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Temperature Control Question

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Homeboy
Homeboy Posts: 2
edited December 2011 in EggHead Forum
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!  
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    edited December 2011
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    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

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Squeezy
    Squeezy Posts: 1,102
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    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!

    Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
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  • Homeboy
    Homeboy Posts: 2
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    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!   
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    You can go higher than 250* and get great results too. I just find the window for not overcooking is better at lower temp

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Shwiezzee
    Shwiezzee Posts: 304
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    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.  :-\"  
    I'm ashamed of what I did for a Klondike Bar.
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    That was sorta what I meant :))

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Shwiezzee
    Shwiezzee Posts: 304
    edited December 2011
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    Oh,

    I thought I was the only degenerate wine sipping BBQing fool. 
    :-)) 
    I'm ashamed of what I did for a Klondike Bar.
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    No I'm the beer swilling degenerate fool. And damned proud of it!

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,341
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    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.

    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    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

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • njl
    njl Posts: 1,123
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    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.
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  • MCR
    MCR Posts: 270
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    @ 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.

    Marc
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  • njl
    njl Posts: 1,123
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    There's a danger though, introducing a cold pizza stone to a very hot egg, of cracking the pizza stone.
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  • resullivan
    resullivan Posts: 28
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    If you want to sear either at first or at the end I would just do it in the oven.
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  • 4Runner
    4Runner Posts: 2,948
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    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.  

    Joe - I'm a reformed gasser-holic aka 4Runner Columbia, SC Wonderful BGE Resource Site: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramicfaq.htm and http://www.nibblemethis.com/  and http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2006/02/recipes.html
    What am I drinking now?   Woodford....neat
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