Temperature Control Question

Homeboy · December 2011

I was cooking a prime rib yesterday and started it at 500 degrees to get the exterior nice and brown, but when I tried to reduce the temperature to 275 for the rest of the cooking time, I couldn't do it! I completely shut the dampers, I tired setting the dampers where I usually set them for 275 and waited 15 minutes, but it only dropped to about 400-425. I tried shutting the bottom and opening the top to let the heat out, and everything in between, but the egg wouldn't go below 375. I gave up and put the roast in the oven in defeat. How should I have done this? Thanks!

Little Steven · December 2011

Takes a while to cool down an egg. Opening the dome to let the heat out does nothing but add oxygen to the fire, feeding it further. Well, it may cool the thermometer down a bit and read a lower temp. I cook prime rib at 250* all the way along and get great colour. If you feel you really need the sear, do it at the end of the cook

Squeezy · December 2011

Takes a while to cool down an egg. Opening the dome to let the heat out does nothing but add oxygen to the fire, feeding it further. Well, it may cool the thermometer down a bit and read a lower temp. I cook prime rib at 250* all the way along and get great colour. If you feel you really need the sear, do it at the end of the cook

+1

Did one yesterday no sear was great!

Homeboy · December 2011

Thanks, I had decided I would cook the next one at 250 start to finish, like I've done Boston Butts for years. I had rad several posts about starting at high heat to sear and thought I'd try it, but you guys made me feel better!

Little Steven · December 2011

You can go higher than 250* and get great results too. I just find the window for not overcooking is better at lower temp

Shwiezzee · December 2011

You can go higher than 250* and get great results too. I just find the window for not overcooking is better at lower temp

Spot on! Also limiting your intake of a fine Cabernet helps. :-\"

Little Steven · December 2011

That was sorta what I meant :))

Shwiezzee · December 2011

Oh,

I thought I was the only degenerate wine sipping BBQing fool.

:-))

Little Steven · December 2011

No I'm the beer swilling degenerate fool. And damned proud of it!

lousubcap · December 2011

For you 250*F prime rib cookers, about how many minutes/lb do you plan on-recognizing the finish is based on temperature. My notes show about 25-30 mins/lb but it has been awhile and I'm not sure those writings weren't influenced by the extended cook time/beer consumption at the lower temps:)

In advance, thanks for your "clear light of day" insights.

Little Steven · December 2011

That's a tough question to answer. I've done lots of prime rib at low temps and they are usually 25 to 30 minutes a pound. If the roast is more than three or four bones then the time per pound goes way down. Think of stkie's mile long hot dog analogy. If it's longer than it is thick then you are looking at shorter times

njl · December 2011

15m isn't enough time for much of a cool down. The last time I did what you did (and I try not to now), it took about an hour with the vents pretty much entirely closed (and an occasional opening of the top to let a bunch of heat out) to get down from around 500F to 250F.

MCR · December 2011

@ Homeboy

A small trick to lower the temperature is to introduce something (a mass) to absorb the heat or the energy such as a plate sletter and/or pizza stone. You could finish prime rib indirect or simply remove them.

njl · December 2011

There's a danger though, introducing a cold pizza stone to a very hot egg, of cracking the pizza stone.

resullivan · December 2011

If you want to sear either at first or at the end I would just do it in the oven.

4Runner · December 2011

http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1996/03/beef-standing-rib-roast-prime-rib.html

Look towards the bottom to see some posted cook times for a variety of sizes of meat. 4# on the light end was about 30mins/# and 15# on the high end at approx 20mins/#. Just use this to help you know when to start and as always, cook to internal temp that is a bit lower than you desire to account for rise during resting.

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