Great info. I saw a guy do some thick steaks like that too on one of the channels. I like the resting before searing the best.
I have cooked this way, for most of my adult life. It killed my mom, who was a sear first person. However, we converted and it was fine. The thing about it, it isn't number of bones, it is total weight of roast.
My timing has been 5 hours at 225°F for a 7 to 9 pound roast. Note that in the last 5 or 6 times, the cooks have been during the winter, in the rain, with outside temperatures in the low to mid 50°'s.
so how long approx for 7 bones 20 lbs prime rib at 250 degrees?
I'm doing one next week for the family...
This is an excellent article, (Serious Eats has some great content) and what he's describing is more or less a reverse sear, although with a fairly tight control on temp in the first part of the cook.
The one essential thing he didn't touch on(although I'm certain he did it as the meat wouldn't have come out so evenly cooked) is the roast needs to be fully at room temp when it goes on the cooker.
I used to think the same thing but found that it makes absolutely no difference when cooking a roast like this. I go from the fridge to the counter, coat with seasonings then straight into the smoker.
I had two really disappointing roast cooks that were the result of meat that was too cold(at least so I thought), but found this:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/06/the-food-lab-7-old-wives-tales-about-cooking-steak.html
I may need to check this out some more...
My learning moment was the reverse. I was running behind one day and couldn't set the roast out to come to room temp. I seasoned it and stuck it in the smoker. Maverick probe in the heart of it read 38 degrees. I fretted during the entire cook lamenting the fact that I wouldn't have a nice edge to edge color and that the roast would turn out kind of tough. I was completely wrong.
I will say that I think the theory might still hold to be kind of true if cooking at a high temperature, but I have no desire to try and test it out :tongue: