Place the roast on a baking sheet, and season liberally with salt.
Let the salt do its thing for at least an hour. Up to a day. If you will be leaving it for longer than an hour, put the roast in the fridge. I salt my roasts a day in advance.
Smoking the roast
If the roast is in the fridge, take it out.
If your smoker has a water pan, fill it with water, and pre-heat the smoker to 225°F to 250°F.
If you are using an oven, pre-heat it to 225°F.
If you are using a dry rub for the beef, apply it now (avoid dry rubs with a lot of salt, otherwise the beef may be too salty), otherwise grind some black pepper over the beef.
Add some smoke wood to the smoker. For beef, I like hickory.
If you are using a leave in thermometer probe, put it in the roast, and place the roast on the smoker (or in the oven in a roasting pan).
Cook the roast until it reaches the desired temperature adding more smoke wood as needed.
For medium-rare, aim for 125°F to 130°F. For medium, 135°F to 140°F.
For a 5 pound roast, this should take 3 to 4 hours.
Once the desired temperature is reached, remove the roast from the smoker or oven, and cover it in foil, and allow it to rest.
Resting the roast
Allow the roast to rest, covered in foil for at least fifteen minutes, preferably half an hour to an hour.
If I need to hold the roast longer than an hour, I will place a large pot of hot water in a cooler, and allow the cooler to warm up. Once it is warm, I will place the roast in a covered roasting pan in the cooler. It will keep warm, for two to three hours, if not longer.
Searing the roast
The roast may look and smell great at this point, but the final step is important. Pre-heat your oven to 450°F.
Place the rested roast, uncovered, in the oven, and roast it for ten to fifteen minutes allowing the exterior to brown and crisp up. Depending on how dark you like it, and how hot your oven actually is, the time will vary.
If it begins smoking too much, reduce the temperature to 425°F, or remove the roast from the oven.
Slicing and serving
Once the exterior is the colour you are looking for, remove the roast from the oven and allow it to sit for a few minutes (to avoid burning yourself).
I like to cut the bones off the roast, and then slice the beef into 1/4″ to 1/2″ slices, down towards where the bone was.
Carve the roast on to a serving platter, or on to individual plates, depending on your preferences. For company, I tend to serve on a platter, and serve family style.
Recipe Notes
If you are new to smoking, and would like some tips on lighting a smoker, and maintaining a steady temperature, please let me know.