Ribeye USDA Choice..

Hi deltadude

Smoked ribeye sure turns out really good Of course...every other way is good also

dan

 

Talking steak here, not roast: There used to be a restaurant here that had smoked ribeye steaks that were really good. Besides being lightly smoked, they were also marinated in a "teriyaki sauce".

 

Standing and/or prime rib roasts smoke very well. It's important to avoid oversmoking -- which isn't difficult as long as you're paying some attention.

There are a lot of technique variables. For instance, you can start the roast in the smoker, low and slow, then pull it out after an hour and finish it in a slow oven, or a fast oven. Or you can take it all the way to done in the cooker at a relatively low temperature.

I think it works best right around 275, holding steady all the way, with smoke limited to the first 60 minutes or so.

Smoke adds another dimension to the beef, while the dish is something you'll want to keep relatively straightforward. I like to use a very simple, brief marinade and rub, which I'll share with you if you like. I serve with an au jus and a creamed horseradish -- which again, I'll share if you like.

By the way, they're the same marindade, rub, au jus and horseradish, I'd used for a large grilled rib steak.

Smoking times and temperatures can be very equipment dependent, and since you'll run your smoker at what would be the upper limit for steady smoke and steady temp for most smoker, it would be nice to have a real good idea of what we're working with before we prepare the master plan.

What kind of pit are you using? Gas, Electric, charcoal or stick? Bullet, offset or cabinet? Is it tight? Is it tuned? If it's a small offset, do you use a charcoal basket? What kind of thermometer(s) do you use? What kind of charcoal? What kind of hardwood for smoke (please don't say "hickory" for beef).

One of the great things about smoked rib is its ability to rest for several hours, wrapped, in a properly prepped, insulated "cooler." So, not to worry. If you do smoke your rib, you can allow plenty of time to ensure that the rest of dinner won't wait for the pitmaster.

A smoked roast is unquestionably worthwhile. Whether or not you try it on this particular occasion, you'll want to try it eventually.

An interesting alternative to a full roast, or individual steaks is to split the difference. Have your steaks cut double thick (and bone in), and grill them over lump and chunk -- just 'til you get them marked, then finish cooking indirect. You can use a covered (charcoal burning) grill like a Weber Kettle to produce something very much like "Santa Maria" style. If you've cooked tri-tip, you probably know the drill. To serve, remove the bones (serve separately) and carve the steaks into slices with the knife running from the cap to where the bone was.

BDL

 

Delta,

Cool.

Very respectable top end. Easy to work with. [Excuse the editing] Excellent thermostat/thermometer setup. Very cool.

In this case, anything to everything except the hickory. I'm a big fan of oak for beef, and think you might enjoy mixing the oak with a little of the almond, apple or orange.

Almond can be problematic in stick burners or even as chunk, because it burns very hot. But that shouldn't be any problem at all in your cooker. Apple is nice with everything, so is citrus.

Tough call, but I'm thinking in the neighborhood of 20 minutes a pound or so to medium rare. So, about 2-1/2 hours cook time.

Do not time your roast to the minute! Overestimate the time necessary by a big factor and do a long rest of at least two hours. Partly for the final quality of the meat, and partly to ensure that the smoker's timing doesn't get in the way of the party. Nothing worse than hungry in-laws, hovering, salivating, blaming.

It will also take some of the onus off me, if anything goes wrong.

Obviously you can't rest it that long on the counter. You'll need to wrap it in foil or commercial quality cling wrap, and put it in a tight fitting, insulated cooler with a tight-fitting lid. To the extent that the cooler is too big, you can stuff the extra space with wadded newspaper or towels to make the cooler more efficient. Make sure the lid is on tight.

This is an old comp Q and catering trick. Large roasts not only hold for quite a while this way, they actually benefit from the long hold.

Yes, it's possible to "over-rest" meat, and give it a weird texture; but that doesn't happen using this method.

Rough cut mirepoix. Paint the beef bones with a light coating of tomato paste (interesting, eh?). Roast until the bones and veg are browned, about 30 minutes. Put it in a stock pot with water, parsley, some celery tops, peppercorns, some parsnip, a clove of garlic, a very little bit of salt, a bay leaf, a sprig or two of fresh thyme if it's on hand, maybe some more carrots.

Drain the fat, deglaze the pan with water. Add the water deglaze to the kettle. Bring to a simmer, preferably without boiling first. Simmer for a long time, 8 hours ish. Strain with a fine sieve. Taste, continue reducing at a simmer if necessary to concentrate the flavors. Clarify with an egg-white raft if a very clear stock is desired.

I'd make something very much like a chasseur, but with red instead of white wine. It's a demi-based sauce, and I usually make a "classic" demi, that is from an espagnole. In this case, I'd consider going with what Julia Child called a "semi-demi" which is a straight reduction instead.

Alternatively, I'd make a bordelaise and add a ton of sauteed mushrooms to it. That would probably be my first choice.

