, but figured it couldn't hurt to spin up another conversation.

The goal of course is perfect consistency of doneness and a lovely crust, but I'm wide open on the path to getting there with what I have to work with. Thanks in advance!

[Jfrosty27]

Dave
Here’s one I did on my Recteq pellet cooker. 235* for about 3.5 hours. Didn’t sear it at all but that would easily be done on your gasser. I think I would front sear, then in the pooper to final temp. But maybe the Pit thinks differently. Anyway, just one option.

[theroc]

+2

[SheilaAnn]

+3

Or SVQ. I’m an SVQ junky! Just be sure to wrap the ends of the bones with plastic wrap to prevent unwanted punctures.

[WI Bubba]

This is how I would do it.

[smokin fool]

Never done a prime rib but lots of rounds and sirloins.
Are you going to smoke with ribs on or ribs off, my first choice would be ribs off and save them for another day.
Mustard slather with a simple salt and pepper dry rub, dry brine for 8 hours, many rules of thought here.
Get the smoker up to 350ish and right out of the fridge, augment with another dry rub if you choose and on to the grate.
After 15-20 mins depending on how responsive your smoker is drop the temps back into the 250-270 range.
Cook to an inside temp of 130 for rare, 140 for med and so on.
Won't be a very long cook, maybe 2 hours so plan accordingly.

[DaveD]

I've got that question too about pros and cons of bones on or off, see my latest post...

[rickgregory]

My available tools are Weber Spirit 3-burner gas grill with GrillGrates, Joule sous vide wand, and Pit Boss Copperhead 5 vertical pellet smoker, and that's it.

No microwave?

[DaveD]

Ah, ya caught me! Yeah, I'd probably use the microwave for something, but not for the roast!

[rickgregory]

But DaveD, it would be done so much faster! (See the video about someone who actua;ly microwaved a full packer. Took 45 minutes IIRC)

[Bad Hat BBQ]

Staycation should include a real indulgence....

Pick up 2 bottles of nice bourbon (or wine or whatever) that you would not usually buy; add a flight / taste test to the evening

Reverse Seared Rib Roast with a little fresh Horseradish on the side

[realdocBBQ]

Done with my Joule and then seared with a flamethrower:

I'm kinda gettin' the hankerin' to do it agin'.

[Jfrosty27]

Outstanding. Nice work Pitmaster

[DaveD]

I saw that clip and the one with the damn flamethrower...yowza!!

[realdocBBQ]

I think that was Christmas 2018 and I still remember eating that rib roast - it was the very definition of "need no teef to eat this beef".

[Mosca]

I’d sv it then sear on the Weber.

[DavidNorcross]

You have gotten some great advice. I think staycations are the very best!

[DaveD]

I sure do appreciate all the great responses, thanks folks!

Question about sous vide: just as a ballpark, how long would a rib roast that size need to go for? Overnight?

About the bones: I've read that some cooks will cut the bones off (or mostly off) but then bind them back together loosely for the cook. Would there be any upside to doing that in the SV?

And just in general, do folks prefer bones on or off to cook? I am sure it depends on the cooking method as above...

[Mosca]

Internet says 6-10 hours, with some saying 8 hours. If you have a vacuum sealer, check the temp at 8 hours, if it’s not 125 seal it back up for a couple more hours.

[Mosca]

Regarding bones: I’ve done scores of rib roasts. The bones don’t matter in the final taste. If you’re going to sv, take them off, they’ll just be in the way.

[DaveD]

OK, voice of experience right there - thanks!

[SheilaAnn]

Looking forward to results!

[jfmorris]

I would personally do this:

1. Separate the ribs from the rest, and you have a nice little 3 bone slab of ribs to smoke.
2. Separate the spinalis, the "rib eye cap" steak from the eye of the ribeye and grill it up as a nice treat for you and the wife.
3. Smoke the ribeye "eye" as your prime rib, on the pellet smoker, to medium-rare. Definitely NOT on the gas grill, unless you just want to do a sear at the beginning or end of the cook.
4. IF someone wants theirs more done, cook their slices past medium rare in a hot skillet...

The butchering of a prime rib is pretty easy, and that spinalis or rib eye cap can pretty much be pulled off by hand. I did it with a 3 bone ribeye myself on Saturday night. Google it, and I am sure there are plenty of videos on the subject.

[DaveD]

Very interesting! I have never had spinalis all on its lonesome before, but that is my favorite bite of the prime rib for sure. How big was the one from your 3-ribber? Does it make a meal, or more of a nosh?

[SheilaAnn]

DaveD for us (party of two) the spinalis is for tacos!

[jfmorris]

DaveD I didn't weight it, but the spinalis from the 3 bone ribeye is a rectangular steak maybe 12 ounces if I had to guess. From a full 7 bone ribeye it was almost 2 pounds.

[DTro]

I would have a great beef meal or two and plan a trip to your local Super Chicken for a night off of cookin'.

[DaveD]

There sure is no shortage of Peruvian chicken places in these parts...!

[TripleB]

I've done a rib roast - conventional roasting in the oven, reverse sear and SV. SV being the latest method.

When I do a rib roast again (probably Christmas), I will do a reverse sear. SV is great and you do get that perfect color all the way through, but SVing (for me) does not render the fat as I would like. Also, crust development is the most important issue for me. I can't do anything about the marbling of the meat and can only modestly alter the tenderness by the way it is cooked. The crust is what I can greatly affect and reverse sear would be the best way, for me, for accomplishing that.

Whatever way you go, it will be delicious. cheers

[ILMsmoke]

Cut bones off and smoke separately. Truss tie the roast to perfectly round and put on 250°-250° Until 115°it and sear over hot coals. Buy a bag of charcoal, pile it up in the yard if necessary. Get glowing hot and throw the grates on it. Sear 1 minute each of the 4 sides until desired crust.

[STEbbq]

I followed this approach a few months back and it worked great. We had three different cuts cooked perfectly.

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...r-beef-roasts/

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...ide-prime-rib/

Note the SVQ version. My opinion, this is one of Meathead’s best recipes because he does this on an annual basis for his family so he has really mastered it.