Prime Rib: How long to smoke?

[cjdavia]

Hi everyone!  I'm a newbie and hoping that some of you experienced smokers can give me some advice!

The butcher will be calling later today to pick up a choice standing prime rib, somewhere in the 5-7 rib count range.  Looks to be a heavy cut of beef! 

I'm planning on following Divotmaker's game plan: 200 degrees with a reverse sear.  This is a pricey dinner and I don't want to ruin it, so I have a few questions for you!

1. My guess is we're talking about 10-15lbs of beef... for planning purposes, how long might this take to cook?  1/2 hr per pound?  Or 5 hrs max?  what are your thoughts?

2. Any concerns with cooking this so long and low?  We don't want uncooked food to sit in the danger zone for too long!

3. Should I use large double-chunks of smokelicious our cut them into smaller bits?  Lately I've noticed incomplete burns on the wood and am wondering if I should use smaller pieces for low-temp cooks.

Any help is appreciated!  Can't wait to cook this on Saturday

Chris

 

[cjdavia]

OK I just brought the beast home... it is 14.2 lbs.   

Any advice on whether it is safe to cook it at 200 and how long it might take?

Thanks so much!
Chris

 

[cjdavia]

Any takers? 

I'm thinking that I'll bump up the cooking temp to 220 and let 'er ride!
Another alternative is to separate the rib component instead of leaving it attached....

decisions, decisions!

 

[Walt]

No problem cooking @ 200. 5 hours sounds a bit long to me. I would expect more in the 3 to 3.5 range. However, I would keep a eye on it regularly throughout considering its price. Follow Divots method, it works well. I would use a mixture if chips, slivers & a small chunk to ensure good smoke production throughout the smoke. Good luck.

 

[cjdavia]

Thanks for the advice! 

I decided to keep the ribs on the roast and threw the beast in the SI3D at 8am, thinking it might take about 6-7 hours. If it is done earlier I guess we will keep it wrapped in the cooler and reverse sear it before serving.

My parents are visiting and we are preparing the early bird special for them, expecting to eat around 3:30.

I put a 2.5 oz block of smokelicious cherry on the hot spot, and a 1.5 oz of oak and another .5 oz of cherry, trying to stretch out the smoke. The first half hour had thick white acrid smoke billowing out in puffs. That concerned me, but now we have the sweet light stuff coming out.  Hope I didn’t ruin it!

Thanks again for the advice! 

 

[cjdavia]

I think you are right.  1.5 hrs into this smoke and we are at 100 degrees.  Can that be right?

I have 14.2 lbs cooking at 200.

We might be done early.  Like 3 hours early.  Can I keep it wrapped for that long before searing and serving?

Argh.

 

[Walt]

No problem. You can refrigerate it & sear it prior to eating.

 

[barelfly]

Yep, should only take 3 hours is my guess. Let it rest while you get all the sides together and such. Then sear that sucker up for a great crust when you are ready.

You are in for a treat.

 

[cjdavia]

Thanks, gang!  When it hit 128 took it out and I probed it with my meat thermometer...  it was only at 95!  So I readjusted the si3d food probe and put it back in for a bit.

It just came out but I am a bit scared. It smells way over smoked. I Can’t smell the beef!  I hope I didn’t F this up. .  Argh.

 

[cjdavia]

Hey gang.  I need your help to do a post-mortem on this smoke. My prime rib came out pretty bad, even for prime rib!  It was edible, but oversmoked.... or poorly smoked, perhaps?

There was heavy, slimy smoke around the outside and when I took it out the beef smelled more like ashtray than beef.  I seem to do this a lot with the 3D!  Last week's turkey breast came out the same way.

I did notice a lot of puffs of thick white smoke coming out of the 3D during the first 35 minutes.  It smelled pretty acrid but after 35 minutes it started smelling sweet. At the end of the cook, the wood chucks looked pretty decent -- they were all black, still chunky, very light and a bit brittle. No ash.

Was it because I used a few smaller chunks instead of one big one and they all started smoking at the same time?  Or maybe I should let the heavy smoke burn off for a bit before putting in my meat?

In anycase, I'm still learning the ropes but I am getting frustrated with the 3D.  The wife and kids are about ready to forbid me from using the smoker anymore! I need a quick success.  Maybe I need to drastically cut back on the amount of wood I use?

I would appreciate your advice, as always!

Thank you

PS it took about 4.5 hours to reach 128 degrees... not the 7 hours I had planned for!

Chris

 

[TX Gent]

Sounds like your wood might have caught on fire  ... puffs like a steam engine instead of steady? ... Popping sound from gas off wood burning? ... too much wood or too dry? ... Heat setting way to high early?

Could be any number of issues or a combination of two or more. I've made most of the above mistakes at one time or another just not with $100. worth of meat at one time ... it does add up though

Study what others have done and research within the forum and remember ... less is best in the long run and more is too much in the short run!

Good luck on your next smoke Chris!

 

[Donmac]

Your wood caught fire. I have a 3D also and have had that happen a couple times. The element is going full blast to get the box temp up to the desired temp.

To prevent this from happening I do the following.

1) Notice where the hot spots are in wood box and place the wood in the cooler part of box. Mine is hotter in the back so I put the wood towards the front.

2) Foil the bottom of the wood box. I also wrap the wood with foil except for the tops.

3) Start the smoke at 140 degrees for 30-45 mins then increase to 175 for 30 mins then go to 200 until done.

I hope this helps

 

[cjdavia]

Thank you for all the advice.  I am so glad to hear that others have experienced similar smokes, I thought I was going crazy! 

