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**Mosca** · November 27, 2018, 09:25 PM

3 ribs is plenty for 6 people. There should be leftovers.

Bone in or bone out, doesn’t affect the flavor. Bone out gets you more crust.

I don’t smoke my rib roasts. The meat is the star here. Salt, pepper, maybe garlic and rosemary. Most frequently I use just the oven, but I did the last one on the Weber kettle with a rotisserie. I’ve never needed a sear in the oven, the roast is always cracklin’ when I take it out. But if it wasn’t I’d use the broiler.

One thing, though: I’m in NE PA, you are in San Antone. I don’t want to be walking in and out in the cold and snow while I have guests. If it was warm, and we could eat outside, I’d use the kettle with the rotisserie. That was a damn good rib roast.

I’ve made horseradish sauce, but no one uses it. I’ve made mushrooms and onions in savory jus, and it’s gone untouched. My guests just tag right into the beef like a bunch of starving heathens. Keep it simple is my advice. People love the beef. Do the roast, some kind of potato, something green, maybe a simple salad, and one dessert. Wine, beer, and water to drink.

**wu7y** · November 28, 2018, 12:28 AM

I have cooked quite a few prime rib roasts over the years but never in a grill/kettle/smoker - yet. The best one I ever did was an attempt with a different method I had read about but never used. If I remember correctly it was an 8lb bone-in roast but this method is supposed to work with any weight roast. I cut the bones off leaving as much of the meat as possible with the roast. I tied the roast with butchers twine into as close to a cylinder shape as I could get (this is important). Preheated the oven to 400 F and put the roast in for 5 min/pound. I put it on a rack over a roasting pan to get as much circulation around it as possible. Higher is better. After 40 minutes I turned the oven off and kept the oven door closed (this is very important). I monitored the IT with a remote thermometer until the temp got to 120. I pulled the roast and tented it with foil. I did not wrap it tight. I think it took about 2 hrs after I shut the oven off. This was several years ago and I can't remember exactly. I do know I closely watched the IT.

I don't remember what I used to season it but it would have been pretty simple- probably only salt and pepper. To my taste it doesn't take very much seasoning/rub to screw up an otherwise good piece of meat. It did not have the crust one would expect from a rub but it had enough sear just from the first 40 minutes to make it very attractive. It was deliciously med. rare all the way through. Almost no darker color away from the surface. It was scary as hell during the wait but it was worth it. When I can afford another piece of meat like that I will do it again - probably in a covered grill over charcoal.

As to which is more expensive it would depend on the price difference where you buy the meat. The boneless could be the better deal because at the per pound price you can pay a lot for bones. But they can be very good with the little meat which may be left on so they won't go to waste. Just cook them differently.

And +1 on what Mosca said about smoking and your other questions.

Just my $.02 worth. Good luck.

**Oakgrovebacon** · November 28, 2018, 05:43 AM

The ones I have done have been boneless, tied into cylinder following Meathead’s instructions on free side of amazing ribs. Cow crust rub after a 24 hour dry bring. I cooked in oven set low-225. Cooked to I t of 120. Then took outside to warp10 type charcoal fire. Used silicone gloves to handle it as I seared all around and ends. Almost moving all the time. Serve with a baked potatoe, salad, good bread or rolls. Meat is the star of the meal. Not hard to do, just buy a nice looking pc of meat and give it a try.

**DogFaced PonySoldier** · November 28, 2018, 10:27 AM

What have ya'll used as a cheaper alternative to a rib roast? I am tired of spending $70-90 on a roast.

**Huskee** · November 28, 2018, 10:35 AM

Originally posted by tRidiot View Post

What have ya'll used as a cheaper alternative to a rib roast? I am tired of spending $70-90 on a roast.

If you cook it properly and do all the right things, an eye of round roast is a great poor man's prime rib. It is tougher and drier, there is no denying that fact, but it eats darn good if you treat it like it's a $100 piece of meat. Board sauce helps immensely. Tri-tip is of course another good one, but they aren't so cheap anymore for me since no one carries them so I have to order them online and I don't find them worth the price at all. Strip loin is another good one, but they my not be a whole lot cheaper than a rib roast, not like eye of round anyway.

