Christmas in Texas looks a little different depending on who you ask. For some, it's tamales and brisket. For others, it's prime rib in the oven, ribeyes on the grill, or a holiday brisket low and slow on the smoker. One thing most folks can agree on? Beef still finds its way to the table at Christmas.

This year, beef might come with a little more sticker shock. Beef prices have continued to climb, and many families are feeling it when they're planning their holiday meals. Still, smokers will fire up, grills will light, and families will gather around the cuts and recipes that have become traditions.

With bowl games on the TV and family rolling in from out of town, December remains one of the biggest beef months of the year.

So, TexAgs, tell us: what's beef on your holiday menu this year?
Prime rib? Brisket? Steaks? Or are you switching things up? Drop your Christmas beef plans, and any five star recipes, below!

At Capital Farm Credit, beef isn't just part of our holiday traditions - it's part of our everyday work. We proudly manage more than $2.7 billion in beef and livestock financing across Texas, supporting the ranchers and producers who make those holiday meals possible.

From all of us at CFC, here's to good food, good company, and a great holiday season!

Smoked Prime Rib

I smoked a prime rib tonight for no damn reason at all.

Current cattle markets might result in smoked bologna for Christmas instead of prime rib.

jtp01 said:

---

Current cattle markets might result in smoked bologna for Christmas instead of prime rib.

---

Due to the cost of beef this year, Capital Farm Credit will be offering short term Prime Rib Loans at Prime Rates….


In all seriousness, my favorite way to cook prime rib is a modified take on the classic way of doing it.

Get the smoker nice and hot with a super clean fire; coals only. Also have the regular firepit or separate fire going nearby so that you are only adding coals not splits or logs.

Just season with coarse salt and pepper.

Get the smoker up to 450 - 500 degrees and put the prime rib in until you get a really good sear (15 - 20 minutes).

Drop the temp back down to 325 ish. That's where the separate fire comes in. You have to scoop coals out of the smoker and back into the firepit in order for it to drop the temp down to 325 fast enough.

Then continue to cook until your desired doneness. Only adding hot coals to the firebox from you separate fire versus full logs.

If you wife is like mine and complains that its not cooked enough, then position your prime rib so that one side gets more of the direct heat from the firebox. You may have to do the biscuit test to figure out where that is. Or on a reverse flows, have one end close to where the heat releases into the chamber.

I don't like the au jus made from drippings that come right off the smoker.

So I will do make it a day or two ahead of time in the oven. Typically with something like a chuck roast. I may even separate some of the good juice for a pure au jus and with the remainder and add in some ox tail and bones to also have a gravy for the mashed potatoes.

To me the clean hot fire and cooking at oven temps, complements the additions of things like au jus and horseradish versus low & slow.

Koko Chingo said:

---

jtp01 said:

---

Current cattle markets might result in smoked bologna for Christmas instead of prime rib.

---

Due to the cost of beef this year, Capital Farm Credit will be offering short term Prime Rib Loans at Prime Rates….


In all seriousness, my favorite way to cook prime rib is a modified take on the classic way of doing it.

Get the smoker nice and hot with a super clean fire; coals only. Also have the regular firepit or separate fire going nearby so that you are only adding coals not splits or logs.

Just season with coarse salt and pepper.

Get the smoker up to 450 - 500 degrees and put the prime rib in until you get a really good sear (15 - 20 minutes).

Drop the temp back down to 325 ish. That's where the separate fire comes in. You have to scoop coals out of the smoker and back into the firepit in order for it to drop the temp down to 325 fast enough.

Then continue to cook until your desired doneness. Only adding hot coals to the firebox from you separate fire versus full logs.

If you wife is like mine and complains that its not cooked enough, then position your prime rib so that one side gets more of the direct heat from the firebox. You may have to do the biscuit test to figure out where that is. Or on a reverse flows, have one end close to where the heat releases into the chamber.

I don't like the au jus made from drippings that come right off the smoker.

So I will do make it a day or two ahead of time in the oven. Typically with something like a chuck roast. I may even separate some of the good juice for a pure au jus and with the remainder and add in some ox tail and bones to also have a gravy for the mashed potatoes.

To me the clean hot fire and cooking at oven temps, complements the additions of things like au jus and horseradish versus low & slow.

---

Such comments are Standard. Once you Select your beef cut, place your Choice on a Prime area of the smoker so that there is No-Roll during the cooking process. Upon completion of the cook, you want to make sure the beef Cutter has a sharp Utility knife so that the beef is not wasted and needs to be preserved by using a Canner.