The smoke coming out the top was puffy and white and acrid smelling and it came out in puffs that reminded me of Thomas the Train.

I guess I need to better learn where to put the wood.  I like the idea of wrapping it up in foil.  I think I can also change the settings of the element, so the element can output less than 100%... maybe I set that to 75% or something....

 

[swthorpe]

Yes, you are describing what happens when the wood catches on fire during the first heating cycle.  In addition to the foil methods, you might also want to buy some wood chunks that have a higher moisture content.  I have ordered twice now from smokinlicious.com and have not experienced combustion with their chunks.

 

[cjdavia]

Yes, thank you!

All my wood also comes from smokelicious... we've got some sugar maple, oak, alder, and cherry in the double chunks!

My hot spot is near the front of the burner but I'm thinking that I probably don't understand when to put wood on a hot spot and when to avoid the hot spot.  And also, when to use big chunks and when to use smaller slivers.

Are there some rules-of-thumb to follow? 

I'm also thinking about bumping down the "output hi limit" setting of the auber unit so it doesn't crank up too hot too fast.

I'm scared about smoking some salmon tonight! 

Thoughts?
Chris

 

[swthorpe]

I am surprised that you are experiencing combustion with the smokilicious wood as I have not.    I would avoid the hot spots and place the wood in other locations in the box.  I always use wood chunks, although sometimes I do split them in half.    You might want to try the foil boat method to see  if that eliminates the combustion issue.

 

[TX Gent]

Don't be scarred ... failure is the best teacher if you learn from it and experience is the essence of wisdom.

Get a digital scale and weigh your wood ... a great smoke actually takes less than you might think. 6/8oz on long smokes and 4/6oz on shorter smokes is a good starting point depending on wood type. Fruit woods generally weigh less than denser hard woods and again ... less is better than too much in the long run.

 

[cjdavia]

Thanks, everyone.

We have confirmed combustion.

I am smoking a 4.5lb pork butt right now.  2 ounces of oak, put on what I think is the cooler spot of the burner box.  20 minutes into it, the smoke coming out of the top was heavy and white.  I saw a huge puff of smoke and decided to open the door and take a look.  The wood was on fire. 

I replaced the wood with another piece, double wrapped in foil with only the top exposed.  It smelled nice and sweet for a bit and I thought I had this solved, but 20 more minutes into it, I am seeing a lot of acrid smelling smoke again.  No puffs, but a heavy, steady flow of smoke is coming out.  I opened the door again and the wood is not on fire, but it sure is smoking a ton!

I have a question -- should things smell yummy and sweet the whole time I am smoking or is it normal to have an overbearing smoke smell for part of the cook?

I do use a digital scale and keep the wood in a controlled climate that has on average about 50-55% ambient humidity...

I am near witt's end and my family is ready to mutiny and forbid me from cooking.  This will be the 4th meal I've messed up! 

Any thoughts?
Chris

 

[TX Gent]

OK Chris ... I'm going to offer a few points for your consideration....

Small meat smokes like a 4.5 BB vs a bone in 12.5 BB require much different smoking techniques. Start by ramping your heat setting much lower for the first hour ... say 175d, then 200d and third hour 225d  Also try letting meat come closer to room temp before starting as a real cold BB will send the heating element full blast until it hits the set temp ... this plus other variables are lighting your wood up.

Oak is a "sweet" smoke for the most part but even oak varies greatly ... red, white, post, scrub, heart wood vs. sap wood, age, humidity content ... I think you get the point I'm making ...

Sounds like your all over the map with a high degree of frustration so I'm going to offer what I would consider the best advice I know to a first timer...

Start with a 10/12 bone in Boston Butt you don't need to do anything such as brine or adding rubs both wet or dry ... just smoke a plain BB the first time to get a base flavor. By doing this you'll gain a base for future spice/rub add on and learning what fits your taste profile.

Use the highest rack placement without touching the inside top of the box and one or two water trays on the floor of the box to add moister for the whole smoke.

Use 6-8oz wood chunks in three or four pieces and foil one or two to prolong the smoke time ... Set the top dial @200dg for the first hour and at 225dg from then on. Your smoke time till finish target of 195/200 internal temp will be 16 hours + or - and don't forget to allow a 1 hour minimum tented/foiled hold [I like 2 hours min] before slicing dicing pulling.

I actually did exactly the above two days ago with  the only change of adding a spicy brown mustard wet rub combined with a mix of pepper, salt, paprika, cayenne, garlic and onion powders.

I use my own rub as it's what works for us taste wise. Prep was to put the combo rubs on eight hours in advance and leave uncovered in the refrigerator to dry and set up for the smoke. One hour before smoke I set the BB out to start coming to room temp and in she goes. I use a combination of Post Oak and Apple wood ... we prefer sweet smoky. Once the BB reaches 175/180 out of the stall I pull it [around 12hrs] and glaze it with a combination Honey, Brown Sugar and my home made BBQ sauce. Then I double wrap the BB and back in the smoker to finish. I want to hit 195/200 internal temp before pulling it out for the two hour rest.

Follow these steps and I guarantee your family will congratulate you on a fine BBQ dinner.

I know reading this it seems like a lot of confusing steps, but if you'll follow along these lines you'll be a happy smoker.

 

[cjdavia]

Thank you, TX Gent,

You are right, I am all over the place and need to start with some success from a good baseline. 
Your plan sounds like a winner.

The wood is combusting early in the smoke so I really like your idea about ramping it up slowly, I'm going to give that a whirl next time and I might even try it without any meat to see how it goes... much less pressure that way.

Thanks for your advice.. I'm normally not so crazy and believe it or not, I am having a lot of fun with this!

Chris