The Prime Rib (and other beef) Thread

[Jeff Lebowski]

Anyone doing anything interesting with their sides?

Smoked mac and cheese.

[Moliere]

Could be an interesting dinner at the Addison house tonight. I was just getting my roast ready to put in the oven, so I grabbed my probe thermometer and turned it on before I inserted it. It read 89 degrees. It's been warm here the last couple of days, but not nearly that warm, so I pulled out my backup probe, and tuned it on. It read 237 degrees. I decided that the error on my first one was better than the second, so I went back to it. I stuck it in a glass of ice water that had been sitting around for 30 minutes or so and it read 51. I put it in my roast that had been resting on my counter for about an hour, and it read 60, so I am assuming that it has an error of about +17 degrees in it, and I am hoping that is consistent once things warm up by 80 or 90 degrees. If not, we could be eating a $100 piece of leather tonight. No one will be happy about that except for my wife, who will be reminded of her mother's roasts.

Anyone doing anything interesting with their sides? I am doing creamed spinach, and was thinking of making some rolls, but I have been baking for two straight days, so will probably be lazy and just cut up a loaf I picked up at the store yesterday instead. That's probably it, unless someone mentions something here that strikes my fancy. Kids have enough candy and treats to fill out their meals.

Don't you have a random meat thermometer laying around? We've got 2 or 3 that sit in a drawer and I use them when my electronic probe is already in use.

[Clark Addison]

Could be an interesting dinner at the Addison house tonight. I was just getting my roast ready to put in the oven, so I grabbed my probe thermometer and turned it on before I inserted it. It read 89 degrees. It's been warm here the last couple of days, but not nearly that warm, so I pulled out my backup probe, and tuned it on. It read 237 degrees. I decided that the error on my first one was better than the second, so I went back to it. I stuck it in a glass of ice water that had been sitting around for 30 minutes or so and it read 51. I put it in my roast that had been resting on my counter for about an hour, and it read 60, so I am assuming that it has an error of about +17 degrees in it, and I am hoping that is consistent once things warm up by 80 or 90 degrees. If not, we could be eating a $100 piece of leather tonight. No one will be happy about that except for my wife, who will be reminded of her mother's roasts.

Anyone doing anything interesting with their sides? I am doing creamed spinach, and was thinking of making some rolls, but I have been baking for two straight days, so will probably be lazy and just cut up a loaf I picked up at the store yesterday instead. That's probably it, unless someone mentions something here that strikes my fancy. Kids have enough candy and treats to fill out their meals.

[Drunk Tank]

Most sites recommend 15-20 minutes. Some recommend 25.

I am going to sear at the beginning and then slow smoke to temp. I think it makes more sense to finish slowly. Too much volatility finishing at 450 degrees. A few minutes can mess it up.

Searing at the beginning of a cook when the meat is raw takes longer than searing at the end of the cook. Reason is that half of the time searing when raw is evaporating the moisture off the surface of the cold meat so it can brown. Searing when the meat is hot takes about half the time because the moisture has already been evaporated.

[Drunk Tank]

So like what appears to be most everyone else, I'm doing a prime rib today. Quick question--how many of you truss it? Do I need to if it's boneless?

The theory behind trussing a boneless roast is that is makes the meat more cylindrical in shape and allows it to cook more evenly. On the roasts I did earlier, I removed that little triangle of fat/meat that runs along the bottom of the roast down where the bones would have been. Generally it is more fat than meat and removing it made the meat more uniform in shape and made for a more cylindrical shape after trussing.

[Hot Lunch]

By "truss" do you mean tied up with butcher's string (sorry, I'm new here)? Our butcher cut the bones away from the meat, and then tied the whole thing together w/string between the bones, in part to ensure that the eye of the meat doesn't separate from the cap.

BTW, to accommodate those who aren't carnivores (we welcome those of all faiths into our home), Mrs. PAC is preparing some salmon and other eats as well. She swears this isn't due to a lack of faith in my upcoming performance.

