I will most likely never stop writing about the excellent food I have at Billy Joe’s Ribworks on the Newburgh water front. A few weeks back a group of friends all got together there to hang out and enjoy the food and sites. My wife, daughter and I actually got there early and happened to spot a guy kite boarding on the Hudson river for a good ten minutes. It was a pretty amazing sight.

An equally amazing visual for me happened to be a new menu item: Smoked Prime Rib. I think I’ve only had prime rib a handful of times, maybe only once. I’m not sure if I just wasn’t ready for that particular cut of meat with it’s ring of fat or if I just didn’t have a very well prepared kind, but I didn’t have a great impression in my mind. This, however, changed that impression. According to the menu, the prime rib is “Dry-Rubbed and Smoked Low and Slow to Tender Perfection. Served Thick and Juicy with Natural Au Jus and Horseradish Cream Sauce.”

A big, smoked delicious hunk of meat can only be improved on by macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes in my personal opinion, so those are the sides I chose. I also got the 12 ounce cut for what that’s worth. I think my tastes have changed a lot over the years and I’m more interested in checking out new things. I used to get freaked out by fat, I couldn’t handle that rubbery, chewy texture, but I’m getting more accustomed to it and now know that that’s where  a lot of flavor comes from. As an added bonus, after I finished my meat, I combined the remaining au jus with some of the horseradish sauce and the potatoes which was a tasty treat. I personally would rather finish a meal with more of my entree than a desert, so that was a good way to end things.