"Prime" Prime Rib
 

Cooking this up this evening for a group of friends, going to be a bit of surf and turf.

http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/...ps029ca481.jpg



I am thinking to cook it on the WSM at about 235. It is 6.6 pounds and I plan a simple rub salt pepper garlic powder. I am guessing about 4 hours to get to 125. My question is--do I use the water pan or not. I really want a nice crispy exterior and a little concerned I will not get that with the water pan. Any thoughts or other ideas?

Thanks

Just curious, why 235?

Given the structure of the meat there's no reason to go that low. I'd cook it at 300 or 325.

Did you give an arm or a leg for that beauty!!!

Really just followed this thread:

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=150482
and that seemed to be the consensus temp to cook

All the times listed by thirdeye seemed to have temps from 220-250 so picked something in the middle...no rocket science on my part picking that temp.

IS there an advantage to cooking higher?

And then some....in this part of the world that is a $165 piece of meat...hence the desire to actually get it right

Nice piece of beef you got there. And a Prime Rib is always Prime Grade. If it is not prime grade, it is simply known as a standing rib roast.

Ah see--always learning something on this site, When I went to the butcher to order it I asked for a 4 rib prime rib and he asked me if I wanted prime meat so assumed that there was a difference--maybe he just scammed me for a higher price :sad:

I don't think your butcher was scamming you. Most people don't know what a standing rib roast is and only know it as "prime rib" He just wanted to make sure you wanted prime grade standing rib roast (aka prime rib) as opposed to a choice grade standing rib roast.

I will say this. That picture has me drooling as it is a fine looking piece of beef.

The way I would treat it is rub down with some kosher salt, course ground pepper (butcher ground pepper if you can find it), chopped rosemary, granulated garlic, and onion powder.

My preference for smoker setup is cooking at 300 degrees with pecan wood with no water pan (only a pan to catch the drippings to make au jus). Cooking temperature is completely based on your preference.

You are correct with only wanting to cook it to 125 degrees IT. Then let it rest for 20mins tented with foil before slicing.

I'm jealous of your meat. :drama:

I was told by my Brother in law the butcher that Prime Rib is a standing rib roast that has been aged at least 30 days.. Don't know what is actually correct, I may have to ask google :)

Go higher on that bad boy. 325ish. I can't imagine getting a good crust at that low temp if you're stopping at 125. Or cook it low to 110, then put it on a very high temp grill and sear the outside for the last 10 degrees. Never done that for a prime rib, but it sure rocks a tri tip or thick steak.

That scared me just looking at the price, and I ain't even cooking it. Good luck!

Put it in a clear box and on the mantle it goes!!!

The reason for cooking at such a low temp is to make sure the meat is evenly cooked from edge to edge. Cooking at higher temps will overcook the outside parts to get the rare to medium rare center. At lower temps you can get a perfectly uniform pink from edge to edge.

So yes, cooking at 235 is a very good idea. If a more pronounced crust is desired, you can sear the outside at the end of the process.

That is a beautiful piece of meat. You can do no wrong with that! I can't wait to see the results. As you can see, you will get all kinds of advice on temperature, and it will come out great no matter what. There's some great advice in the appreciation thread and please don't feel shy in adding to it!

Tuned in to see the cook and resulting goodness :pop2:

El Ropo is 100% correct. Cooking at 235 will get you edge-to-edge pinkness, but no awesome crust.

Pop it into a 500F oven for 10 minutes after a good 20 minute rest and you'll have edge-to-edge medium rare with a crackly, thin crust.

Oh, and turn off your smoke detectors. I guess you could do it directly over the coals, but you'll need fresh ones.