We had our Prime Rib dinner with my family last night. My old man did a prime rib and it was great. I did notice he kept the butcher string on while he cooked it.

[PaloAltoCougar]

So like what appears to be most everyone else, I'm doing a prime rib today. Quick question--how many of you truss it? Do I need to if it's boneless?

By "truss" do you mean tied up with butcher's string (sorry, I'm new here)? Our butcher cut the bones away from the meat, and then tied the whole thing together w/string between the bones, in part to ensure that the eye of the meat doesn't separate from the cap.

BTW, to accommodate those who aren't carnivores (we welcome those of all faiths into our home), Mrs. PAC is preparing some salmon and other eats as well. She swears this isn't due to a lack of faith in my upcoming performance.

[cowboy]

Just so I'm clear (which I rarely am), at 115 the meat goes straight into the oven at 450 (more?) and leave it there until the internal temp hits 125, then pull it and let it rest for 20 mins.

This is correct. I've seared both at the beginning and end, and JL makes a good point, but DT convinced me to try searing late, and I preferred the idea. I don't think it matters. I concur with JL that 10 minutes, especially at the end, or no more than 15 in the beginning will be adequate for a good sear. Remember the surface will be exposed to heat for a long time, so it just doesn't take much. Happy eats, and Merry Christmas everyone!

Edit: Seeing so many people eating Prime Rib for Christmas is the best present CS can give me. Thanks for the support!

[ERCougar]

So like what appears to be most everyone else, I'm doing a prime rib today. Quick question--how many of you truss it? Do I need to if it's boneless?

[PaloAltoCougar]

Some excellent counsel in this thread; thanks, all. Good luck to everyone tomorrow. I'll look forward to many reports of great eats, and hope I'll be able to submit one myself.

[Jeff Lebowski]

This is helpful. How long would you sear it?

Most sites recommend 15-20 minutes. Some recommend 25.

I am going to sear at the beginning and then slow smoke to temp. I think it makes more sense to finish slowly. Too much volatility finishing at 450 degrees. A few minutes can mess it up.

[fusnik]

im doing a 21lb prib, or better said, two 10.5 pribs. Way too many people coming over tomorrow.

Don't make me text you, deets, temps, rub, what's your plan of attack?

[TripletDaddy]

im doing a 21lb prib, or better said, two 10.5 pribs. Way too many people coming over tomorrow.

[fusnik]

$100?? you guys skimping this year, Tiny Tim?

Lol.

Going 8.1 lbs x $16 + creamed corn + asparagus + Martinellis + rolls + Yukon golds....

Why am I not just going to Craftsteak?

[fusnik]

I did a load of beef jerky, setting the smoker to run while we were at the three-hour block Sunday. But after an excellent Sacrament Meeting (lotsa music, very short inspiring talks), and after chatting it up with several visitors, I felt moved upon to bail on SS and HPG to go home and check on things. It was an inspired decision, as the fire had gone out. I took everything out, cleaned out the firepot, then started anew. The jerky turned out superbly despite the glitch, but it made me nervous for tomorrow evening's attempt at a prime rib roast. Like fus, I'm a little apprehensive about screwing up a $100+ piece of meat, esp. with a guest list of 18 in attendance, but fools rush in...

I've decided to go with this approach, and hope if I'm doing something horrible here that concerned and skilled readers will so advise: I'll make a baste/sauce/whatever consisting of Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme and garlic. On top of that I'll add some Traeger's Prime Rib Rub. I'll put the thing in the Traeger for 25-30 minutes for a 450 degree or so sear (whatever the Lil Tex can hit and maintain). After the sear, I'll smoke (hickory) at 250 or less until the center temp hits 130 or so. I'll let it rest for 20 minutes before carving, to either the adulation of a grateful audience or the eternal condemnation of my wife, depending on the outcome. Oh Mother of the Traeger Thermostats, pray for me.

Lol

I'm doing the same, watched a couple of videos, settled on the wo mix, high temp seer, etc.

I had planned on the oven for the sear but thought, if I'm going oven route why not just do the whole thing in the over?