I think something like the bordelaise or chasseur is in line with what you're looking for.

I can see where the "canned" flavor and extra salt beef base brings to the party might not work well enough for you. Unfortunately, with homemade stocks and sauces, commercial demi, and a decent commercial base like "Better than Buillon" you've pretty much delineated the options. At the risk of being repetitive, your alternatives are to make your own demi and/or espagnole from your homemade stock in advance; or to find another, more reliable source for commercially made demi.

If I didn't have stock or demi around, honestly, much of the time for "friends and family," I'd go from Better than Buillon, and use the combination of time and a multitude of ingredients to cover my posterior. That's a reflection of my laziness, not a recommendation.

BDL

 

I read Phil's post and alarm bells started going off, so I actually looked at my notes, and did a little research. I was thinking of a super-slow cook, at around 215, and over estimated the amount of time it would take at 270.

He's right, no doubt. I'm editing the previous post to reflect that.

Sorry, if there's been any inconvenience as a result of my carelessness.

BDL

One of the nice things about posting in CT is that you don't fly without a net. Everyone makes mistakes, and here there are people who catch them in a friendly way.

 

Cooked a 5# hunk, I use 500* for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350*....took 1.25 hours + 15 minute rest. Was cold not room temp. middle 4 slices rare, ends medium/wellish

salt/pepper in a large cast iron skillet.

Served with roasted whole crimini mushrooms, sour cream/horseradish, arugula/avacado/pecan salad with apple cider vinagrette, potatoes au gratin, dillweed/garlic/ green beans, baguette, loaded cherry pie....dried tart cherries/jarred tart cherries/orange zest/vanilla bean/glug of chambord.....
staff lunch for the rectory.

*I'm not as techno as the most, but it was good.

STL food writer just wrote that Sam's and Costco are selling PRIME ribeyes for approx $11#.....apparently the prime steakhouses are not using as much and it's making it's way down the food chain. Good time to look for PRIME.

 

I use to do a smoked prime rib every Christmas. I'll echo what BDL noted about too much smoke. It's easy to do with a prime rib. What worked well for me was to smoke the roast lightly and then finish it in the oven as normal.
The real trick with a prime rib is to get the conversion process to take as long as possible much like a pork butt. If you can't get the grill or smoker cooler prop the door if you can. I want to extend the hold time on a prime rib several hours. While that may not be completly practical with a home oven, grill or smoker the suggestion of holding the meat in a insulated cooler works very well. I find I can keep roasts in the safe zone 3-4 hours depending on the cooler when I use that method.

 

salt/pepper....would have used rosemary if I hadn't run out.

Pretty straight forward menu, took me less than 2 hours to cook and get on the table.....cheated with pie crust, but everything else was put together in that time.

 

Hi delta,

Don't underestimate the cooler method for holding large pieces of meat. This past week we asked my sister-in-law what we could bring for her (early) Christmas dinner. She told my wife that she'd love if we could bring the Ham. Well, after I got done with my what in the world is she thinking comments. I got to thinking...that it should work using the cooler method. The ham was slightly undercooked (it was a fully cooked ham anyway). It was wrapped and stuffed in the preheated cooler which was then stuffed with crumpled newspapers. It held great for three hours! Still steaming when I unwrapped it

BDL has a nice recipe,here, for a beef tenderloin. Nice, different flavor and great depth.

oh yeah...I think you're going to like this place

dan

 

LOL. Thanks Dan. You saved me minutes of writing. At least.

Delta -- Dan's gone and linked to the same recipe for rub and marinade I was going to give you. For a big standing rib, I'd multiply it by four, and you should have plenty left over.

I know you know this, but to save time with the multiplication: 4 tbs = 1/4 cup; and 3 tsp = 1 tbs.

BDL

 

Just a couple of quick comments on this thread. What BDL said about painting some tomato paste on the beef bones before roasting is definitely worthwhile, the end result is improved. I usually roast my stock bones in a fairly hot oven, 425 - 450 F.

Whatever method you end up using for the roast - smoked, pan seared and oven finished or whatever, here's something you may want to try. In a small saucepan render down about a tablespoon or two of fat, from trimmings or pan juices over moderate heat. Coarsely chop maybe a dozen fresh sage leaves, more or less depending on the number of guests. Fry them in the hot beef fat until they just start to curl and crisp. Spoon them out and use as a garnish on the plated slabs of beef.

mjb.

 

Today the roast. Tomorrow the sauce!

BDL

 

Thank you for letting us know how it went. Congratulations on your success!

You've just experienced the virtues of this community. I hope you continue to share and learn here!

Mezz

 

When wrapping your roast, to hold in the cooler, you can first place a disposable aluminum pan in the bottom first. Take a look at the different sizes. For my medium sized igloo cooler a 12.5 * 8.13 aluminum pan fits perfectly in the bottom. This way you don't loose all your juices Just remember to put a full layer of foil over the roast (from one side to the other) to keep the roast/pan separate from the wadded up newspaper.

dan