**Huskee** · November 28, 2018, 10:40 AM

My most favorite one was on the kettle, reverse sear, no wood only charcoal. I let them sit on the counter for 2 or 3 hours first (sssh, don't tell anyone about my heathen ways). Meathead's Mrs O'Leary's Cow Crust is the bomb on them, it's both spicy and herbal. I used to use BBBR on them, but Cow Crust is better on medium-rare roasts IMO.

**Troutman** · November 28, 2018, 12:36 PM

Do yourself a favor and read Meathead's article on the free side of the site, it pretty much says it all..... The Science Of Cooking Prime Rib, Tenderloin, And Other Beef Roasts Recipe

**ecowper** · November 28, 2018, 12:51 PM

I follow Meathead's approach generally, with modifications

1. Buy a rib roast with bones. Best option is buy at butcher shop, ask butcher to cut bones off for you and tie it. They will totally do this for you. Second best option, buy at grocery store or Costco with bones on and remove them yourself, then tie, etc.
2. Prep gravy the day before
3. Dry brine starting day before for 24 hours
4. Prep Mrs. O'Leary's cow crust a couple hours ahead so all the flavors mingle and mix nicely
5. Get the smoker going .... I use a rotisserie on my Hasty-Bake. A rotisserie on a Weber would be great, too. I love the seared outside crust and the over the top beefy interior that you get from a rotisserie approach. I make sure and add some red oak to the charcoal as I get it going, let the oak get to white embers, not burning, smokey wood, before I start running the meat on the rotisserie.
6. Bank coals off to each side of the firebox, place gravy directly under rotisserie, get Mrs. O'Leary's on the roast and onto the spit it goes.
7. Cook to desired internal temp ... I go to 135 because that means, with carryover, the center is going to be Medium-Rare Plus and the ends will be Medium to Medium-Well. This means the whole family (about 15 of us on Christmas) is happy without someone microwaving a piece of meat and making me grumpy!
8. Bring gravy in, strain bones and veggies out, reduce it a bit, season a bit as needed
9. Hope everything else is ready
10. Serve!

**Troutman** · November 28, 2018, 01:03 PM

Back at ya .....

**shush** · November 28, 2018, 02:48 PM

So, this is down near the end of the page, and probably won't get read. I read most of the comments above. I do not disagree with most of this. I would rather tell you about my experience... I turned to Meathead 's advice on this+.
I was to have 10-12 ppl at Christmas dinner a couple of years ago. All Family, so both your best and worst critics all at the same table. I called/emailed my "local" butcher about 2 weeks ahead of time and ordered a 5 bone, bones cut off and tied back on, USDA Prime Prime Rib Roast. IIRC, it was just barely north of $200. Not cheap. Then the nerves kicked in... what if I do this wrong?!? I had never done prime rib on a smoker before... I had really never done prime rib. Sure, I have done my fair share of 'Eye of round' roasts on the "Ron Popeil Showtime rotisserie and barbeque" cooker, but this was different. This was a hunk of meat that cost almost 20 times all of my previous cooks. Anyway, I forged ahead, full trust in guide on this site.
I dry brined... I made the Cow Crust... I made certain I had plenty of pellets for my smoker (RecTec RT-680). Cleaned it up nice. Used a couple of tricks shared with me by one of the RecTec employees. (I put a few chunks of wood directly below the drip pan, on top of the diffuser. Thus generating a bit more smoke than the pellets alone.) This endeavor needed to be perfect. I figured I'd do something with the ribs later, but had a fantastic idea. Let me do them the night before, and have some bits to snack on... 'twas _perfect_! So the next day, I get the smoker fired up. I work back my timing from slicing to *cough* resting (which is called getting other things together that you really forgot about), to watching for the right temp (130F for me), to where the probes needed to be positioned, all of it.
So, it cooks, and I cannot look. I must trust the thermometer. No peeking! I check the display, and I am about 5 degrees away. I start to assemble my slicing station. Help with other things in the kitchen, etc. Make sure I get my knife nice and sharp. And the beeps go off. The meat is finished! I grab my cutting board and head outside. I open the smoker and I see a thing of beauty. It looks _amazing_. I bring it inside, take a couple of photos and start slicing. To me, this is/was a work of art. One of those things you can only appreciate through its destruction. My eldest daughter does not like red meat. My youngest doesn't like Chicken. So I am fully prepared to hear "I'm not hungry" and "Oooh! Yummy!" respectively. I plate the meat and we eat. About 5 minutes into the meal, my eldest says "Dad, I don't know what you did to this... but I want seconds!" I could not believe my ears. I don't think there were any left overs. I think we may have had some prime rib and eggs for breakfast. I'd share pictures, but I lost all my photos when I upgraded my phone.

