Mad Max Prime rib with fat cap questions

egghead2004

Lots of questions here. My wife's sister is in town and we are going to have a nice prime rib dinner for 8 people.[p]
I have just ordered a 9# prime rib with the bone cut and I am going to keep it. The butcher is also going to get me some fat to wrap around the roast.
I also am driving up to East Waterboro to pick up a pallet of WG lump, so timing could be an issue as I want to eat around 6:30 - 7:00pm.[p]My plans are to..
Head up north to get WG lump.
Have my wife pick up the roast at noon.
My wife will coat with Cow lick and toss in the refrigerator.
Hopefully I'll be home by 2pm, if so...
Sear the roast only over WG lump on all sides.
Let rest for 10 minutes.
Tie on the rib portion and add crushed garlic/salt/pepper/EVOO paste between the ribs and roast only. (inlaws love the garlicy ribs)
Tie on the fat cap and roast at 275 until the internal reaches 132, we like pink, not red, so I'm looking for a 140 internal after resting for 15 minutes.

???Under the fat cap, should I add more cow lick? or how about prosciutto??? How about some type of herb???Too many things going on here???[p]Now If I do not get back by 2pm, what would be the best option...[p]1. Have my wife sear the roast in a cast pan, rest and tie everything up, put in the oven @ 275?[p]or[p]2. Just put it all together and throuw in the oven...foget about the searing in the cast pan and hope the fat cap will keep everything nice and juicy? and when I get the lump lit, finish cooking on the BGE.
How about removing fat cap at 127 internal and bring egg up to 500-600 and sear at the end?[p]or[p]3. Put it all together and start in the oven, no sear as in #2. When I return could I bring the egg up to 600, put the roast in there and close the vents down so the egg drops to 275 in about 5 or 10 minutes which would sear up the fat cap??[p]
I know this is a lot of questions, but not knowing what time I'll be home with the lump kind of complicates things. I need a back up plan.[p]

mad max beyond eggdome

egghead2004,
ok, let me start by saying that nothing here is sancrosinct ..this will just be my opinion based on the way i like prime rib. .. that being said. .. [p]1. i like leaving the bone on until its all done. ..personal preference. ..the one in my pictorial had the fat wrapped allthe way around the roast with bones still attached. . .personnaly i find it just as easy to carve the bones off after roasting as before. ...this is personal choice though. . . .not sure why you would sear the roast without the rest of the stuff already tied around it. .. but i'm not sure any harm would be done either. . ..[p]2. at between 15 and 18 minutes per pound for medium at 325 degrees, time should not be a problem for you. . .even with searing time, 3 hours should be fine, so i wouldn't even worry about the oven thing. . .. at worse, you might eat a few minutes later, but nobody should mind once they've taken their first bite. . ..[p]3. coatings. . .i like to keep it pretty simple with prime rib. ..if you are going with cowlick and garlic i don't know that i'd add anything else. ..at most some sprigs of rosemary between the meat nad fat cap. ...i usually go with herbs de provence, but then nothing else like cowlick or other rub (only salt and pepper). .. so, don't over do it. ...you'll be fine with the just the cowlick and garlic (make sure all your eaters like pepper, or you may want to go light on the cowlick). . .skip the prociutto on this one, its just not neceessary. ..[p]4. if you have the one egg, i still recommend (and i know others do it other ways), getting the egg to 500 degrees, put the roast right on the grid (bones down) over inverted plate setter. ..no roasting pan. .. if you want to, put a drip pan on the plate setter under the grid to catch the fat dripping. ...as soon as you put the roast on, tighten down the vents to get to 325, then roast till your desired doness. .. [p]hope this helps, it should be great. ..[p]max

katman

egghead2004,[p]I'd bump the temp up to 325 and keep it pretty simple on the spices. Usually i just use some seasoned, coarse salt and fresh, coarsely ground pepper Bit of garlic, but not so much to overpower this great piece of meat.

egghead2004

mad max beyond eggdome,
OK, so 325 instead of 275?, I can deal with that. I'll pull it @ 130 then to allow for a 10 degree overshoot. I do have to say though the prime rib roasts I've done below 300 have been better than above 300. Does that make sence to you? Maybe the fat cap will keep it more tender and juicy @ 325?
My family LOVES garlic, they gnaw on the bones like wolves. So my past 3 ribs had the bone removed, plenty of cow lick, seared without the bones, then tie the bones on while adding the garlic just to the bottom between the bones and roast. All three roasts done this way have gotten rave reviews for taste.
And yes I am going to have a drip pan underneath for a gravy. Any suggestions here? We're making potatoes and veggies and would love to have a nice hearty sauace [p]Ahh I can't wait, my stomach is already growling.

egghead2004

katman,
another vote for 325...Ok
As for the spices, I'll just use cow lick for a rub and add the garlic between the bones and roast only. That's been the trend for the last 3 of these and everyone loves it.

