Is it too cold to smoke?

Planning on doing a prime rib on New Years Eve and the wife is concerned that the outside temperature will be too cold and we will have wasted money on the roast. We have a Green Mountain Daniel Boone with a thermal blanket installed and the recipe calls for a 500 degree f for 15 minutes on each side before cooking at 190 degrees for approx 4 hours. Outside temps expected to be around 0 degrees f.

Thanks in advance.

Steve

No worries! I have never seared a prime rib ( and prefer not to). I normally cook at 225 the entire time and come out great, consistent end to end. If you want to sear, use as hot as the cooker gets, but it doesn't matter. I would show links from my cooks, but photobucket prevents this.

You'll be fine! Your blanket will help reduce the increased pellet consumption due to the severe cold. I'm with NorCal on the not needing to sear. Cook the whole time at 225 and the roast will be nicely brown at the end. If you really really want to sear you can use your kitchen oven for a quick 500F sear at the end if you can't get your GMG hot enough.

Just did a 10 #'er for Xmas. Smoked it at 225º using cherry until the IT was 130º. Tried reverse searing it but the remaining fat cap caused immediate flare ups, talking big flames here, so I pulled it off and let it rest 20 min. Turned out didn't really need the sear. Flavor and degree of doneness was perfect. BTW it was 5º

I just smoked two hams overnight last night with an ambient temp of 2°F.

Thanks for your replies. Roughly how long for a 10 pounder?

IT got to 130º in approx 4hr 35min. BTW: this still had the bones attached. If boneless should take less time. Make sure to use a good probe to monitor IT.

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Just want to add my 2¢. I never have issues with the outside temps affecting cooking, though it only gets to mid 30's generally in Portland. For the searing, I prefer to do that "after" cooking (aka "reverse sear"), and I have done it on my MAK in the cold. But that takes too long (or did before up upgraded to new innards), so I either do it with a skillet on the stove or in the oven. This important part is "done" by this point (smoke cooking), so I'm not sure it really matters how you get the final sear.

For NYE, I did an 8.5 lb boneless rib roast. Cooked on MAK until 125-ish, and finished on 12" skillet. Ended up a little MEDIUM-rare, but was mighty tasty in spite of "over cooking". Hmmmm...this forum is making me hungry...