LarryR Posted October 31, 2008 Report Share Posted October 31, 2008 As the subject says I'll be doing my first prime rib (6 lb) on the ceramic this weekend and I'm looking for some advice. I'm a big fan of reverse sear and was thinking I'd do it at 325 grate to 120 (target final temp is med-rare), remove from cooker and bring temp up to 500, place back on cooker for 5 minutes, remove and tent for 20 minutes? Should I cook on main or upper grate? I was planning on using my clay saucer and pizza pan deflector for in-direct. Any suggestions, tips or input? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amphoran Posted October 31, 2008 Report Share Posted October 31, 2008 I did a prime rib last Christmas (13 lb) on the main grate. 300 grill to 120 internal, then ran it under the broiler to sear the surface. My wife says it was the best beef she ever had. Go for it! I can't speak to a K, but on a KK, if you open the bottom and top dampers wide, it can climb from 300 to 550 in a very few minutes for the sear. I'm not sure you would need to take it out and put it back in. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryR Posted November 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 You know I was wondering about just leaving her on and opening up the bottom and top 100% . . . should be able to get to 500 pretty quickly. Anyone see any issues with this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemonkey Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 I would only caution you about the high temps with a deflector in place, while using the brand of grill you have. Richard Johnson, the manufacturer of your grill, has blamed the cracks in my grill on the fact that I used the heat deflector he provided. I know you are using a smaller saucer and a thinner pizza pan combo, so you might not see quite as much heat buildup under the stone. But you should definitely take caution to feel the differences in the external temperature of your grill from just above the level of you deflector and just below. In my case, the differences are quite large, and as you know, thermal differences are not handled well by portland cement. As always, YMMV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryR Posted November 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 Hey Fire, so you're saying that the heat deflector is in fact trapping heat below the pizza pan I'm using which could potentially crack my firebox at higher temps, right? Hmmm . . . what if I staggered my clay saucer and deflector and did the roast on the top grate? 14" clay saucer on the "X" bracket, main grill on, 16" pizza pan on main grate, top grate extender on and prime rib placed on that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanny Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 THIS DISCUSSION NOT RELATED TO THE KK OTHER MANUFACTURER'S PRODUCT Larry - I think the concern is that OEM deflector doesn't leave enough room around the outside of the cooker, which blocks the heat from rising. The heat builds up and causes the cooker itself to crack at or about the midsection (depending on where you put the deflector). Most resolutions I've heard of involved using a smaller deflector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemonkey Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 Larry, Sanny is correct - this discussion relates to the OEM deflector. It sounds like you are using a smaller deflector in your saucer, and your pizza pan which makes up the size difference likely allows more heat to escape, so you might be fine. What I found out (the hard way) was that if I used the heat deflector for even moderate temps (375) a huge crack opened up around the circumference of the cooker, right at the spot where the deflector sat. I am just cautioning that before you run up to 550 at the dome, with your deflector in place, you should feel the grill and assess the temperature gradient at a more modest temps. On mine, even with 350 dome and a deflector in place the area under the deflector is radiating about twice as much heat. A scary proposition unless you want an excuse to get a new KK Nevermind the firebox just cracking, mine is broken into four pieces and laying in the bottom of the grill Like Sanny said, cracking the cooker itself is a bigger concern. In fairness, your cooker is several years old, and hasn't cracked yet, which is surprising in itself, so you might have no issue. But it would be a shame to let anything happen to it if you can avoid the problem in the first place. Your suggestion of staggering the levels seems like a good one to me. Putting your roast on the top rack also sounds ideal as that will put you higher in the dome, where there is more radiant heat available, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryR Posted November 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 Thank you for your replies and yes I want to be clear to others who may read this post, the ceramic under discussion is NOT a KK, however I will add one in the future Understood and I appreciated the insight here. My deflector leaves approximately 2 1/2 to 3" open space between the edge of the deflector and the inside wall of my cooker. So does anyone see any issue with leaving the roast on while I bring it up to 500? Once at 500 how long should I stay there? I was thinking 5 minutes prior to removing. Also, I'm toying with the idea of dropping my cooking temp down to 300 or 275 to try and get more even results. Thanks again for all the input! EDIT: Another question, is there any reason for the clay saucer in this setup? If I'm placing the deflector on the main grate I'm wondering if I really need i . . . unless it's to control radiant heat from the deflector. Just curious. EDIT II: Here are my PICTURES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryR Posted November 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2008 Pictures are updated. Well it was a new experience cooking a prime-rib on the ceramic. Plan was to have the roast done at about 7:00 for a 7:30 birthday dinner. Put her on at 2:00 p.m., temps were steady at 240 grate, 4:00 p.m. rolls around and I'm at 113 when I normally pull around 120/125 for med rare . . . damn! So I figured having her placed so high in the cooker was probably causing her to cook so quickly so I moved her down to the main grate and took the cooker temp down to 220. This stalled her a little bit but not enough, checked with the guests (who weren't even here yet) if 135 would be OK and everyone agreed it would be fine so I cooked her to 135 and didn't reverse sear (6:00 p.m.), let her rest and we ate a little early. Other than a speed cook I was very impressed with my first ceramic prime rib. Very moist (even though she was overdone for my taste), very flavorful tender etc. Rave reviews. Next time I'll start her later. Thanks for the input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conodo12 Posted November 3, 2008 Report Share Posted November 3, 2008 Great, now I'm starving!!! You would not have heard any complaints from me Larry - that prime rib is just how I like it!! Good lookin' sides and cake too! What are you using for fuel? Are those rancher briquettes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryR Posted November 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2008 Great eye, yes it's Rancher. I bought 30 - 40 bags when HD had it for $2.99 lb and used it for my low and slow cooks in my WSM. It's been working very well in my ceramic. I'm getting very long burn times nice stable temps. Not as nice as the KK ECC I recently purchased but it's working out quite nicely for my daily grills. Everyone loved the prime rib, just didn't have the "red" that I like in my roasts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