mad max beyond eggdome

egghead2004,
all i can say is i've been roasting prime rib at 325 as long as i can remember (oven, then bge). ..and even in the oven, i always started at 500 and them down to 325... i think i first got that method from a time/life cookbook about 25 years ago. .. its always worked for me. ...and if you have been searing the roast first, then tieing back on the bones and fat, i certainly won't argue against it if you have had great suceess with it. ..go for it!!! sounds like you already have this under control from prior experience. . [p]i've never used the dripping from prime rib for sauce. ..i was always under the impression that it was 99% fat, and just not good for making a sauce. ..i'd like to hear what you do with it and how it works out. .. thx . .i guess you could remove the fat and with whatsever left, deglaze with a little flour and butter, add some red wine (cabernet or burgundy), let the alcohol burn off and reduce it some, then add some pads of butter, maybe a little veal or beef stock (you can buy this in the grocery) etc., for a little sauce?? . . .what the heck, give it a try, if its not good, just don't serve it, the meat will be fine with out it. . ..

egghead2004

mad max beyond eggdome,
I guess the only reason I sear all the way around without the bone on it to get that nice bark, however by doing it that way, the roast tends to fall apart while searing. Now if I'm adding a fat cap, I won't get the bark anywhere except the ends, so I'll stick to the searing it over lava.[p]How does this sound...
sear it with the bone on to get the bark that we love and it won't fall apart. Then add the fat cap while it rests. Cook at 325 dome until 128-130 internal. The plate setter will be inverted so I can use a drip pan. I'll use a larger pan with water in it, place right on the plate setter, then a smaller pan to catch drippings that will sit in the water. That way I do not burn any drippings. The extra moisture from the pan won't hurt, will it?
I've got beef stock, so I'll make a small amount of gravy sort of like the "Mad Max Turkey Gravy"TM using flour, stock, red wine, and a very small portion of the drippings from the prime rib itself...just to flavor it a little.
[p]FYI, I'm still open to suggestions, I'm no expert here. This is the first time trying this with the extra fat.[p]I guess I get a little anxious when cooking a $80-$100 piece of meat. I can hear my wife now..."It better be perfect...or else"

Car Wash Mike

mad max beyond eggdome,[p]At 325 still 30 minutes per pound? No sear? Skip procuitto? I'm addicted now, don't cut off my candy.[p]Mike

mad max beyond eggdome

egghead2004,
sounds like a plan to me. ..although i still question the sear first, then wrap in the fat. ..if you've seared, i wonder how that fat will benefit it after that (i.e. won't the fat just run off as oppossed to self basting the meat??) . i'm certainly not an expert when it comes to these dynamics. ..i must say that the one that i did with the fat cap (the pictured on trex's site). ..while the end slices had a nice crust to them, the interior slices did not, but heck the way you are doing the roast, each slice in from the middle will only have a litte bit of seared meat anyway. ..i'm just wondering if you wouldn't be better off having that whole thing tied up first, stick it in the hot egg for a few minutes (maybe rest it on the ends for 2 or 3 minutes to sear them), then go ahead with roasting it. . .[p]btw, i wouldn't add water to the pan. . ..i think that might add to much moisture to the egg, possibly creating mushy meat??. . .just let the fat and other stuff drip into your pan (maybe raise it off the plate setter with your little green egg feet to prevent it from scorching)... and go from there. . .[p]just some random thoughts. . like i said before, there are lots of ways to be successful here, just don't overcook the roast

mad max beyond eggdome

Car Wash Mike,
did i say 30 minutes per pound? . .no, at 325 degrees 15 minutes per pound for medium rare. .. yep, i start it at 500 degrees so that it will sear (nope, i don't trex prime rib). . .and as much as i love my prociutto, i'm a purist when it comes to the prime rib. ..just the kosher salt, rosemary and herbs de provence (remember, i can't use garlic cause of my wife's alergy to it). .. ..

egghead2004

"if you've seared, i wonder how that fat will benefit it after that (i.e. won't the fat just run off as oppossed to self basting the meat??) "[p]
This is why I ask questions my friend....very good point.[p]

Mark Backer

mad max beyond eggdome,[p]Did Molly ever tell you her Herbs de provence story?

Car Wash Mike

mad max beyond eggdome,[p]I don't think you said 30 minutes per pound and I have probably had a flashback of some sort that fried my brain.[p]I'm going to start at 500. I'm covering with garlic flavored olive oil, cowlick. Should I use a little Kosher salt. If not, I'm going with Kosher salt and pepper.[p]I like keeping this simple. The marble should have enough flavor with few seasonings.[p]Mike

mad max beyond eggdome

egghead2004,
well, sometimes the sharing of random thoughts like this leads to a logical conclusion.. . i would hope that maybe some of the beef experts who actually get into the 'science' and dynamics of meat would weigh in a well. . .if not, you only have the benefit of my experience and dementia

mad max beyond eggdome

Car Wash Mike,
sure, use a little kosher salt too. ..but sounds like you have a good plan as well. . . .

mad max beyond eggdome

Mark Backer,
nope, but i'll bet its good. ... shoot it to me here or via email. .. i can always use a laugh!!

Mark Backer

mad max beyond eggdome,[p]Nope. I think I'm gonna let / make her tell you...[p]
tee hee.

Pakak

Mark Backer,[p]Well, now you're gonna have to have her post it HERE because you've piqued the collective's interest!

Mark Backer

Pakak,[p]
Don't worry. I will make her tell it here...and soon.

Wahooegger

mad max beyond eggdome,
I followed' mad max's directions for Christmas - it was perfect.