"Perfect" Prime Rib?

PapaQ

<p />MamaQ claimed last night's prime rib was "perfect", but I'm always striving for something better. I'll see another technique or spice on the forum or in a cookbook and tweak the process. Rarely do I cook the same thing twice, but duplication of last night's effort is a distinct possibility.[p]I started with an 8.5# rib roast coated with a paste of olive oil, herbs de provence, garlic powder, and Kosher salt. Then I rubbed it with thyme, wrapped it and stored in the refrigerator over night. This is what it looked like before it went on.[p] [p]I used completely fresh load lump in my large egg with two apple chunks buried in the coals, let the temp rise to 250, put the platesetter in, and waited for the temp to come back to 250. After it had been steady for another half hour, I put the roast on.[p][p]Four hours and fifteen minutes later (30 minutes per pound)it had reached a 120 internal. Time for the sear. While the roast cooked in the large egg, I fired up my small and brought it to 500. I quickly transferred it to the small for about two minutes per side.[p][p]While the roast rested for about twenty minutes, I stir-fried some vegetables. This is what end result looked like.[p][p]With the cost of a slab of meat like this, nearly everything has to go right to justify the cost. It all went right for me last night.[p]PapaQ[p][p][p][p][p]

ColaCooker

PapaQ,[p]Wow! That is a fine set of pictures of an even better hunk of meat. Great job.[p]Tony

thirdeye

PapaQ,
You nailed it! Super pictures too...
~thirdeye~

chuckls

PapaQ,[p]Yowza! That's an awesome looking cook! You've got that nailed - thanks for the tip about wrapping & resting overnight in the fridge[p]Chuck

Car Wash Mike

PapaQ,[p]Great timing, I'm cooking 1 next weekend. Why sear at the end of the cook? I always did that first before going indirect.
Thanks,[p]CWM

Lawn Ranger

PapaQ,
O my Goodness!!! That's beautiful!! I still owe you some tools that will soon be on their way.[p]Great job![p]Mike

PapaQ

Car Wash Mike,[p]From what I've read here and other places, there seems to be a split of opinion on whether to sear first or last. Some don't even sear at all. I've also noted that temperatures for the main cook vary from 220-350. I've done rib roasts several different ways and find that the lower, roasting, temps coupled with the sear at the end to be my favorite way.[p]Alton Brown is the foremost proponent of the sear last method. Everything is chemistry with him, and I don't pretend to understand it. I think the theory is that if you sear the meat first when the muscle fibre is cold it hastens the tightening of the fibre and retards the slow roasting. I've also read and have found when I've cooked with the sear at the end that the meat remains a more constant color and texture instead of having a ring of darker and more firmly cooked meat around the rim. [p]Who really knows, but I was extremely pleased with the results I achieved on this cook. So were my guests, and I guess that's what counts the most. I hope your effort turns out as well.[p]Paul

PapaQ

Lawn Ranger,[p]Thanks for the kind words. I'm having a major "senior moment", though, Mike. I can't remember ordering anything from you since I you sent me the great Texas Mountain Alder church key just before Christmas. If I'm mistaken (which is often the case) send me a email. Thanks.[p]Paul

PapaQ

chuckls,[p]I love to hear shouts of "Yowza" when I take something off the egg. When I carried last night's trophy into the house and showed it to the intended recipients, I didn't get Yowza's, but enjoyed the sweet refrain of words of equal appreciation. Thanks for your comments.[p]Paul

Car Wash Mike

PapaQ,[p]I'm going to try it your way, looks to dang good not to. I always let my beef come up to room temp (1 hour) before cooking.[p]Mike

PapaQ

Car Wash Mike,[p]A word of advice for next week borne out of my experience yesterday. I took my roast out the fridge two hours before it went onto the grill. I had wanted to take it out earlier, but forgot because my wife and I were hurrying to get to the doctor's office where our daughter was having an ultra sound to determine the gender of their second child. As it turned out, our twentieth grandchild (it's a girl)is perfectly healthy (thankfully) and will be born on July 6th or 7th. I kind of pulled a Stumpbaby there getting off track, didn't I. Back to my point, though. Even with a two hour wait on the counter, the roast was only at an internal of 45 when I put it in the egg. If you are looking to really get as large a hunk of meat and bone as a rib roast up to "room" temperature, you better start early. Starting at 45 as I did didn't hurt the final product, but likely prolonged the cook.[p]Paul [p]

StumpBaby

PapaQ,[p]"I kind of pulled a Stumpbaby there getting off track, didn't I"[p]Thanks PapaQ..I needed that laugh today..but I don't know if'n I'd go round tellin nobody you done pulled a StumpBaby[p]StumpBaby

Car Wash Mike

PapaQ,[p]Thanks for the advice and 20 congrats. I usually let steaks set out 1 hour and double time for prime rib. Should have posted better. Since my Therapen is not wet, sorry Molly, I'll check.[p]I'm going for 250 temp and 30 minutes a lb.[p]Mike

PapaQ

StumpBaby,[p]I'm proud to "StumpBaby" every now and again. There's no one on this forum more entertaining than you. And between all the giggles and even the gafaws we have while reading your prose, we also learn a lot. Hope you're feeling better.[p]Paul

PapaQ

thirdeye,[p]Thanks for compliments.[p]Paul

PapaQ

Colacooker,[p]I love taking pictures of fire meeting meat. There's a short story and a lesson learned about my cook last night though that I think I should share. I almost didn't get to take the picture of the flames licking my roast. When I transferred the roast from my large egg to the small, I simply flipped it over from the bone side down to the top and closed the lid on the small. After a couple of minutes, I stood that baby on its end and tried to close the lid. Well, the roast was much too tall to fit under the lid and by the time I realized this the flames had climbed up the sides of the meat, around the dome, and were beginning to shoot out the gap between the lid and the bottom of the egg. Now that would have made an interesting picture, but I was way too busy trying to get the lid open. Thankfully I was wearing my welding gloves. I gripped the handle with my tongs and gingerly raised the lid. The flames subsided to the level seen in the picture, but not before they had given me a jolt. We've always got to remember that "Where's there's smoke, there's fire."[p]Paul

Lawn Ranger

PapaQ,
My Bad..,.bad...bad! Got you confused with PapaSam. Senior moments are turning into hours around here.[p]Sorry, didn't mean to send you into cardiac arrest....I'm saving that for me.[p]Mike

Memphis

PapaQ, Next time try dry aging for 3 - 4 days in the bottom of your fridge. It is absolutley amazing what this does to flavor and tenderness !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Unknown

PapaQ, very nice !!! i love to see and hear about a prime or standing rib roast that is done to perfection, just the slightest amount of grey color on the outer edges then nice even pink color throughout the rest of the meat. this can only be achieved by cooking the roast at lower temps then finished at the higher temp. [p]again, nice job[p]reg