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[pmillen]

We’re having a dinner party in a few days.  I’m asking for help in selecting a cut of meat and the companion recipe.
 
I’d like to serve smoke-roasted beef, preferably a Beef Tenderloin, a Ribeye Roast, a New York Strip Loin Roast or a Prime Rib Roast.  Please offer up your favorite recipe–

• Would you trim the fat to expose more meat to the rub?
• What rub do you recommend?
• Dry brine it in the refrigerator?
• Pellet wood choice?
• Would you sear it?  (I have switched from reverse sear back to searing first or just not searing.)
• What pit temperature do you recommend?
• And any other important information.

I know it’s bold of me to ask so much and an imposition on you to comply, but I’d kinda’ like to make this cook a winner and I don’t see another way, given the short timeline for trials.

[jdmessner]

Last year I did a whole prime beef top sirloin. It turned out great. I did wet age it, but it doesn't sound like you have time for that. Heading Bentley's advice I sliced it thin and there was no issue about it being tough. The flavor was great, it was as good as or better than any prime rib I have had. People were asking me about it for months later. The cook was very simple. I think I rubbed it with McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning and cooked it around 200-250, my grill only has three settings, so temps are not an exact science! I don't remember for how long, but it was probably around 10 hours. I am not sure pellets make a big difference, but at the time I think I was using camp chef competition blend pellets, since they are the most readily available near me. Now I am wishing I took more notes, but I would not hesitate to go that route again. Be sure and post what you end up with. Good Luck!!

[Bentley]

When you say smoke roasted beef, but then say no reverse sear are you meaning you just want the meat cooked with wood?

Will you cook to X° and then dip in au jus for those that like more well done?  Will it be sliced thin, so tenderness is not as much an issue?

If so, my recommendation is Beef Rump Cap served Picanha Steak style.  Packed in Rock Salt before cooking, with salt still attached grilled (350°) to your desired IT, then salt removed...but...

Your prefference is a higher end cut...cant go wrong with a trimmed Rib Roasted cooked with Oak.  Season with salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary paste.  Vac seal for 12 hours.  High heat for 1st 30 minutes then, 2 stage cooking process.

[glitchy]

That pichana style sounds great Bently.

I usually would pick a Ribeye Roast as well. I have been doing mine over Hickory starting at 180 for an hour, then turning up to 250 until the center is about 15-20 degrees below your desired end temp, then I crank the grill to 400-500 and pull the roast 5 degrees below desired temp. Last couple I have done have been with just Montreal Steak seasoning. I know, it's essentially a reverse sear, but it's all indirect. It also gives you some variation on meat temps. The outside quarters usually end up a little more done than the center - like medium on outside if center is medium rare. This works well at our house to meet various tastes. I should be making my own Au Jus, but have been using the Jonny's Fine Foods they sell in the small jug/bottle by the steak sauces.

I would like to mix a little bit of mesquite in there too, but my wife disapproves every time I've used it in the past. I should probably do more dry brining or wet aging to take it up a notch, but never seem to have the time and or don't want to remake the rest of the rub to be salt free.

[pmillen]

Bently, I'm only interested in searing in order to produce browning (Maillard reaction) that adds flavor (color is welcome for cosmetic reasons).  The beef surface needs to be dry in order to reach the 300°F for the Maillard reaction to begin.  At about 355°F the beef begins to char—that's bitterness.  So for my taste, it's a small temperature window.

I'm not very fond of searing after applying a rub.  Sugars and garlic are awful when seared.

I'm also not fond of searing after smoking.  The smoke flavor sits on the meat's surface.  90% of the smoke's flavor components burn off when searing.

So, lately I've been seasoning the meat and letting it dry brine in the refrigerator.  Then I brown it (I hesitate to use the word sear).  I then season it some more and smoke it to my desired IT.

I know this is unconventional.  I'm often unconventional (and I sometimes change my methods).

[pmillen]

I usually would pick a Ribeye Roast as well. I have been doing mine over Hickory starting at 180 for an hour, then turning up to 250 until the center is about 15-20 degrees below your desired end temp, then I crank the grill to 400-500 and pull the roast 5 degrees below desired temp. Last couple I have done have been with just Montreal Steak seasoning. I know, it's essentially a reverse sear, but it's all indirect. It also gives you some variation on meat temps. The outside quarters usually end up a little more done than the center - like medium on outside if center is medium rare. This works well at our house to meet various tastes.

This looks like a pretty good plan, Glitchy.  It should work in almost any smoker.

