At $4/lb, I'd be tempted to put it in a crockpot with potatoes, carrots, and onions.....

We have done those holiday specials. I smoke them on our Ole Hickory Pits for one hour using three fist size chunks of wood. Then sous vide. We found this helps with the color. Once you have sous vide one there is no going back IMHO.

I think where this thing in this thread failed for hughver (and this is my opinion not his) are some of the following:

1.  Do you put a rub on the roast before smoking?  If so, what?  And what smoker temp do you set it at and what IT do you cook it to?
2.  Do you cool the roast before you put in a vac seal bag or put direct in vac seal bag right off the smoker?
3.  Do you add anything in the bag before you vac seal?
3.  What sous vide temp do you put the vac sealed roast at in the water bath/
4.  How long do you leave it in the sous vide?
5.  How do finish it off after the sous vide?

Like most things we all have different preferences.

I had some of the same questions. here are my answers:
1. Yes, rub on before smoking, I'm going to use just SPG
2. NO, I'm going to put it in warm. I'm only smoke for 2-4 hours before SV. IT should be
    low.
3. The article stated 136° and that is what I'm going to use. Going to add sprigs of thyme
    and rosemary to the bag as shown in the pictures.
4. I'm going to let it SV for 16-18 hours instead of 14 recommended. I would normally use
   133°, but since it's select grade, the extra few degrees and hours may help tenderize.
5. I'm going to freeze and when ready to use, thaw then place it in 500°+ 0ven to sear
   and warm back to 136° IT in smoker to before serving.

Not a perfect plan but I'll give it a try.


 

Thank goodness I'm finished with phase one of prep. This is what's left after several hours of trimming. I cut the 17 lb. one in half and trimmed the ribs and flap off. In addition to these pieces, I have a gallon baggie full relative lean scraps and what's left of the flaps. Scraps and flap meat will get smoked tomorrow along with the Christmas roast.

1.  Do you put a rub on the roast before smoking?  If so, what?  And what smoker temp do you set it at and what IT do you cook it to?
Simply Marvelous Pepper Cow rub. Smoker temp around 180
2.  Do you cool the roast before you put in a vac seal bag or put direct in vac seal bag right off the smoker?
Usually vac seal right off the smoker.
3.  Do you add anything in the bag before you vac seal?
No
3.  What sous vide temp do you put the vac sealed roast at in the water bath/
130-135
4.  How long do you leave it in the sous vide?
8-12 hours. But have done as little 6
5.  How do finish it off after the sous vide?
open the bag and slice. A lot of times we are bringing this to someone home. So we keep it wrapped in a cooler sometimes for a few hours.

Like most things we all have different preferences.

1.  Do you put a rub on the roast before smoking?  If so, what?  And what smoker temp do you set it at and what IT do you cook it to?
Simply Marvelous Pepper Cow rub. Smoker temp around 180
2.  Do you cool the roast before you put in a vac seal bag or put direct in vac seal bag right off the smoker?
Usually vac seal right off the smoker.
3.  Do you add anything in the bag before you vac seal?
No
3.  What sous vide temp do you put the vac sealed roast at in the water bath/
130-135
4.  How long do you leave it in the sous vide?
8-12 hours. But have done as little 6
5.  How do finish it off after the sous vide?
open the bag and slice. A lot of times we are bringing this to someone home. So we keep it wrapped in a cooler sometimes for a few hours.

Like most things we all have different preferences.

Thanks for the response, it was very helpful to know how the pro's do it.

My feeble attempt at Frenching a rib roast. It started out at 13 lbs., as it now sits it's 9.2 lbs.

It's not to bad.

Thanks, I'll do better next time. Anyone have a quick flavorful way to make Au Jus from rib
 scraps?