I am sure you'll do fine. If I can do it, anyone can. (tm)

+ https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...er-beef-roasts

**GrillinNC** · November 28, 2018, 04:50 PM

I did one two years ago. I wish I had kept some notes, but it was no bone roast. I tied it, put some olive oil, salt pepper, rosemary, and slow cooked in the oven. I think around 120 degrees I took it out, and took it to my Weber for searing. The roast came out great. The best part was we ended up with about half left over. I vacuum sealed it in a foodsaver bag and froze it. We just ate it recently reheated on my Weber...I swear it was just as good as the first time!

**Troutman** · November 29, 2018, 02:25 PM

Man this post has turned into a Prime-Rib-Palooza !!! I love it, can't wait into Christmas, it's on the menu !!!!

**JGo37** · November 29, 2018, 09:41 PM

My next prime rib will be the first I'll be documenting. I'll be doing bone-in. As far as 'the best way'? I won't be using my kitchen any more, not if I can help it. Maybe just for eggs Benedict, and boiling water. If meat is involved, it's on a grill. At least I can tell you that.

I am planning on bringing Sous Vide into my arsenal, and smoking / barking & producing fully pasteurized rare meats and expecting that there is no better way to get what I'm expecting to be perfect results.

**MtView** · December 7, 2019, 08:04 AM

Originally posted by ecowper View Post

I follow Meathead's approach generally, with modifications

1. Buy a rib roast with bones. Best option is buy at butcher shop, ask butcher to cut bones off for you and tie it. They will totally do this for you. Second best option, buy at grocery store or Costco with bones on and remove them yourself, then tie, etc.
2. Prep gravy the day before
3. Dry brine starting day before for 24 hours
4. Prep Mrs. O'Leary's cow crust a couple hours ahead so all the flavors mingle and mix nicely
5. Get the smoker going .... I use a rotisserie on my Hasty-Bake. A rotisserie on a Weber would be great, too. I love the seared outside crust and the over the top beefy interior that you get from a rotisserie approach. I make sure and add some red oak to the charcoal as I get it going, let the oak get to white embers, not burning, smokey wood, before I start running the meat on the rotisserie.
6. Bank coals off to each side of the firebox, place gravy directly under rotisserie, get Mrs. O'Leary's on the roast and onto the spit it goes.
7. Cook to desired internal temp ... I go to 135 because that means, with carryover, the center is going to be Medium-Rare Plus and the ends will be Medium to Medium-Well. This means the whole family (about 15 of us on Christmas) is happy without someone microwaving a piece of meat and making me grumpy!
8. Bring gravy in, strain bones and veggies out, reduce it a bit, season a bit as needed
9. Hope everything else is ready
10. Serve!

I was catching up on some Prime Rib advice and came across this post from last year. First, I had to laugh about the part of "without someone microwaving a piece of meat and making me grumpy." Same here. I'm getting better at hiding it though.

I loved your cutting board in the pic! Do you remember where you got it?

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