Best Prime Rib
One of our favorite recipes for the Christmas Season is Prime Rib. Over the years, we have cooked many of them and they were all good but then I started watching America's Test Kitchen on PBS and also subscribing to many of their publications. This is pretty much their recipe, (with a little tweaking on my part). I followed the recipe and "aged" the meat in the refrigerator as directed for the full four days. When I finally removed it, four days later and looked at it, I almost had another heart attack. Here was a ninety dollar piece of meat and to say the least, it didn't look too good. I continued to follow the recipe. It turned out to be the best prime rib I have ever cooked, so here is that recipe.
BEST PRIME RIB
Look for a roast with an untrimmed fat cap, ideally 1/2 inch thick. Prime grade beef is best but choice grade will work also. Monitoring the roast with a meat-probe thermometer is best. If you have to use an instant-read thermometer, open the oven door as little as possible and remove the roast from the oven when taking temperature to maintain oven temperature. If the roast has not reached the correct temperature in the time range specified in step 3, heat the oven to 200 degrees, wait five minutes, then shut the oven off and continue to cook the roast until it reaches the desired temperature.
Ingredients:
One 7 to 8 pound first-cut beef standing rib roast (3 bones), meat removed from ribs.
(Reserve ribs.)
2 Tablespoons (+ -) of Kosher salt.
Freshly ground black pepper.
2 Tablespoons (+ -) of vegetable oil.
All purpose rub. (I make mine by using 1 part garlic powder, 1 part freshly ground black pepper and 1/2 part Kosher salt). You can also use Montreal Steak Seasoning.
Directions:
Remove roast from the ribs by cutting as close to the ribs as possible. Reserve ribs. Using a sharp knife, cut slits in surface layer of fat, spaced one inch apart, in a crosshatch pattern, being careful to cut down to but not into the meat. Sprinkle salt over the entire roast including into the slits cut into fat and rub in well. Put roast back on ribs (to save space in refrigerator), transfer to large plate, and refrigerate uncovered for at least 24 hours or up to four days. (I put a single layer of cheese cloth over the roast and let it age for the full four days.)
2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Heat oil in a 12 inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Remove roast from ribs. Sear sides and top of roast until browned, (6 to 8 minutes total). Do not sear the side that was attached to the ribs. Let cool for 10 minutes, then season all sides well with the all purpose rub or Montreal Steak Seasoning. Then place the meat back on ribs, and tie roast to ribs with two lengths of kitchen twine. Transfer roast, fat side up, to a wire rack set into a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan and insert meat thermometer probe into roast being being careful not to touch any bones and hook probe to receiver. Roast until the internal temperature registers 110 degrees, (three to four hours).
3. Turn off oven, leave roast in oven, opening door as little as possible until meat registers about 120 degrees for rare or about 125 degrees for medium-rare, (30 minutes to 1 1/4 hours longer).
(If you want it well done, EAT CHICKEN!)
4. Remove roast from oven, leaving roast on baking sheet or roasting pan. Tent loosely with aluminum foil and let rest from 30 minutes or up to 1 1/4 hours.
5. Adjust oven rack about 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Remove foil from roast, form a three inch ball with it and place under ribs to elevate fat cap so that it will be somewhat even with broiler element. Broil until top of roast is well browned and crisp, (2 to 8 minutes).
6. Transfer roast to carving board, cut twine, remove roast from ribs, Slice meat into 3/4 inch slices. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy.