Just curious how long--ball park only--a 3 rib sized prime rib might smoke on a pellet grill and at what temp you've had good success smoking it? I'll let it warm up to room temp before putting it on the smoker and I like to pull it at about 125-130 internal and then let it rest for at least 10-15 mins before slicing and serving. Would appreciate both temp and time info from anyone who has done this before. I've cooked tons of them in the oven, but I use a varied temperature approach in the oven to create a decent crust. Looking forward to a smoked rib this time! I'll be using a YS640 and can do either top or bottom shelf. This one will be boneless and most likely rubbed with a basic 50/50 kosher salt/freshly ground black pepper rub. Just looking for a rough idea on cooking time so I can plan how far ahead to put it on.
Thanks in advance to all.
TJ
- Joined: May 10th, 2014, 12:33 pm
- Posts: 576
- Location: Sitting Near a Yoder Smoker, Smelling Sweet Blue
Time might vary depending on which end of the rib roast you got, chuck end or loin end. I prefer the chuck end and usually do two or three bone sections as well, but those usually weight around 5-8 pounds.
I like to baby rib roasts, so I do let them sit on the counter for about two hours, I season it about an hour and a half in to the warm-up. I typically use Ted & Barney's meat seasoning, which is Salt, Pepper, Garlic and Chili powder. I trim mine very well because I want the season in contact with the meat, not the fat. I'm not a big fan of eating a glob of fat personally, but some are. I cook mine (bone it) at 200* until the internal temp is 125 degrees. At that point I pull the meat and rest it, tented with foil, for about 30-45 minutes. This result has gotten me a dead even color on the inside of the meat, and due to the airflow inside of a Yoder cooker, it makes a nice crust too. That usually takes in the neighborhood of 3.5-4 hours.
Now if you want to reverse sear to get more of a seared crust on the outside, I cook it until it's 115 degrees IT, then set your YS640 up directly with GrillGrates, crank the temp up to 350-400 and sear the outside, turning it every few minutes to get an even sear until the internal temp is 125 and then tent and rest. However, when I've done it this way I get a little band of brownish color on the outer edge once I slice it from the high heat of the sear. I want the cap (deckle) perfect, so that's why I don't sear. That's how I like it, but cook it the way you like it.
So really it's your preference, but I've had good luck both ways. I prefer the first method personally.
Post pictures of the results when you do it. I'm sure it will turn out great. They are very easy to cook and taste amazing smoked.
Thanks Kirby! I'm going to try this one w/out the sear, even though I typically have done the sear method in the oven in the past. I don't have grill grates anyway for the 640, so I'd have to move it to my other grill to do and I'm interested to see how it turns out just smoked w/ nothing else. I bought the entire rib as a wholesale cut, so I can cut the end I want...I'll probably do the chuck end also and cut the loin end for steaks. Appreciate the helpful tips! I'll try to grab some pics during cooking and after. Just love to see some of the rib roasts that have come off smokers that look so perfectly and evenly pink, they look like they were done using a sous vide approach.
As far as rub, I just bought a fresh horseradish root and I'll probably add a bit of grated horseradish to the kosher salt and FGBP (fresh ground black pepper) I mentioned in the original post. We'll probably serve it w/ some fresh horseradish sauce and freshly made chimichurri.
Off to warm up rib. Thanks again!
TJ
Whole rib from Restaurant Depot
Whole rib, opened, rinsed and dried:
Roast cut from the chuck end at about the third rib, untrimmed, as yet, bottom and side views:
Trimmed:
Trim:
Rubbed, first time:
Tied and rubbed again to fill any spots where rub was thin. Ready for 640!:
I'm going to weigh it before it goes on the smoker and will note times and temps and post some additional photos later. Thanks again Kirby!
- Joined: May 10th, 2014, 12:33 pm
- Posts: 576
- Location: Sitting Near a Yoder Smoker, Smelling Sweet Blue
Looks like a great start! What time should I be over? 
I always like to leave the ribs attached, then cut them off after the cook when I'm slicing the roast. Those make the most amazing chef's treat.
Have fun, I can't wait to see the results.
Yoder_Kirby wrote: I always like to leave the ribs attached, then cut them off after the cook when I'm slicing the roast. Those make the most amazing chef's treat.
Thanks Kirby, I normally do too, but I bought a boneless one this time around...In fact, this is the first time I've ever cooked a rib roast without bones, now that you mention it. I agree with you too, the ribs are the chef's prize (they go so quickly in my house, the chef doesn't always get his treat)!
I got this rib primarily to cut into steaks so, while a cowboy steak is my favorite cut, when cutting up steaks for my family, it's easier to do it without the ribs. Normally, I buy a bone-in (export) rib and cut one 3-4 bone rib roast, leaving rib bones on, and then just trim the ribs out myself for the steak cuts (often leaving me one or 2 cowboy steaks). The pricing on ribs this time around made it worth my while to go boneless.
Something about smoking and bones--they just belong together...Excited to taste that rib later tonight! Looking good!
Thanks again.
How about some comparison pictures Kirby? Something for TJ to shoot for.
- Joined: May 10th, 2014, 12:33 pm
- Posts: 576
- Location: Sitting Near a Yoder Smoker, Smelling Sweet Blue
Yoder_Herb wrote:How about some comparison pictures Kirby? Something for TJ to shoot for.
Cooked at 200* the whole time. Pulled at 125 and rested 45 minutes tented in foil.
Kirby, you make a mean prime rib! That's really just beautiful. I have a sneakin' suspicion that you were eating one of those chef's treats while this photo was being taken...seeing as how the ribs are nowhere in sight. 
Mine's coming off in about 5 mins. I'll try to post an after photo when we slice it up.
- Joined: May 10th, 2014, 12:33 pm
- Posts: 576
- Location: Sitting Near a Yoder Smoker, Smelling Sweet Blue
TennesseeJed wrote:I have a sneakin' suspicion that you were eating one of those chef's treats while this photo was being taken...seeing as how the ribs are nowhere in sight.
...................maybe................
Honestly, the YS640 cooked the best rib roast I've ever had, hands down, and my wife and kids agreed. (My son, who's away at college, is in tears at the moment after my daughters sent him the same photos...ahh, sisterly love. 
) I would love to take full credit, but the award has to go to Kirby and my YS640. Honestly, it's so darned easy...
The technique: I let it rest out of the refrigerator for 2 hours before cooking. Heated the Yoder up for about 30-40 mins at 350 [per Herb's instructions on starting your smoker 
] and knocked it down to 200F right before I put it on, and then cooked w/ a set temp of 200F for the entire cook. It cooked for about 3 hours (+/- 5-10 mins--I wasn't watching time as much as temp). It was at 105F internal at 2 hours. I pulled it off at about 127F internal (average over 3 different measurement locations--range was 125 to 129). Let rest for close to 30-35 mins in a loose foil tent. Perfectly even color across the entire roast. Money shots below.
I will never--seriously, never--cook a rib roast in an oven again as long as I can drag myself to a Yoder pellet smoker! The "bark," while thin, is very tasty and not unpleasant or sooty/ashy or off-tasting in any way. The meat is not smoky on the inside (not at a pull temp of ~125 anyway...) but the outside bites definitely contributes a good, but mild, smoky kick. As you can see above, I loaded mine w/ FGBP, so the pepper/smoke combo was great on the end cuts.
Thanks again for the suggestions Kirby! This technique is one for the books!
- Joined: May 10th, 2014, 12:33 pm
- Posts: 576
- Location: Sitting Near a Yoder Smoker, Smelling Sweet Blue
That looks absolutely awesome, Jed! Great work. I agree that oven baked rib roasts just aren't the same after having one smoked. It is SO easy with a Yoder. It's a cut of beef that can be very intimidating due to the cost involved, but a Yoder will ease that anxiety.
I had a good pork butt off of a Yoder tonight, but I wish I would have had some of that. Nice job.
Awesome job TJ! I would have to call for a tasting tie breaker from the appearance the two.
man,,, that looks good...
great work...
~20" Yoder "Swiss Army Knife" Stick Burner~
Thanks for the kind words fellas! Honestly, it was so darned easy, I almost feel guilty accepting credit, but I can't urge people strongly enough to take advantage of your smoker for prime rib. It'll be a life altering experience!
Yoder_Kirby wrote: (snip)
Now if you want to reverse sear to get more of a seared crust on the outside, I cook it until it's 115 degrees IT, then set your YS640 up directly with GrillGrates, crank the temp up to 350-400 and sear the outside, turning it every few minutes to get an even sear until the internal temp is 125 and then tent and rest. (snip)
SO, do you remove the diffuser for the sear?
Check out the best BBQ music ever at "Removed by Moderator"
- Joined: May 10th, 2014, 12:33 pm
- Posts: 576
- Location: Sitting Near a Yoder Smoker, Smelling Sweet Blue
That's up to you, it would give you a better sear if you did remove it because of the higher heat, but it would still do a very good job with the diffuser in and using GrillGrates. Just use good welding gloves and use caution if you do chose to remove it. If you aren't the nut that I am, it's fine to leave it in.
I am going to take a stab at a 5 pounder tomorrow for Easter. I am a little nervous as I am hopeful it is a good as my father-in-laws. Did you use the top or bottom shelf? I assume the damper is opened all the way?
Return to Cooking Questions, Tips and Tricks
- Disclaimer :
- The views and comments entered in these forums are personal and are not necessarily those of the management of this board.