[glitchy]

I usually would pick a Ribeye Roast as well. I have been doing mine over Hickory starting at 180 for an hour, then turning up to 250 until the center is about 15-20 degrees below your desired end temp, then I crank the grill to 400-500 and pull the roast 5 degrees below desired temp. Last couple I have done have been with just Montreal Steak seasoning. I know, it's essentially a reverse sear, but it's all indirect. It also gives you some variation on meat temps. The outside quarters usually end up a little more done than the center - like medium on outside if center is medium rare. This works well at our house to meet various tastes.

This looks like a pretty good plan, Glitchy.  It should work in almost any smoker.

Based on your reply to Bentley, you could easily modify it to be smoke at 180 for an hour and then cook at 325 until probably 3-4 degrees from you desired minimum temp. I would think you’d have a little more banding but would be interesting to see.

I found pics of my last one...it did involve a small fire even though I had a pan under it until I cranked it...I would have cooked it about 5 degrees more otherwise and had a bit less of the char.

[pmillen]

When you say smoke roasted beef, but then say no reverse sear are you meaning you just want the meat cooked with wood?  I guess that's what I mean.  I want to add a bit of smoke flavor.

Will you cook to X° and then dip in au jus for those that like more well done?  I'll carve it at the island with the kitchen range right behind me and pan sear cuts for someone that may want theirs cooked a bit more.  I've never provided au jus.  I don't really know how to do so.

Will it be sliced thin, so tenderness is not as much an issue?  No.  I suspect that the roast will be tender even when sliced rather thick.

If so, my recommendation is Beef Rump Cap served Picanha Steak style.  Packed in Rock Salt before cooking, with salt still attached grilled (350°) to your desired IT, then salt removed...but...

Your prefference is a higher end cut...cant go wrong with a trimmed Rib Roasted cooked with Oak.  Season with salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary paste.  Vac seal for 12 hours.  High heat for 1st 30 minutes then, 2 stage cooking process.  Please tell me more about–

• Rosemary paste
• Two-stage cooking

[glitchy]

Paul, elaborate a little more on the what you mean on the Au Jus. If you’re not catching drippings, Hy-vee should have the Johnny’s stuff. It’s just a concentrate you mix with water and boil on the stove.

[pmillen]

Paul, elaborate a little more on the what you mean on the Au Jus. If you’re not catching drippings, Hy-vee should have the Johnny’s stuff. It’s just a concentrate you mix with water and boil on the stove.

Yeah, I've never given au jus much thought.  I ignore it when it's served to me and have never served it.  It's just habit, I guess.  (Similarly, I don't often make sauces.)  I could probably snoop around the Internet and find recipes and methods.

I often catch beef drippings just to keep it off of the grease drip pan.  It's never used for beef au jus.

[yorkdude]

I have only done 1 on the pellet grill and I dry aged it. Christmas dinner last year. Not good enough at searching to find it though, somehow you might find it.  Done lots of them though on the popular kettle grill. Drip pan in the middle and 25 coals on either side, light and wait for ashen coals, nothing in the pan. Cook 12-15 minutes per #. Add 15 coals per side on the hour. I have always gone in the 12 min per pound range and let it carry. They turn out fantastic. Getting ready to start another dry aged one though here real soon, that rascal was phenomenal.

[Bentley]

https://pelletfan.com/index.php?topic=3321.30

?

I have only done 1 on the pellet grill and I dry aged it. Christmas dinner last year. Not good enough at searching to find it though

[Bentley]

It is just a combination of salt, course black pepper, fresh minced garlic and rosemary.  The rosemary, salt and pepper can just be run through food processor till fine, then the garlic can be added to make the paste.  I enjoy have rosemary and garlic, so it takes quite a bit to make enough to cover a 6 or 7lb roast.  It is then just rubbed on the meat, some times I will make pockets in roast and put a little in, but that usually screw up presentation.  It can be scrapped off before cooking or left on like I do.  I have no set amounts, I just mix until I like the taste and use the paste.

The cooking process is how I learned to cook 2 inch, lip on Standing Rib Roast from Hestbeck's Meat Market in Fresno.  Now, these were all 15-17lb roasts, but the process seems to work on roast about half to 1/3 that size.  I would not call it a sear, but it is high heat.  You start out at 500° for 20 minutes fat side down.  It creates a slight crust on the outside.  You then turn temperature down to 325° cook for 1 hour, remove from heat, tent with foil and rest for 2 hours.  The roast is then put back in unit at 325° and cook to your desired IT.  I always pull 10° below where I want it finished.  Many dont like the process, because it is not the red from top to bottom, it is well done for the 1st 3/4 inch, but so good.

• Rosemary paste
• Two-stage cooking

The paste looks something like this.

[yorkdude]

Oh boy, it’s getting that time of year. That looks awesome.

[pmillen]

Thanks, Bentley.