I think a lot of people avoid making prime rib either because they think it's too expensive or because they think it's too hard to prepare. Well, it is expensive, but if you're not planning on making this a regular Sunday dinner, what is the value versus the cost for a quality meal as the centerpiece for a special occasion? So, while prime rib might set you back a few coins, it isn't so prohibitive that you can't splurge for a reason. We make prime rib maybe two or three times a year. I'm grateful we have that much to celebrate.
As for people thinking that it's too difficult to prepare, let me dispel that notion with this recipe. While preparing a great prime rib is easy, there are also some easy ways to screw it up. So, in that sense, if you don't know a few tips for making a great prime rib, you may very well waste your investment.
Tip Number One: Buy the right USDA grade beef.
Buy the right kind of rib roast. Understand the USDA grades for beef. Make certain that your cut is either Certified Angus Beef or USDA Prime. The next grade of beef is USDA Choice, and there is no point in spending money on Choice beef for a standing rib roast. Save your money and buy a steak instead. "Prime rib" is not a specific cut of beef and does not refer to the grade of beef; it is the name given to a manner of preparing a standing rib roast. Rib roasts are usually sold as either small end (cut from near the loin section) or large end (cut from near the chuck section). Most good butchers recommend that you request a roast from the small end of the rib section, which is leaner, more tender and gives you more meat for your dollar.
Tip Number Two: Buy the right size.
Buy a rib roast of 4-6 ribs. Anything smaller is really not leveraging your time. Plus, a few leftovers with this dish is a good thing. Prime rib warms very nicely in a microwave.
Tip Number Three: Make your butcher work for you.
Purchase a rib roast with the ribs intact. Then, ask your butcher to remove the chine bone and separate the ribs from the roast, tying the rack back onto the roast with butcher's string. The primary reason for this is that the meat simply tastes better when cooked with the rib bones and keeps you from having to conduct a delicate surgical procedure while the meat is hot and your guests are salivating.
Tip Number Four: Invest in the right equipment.
You absolutely must have a digital probe thermometer that's is something like this. The trick to a great prime rib is in knowing when it's done. The easiest way to know this is to buy one of those digital thermometers with a probe attached to an oven-proof cord that registers on a control unit outside the oven. You can use one of those self contained glass thermometers, too, but they are not as convenient. If you do use one of these kinds of thermometers, be sure you can read it without opening the oven. Fanning the oven door will only increase the cooking time. You also are going to need a gravy separator. Click here to see one from Amazon and more on how to use it later.
Ingredients
4-6 rib standing rib roast
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp Lawry's seasoned salt
4 tbsp minced garlic
4 tbsp black pepper
6 large shallots, skins removed and quartered
12-15 baby carrots, peeled
4 cups liquid beef stock (like, Swanson or Kitchen Basics)
4 cups dry red wine
1 8-oz container frozen beef & veal stock (like, Rich)
1 tbsp Kitchen Bouquet Browning & Seasoning Sauce
non-stick cooking spray (like, Pam)
The Recipe
Bring the roast to room temperature by letting it sit on your kitchen counter for 2-3 hours. Don't worry, the roast will not deteriorate, nor will you contract food poisoning. Letting the roast come up to some semblance of room temperature ensures more even cooking and quicker browning.
To prepare the meat for roasting, I suggest you use a roasting pan with a 'V' shaped cooking rack. Although some recipes say you don't need this and to let the ribs themselves serve as your rack, I think using a metal rack allows heat to more thoroughly surround the roast and the fat to drip away from the meat. Spray the rack with non-stick cooking spray and nestle the roast in the rack, then put the rack in the roasting pan.
Pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees. Slather the olive oil all over the roast, including the ends. Then, rub the minced garlic all over. Next, liberally - and I mean liberally - sprinkle Lawry's Seasoned Salt so that the roast is coated and the fat blanket is covered in that orange goodness. Then, liberally sprinkle black pepper over the entire roast. By the way, Lawry's Seasoned Salt got its start as a secret kitchen ingredient from Lawry's - The Prime Rib restaurants. Whoever invented it knew what the hell he was doing. You can't have a great prime rib without it, and consider that my fifth and final tip.
Put the shallots, the carrots, 2 cups of the red wine and 2 cups of the beef stock in the bottom of your roasting pan.
Now, carefully put the thermometer or probe in the center of the roast, making sure the end of it is resting in the center of the meat and not touching any bone.
Put the roast in the 500 degree oven for twenty minutes so that it quickly browns, then turn the oven to 325 for the balance of the cooking time.
Assume about 3-½ to 4 hours for a 4-6 rib roast, or about 15 minutes per pound. Cooking time will vary depending on a lot a factors, including your oven, so the easiest way to ensure your prime rib is cooked properly is by using a thermometer and roasting it to an internal temperature of 135 degrees. This puts you at medium rare, understanding that the roast will rise five degrees or so once you take it out of the oven before slicing. If you like your meat on the rare side, roast to 125 degrees. If you want something closer to medium well done, roast to 145 degrees. If you want your meat well done, why are you even eating prime rib?
Pour the remaining 2 cups of red wine and beef stock in a saucepan, and add the frozen beef and veal stock. Put on a very low heat to keep warm during the roasting period. Don't even simmer it right now.
When the thermometer registers 135 degrees, remove the roast from the oven. Do not take the thermometer probe out of the roast, yet. Take the cooking rack with the roast out of the roasting pan and place it on something to absorb any drips. Wrap the whole thing, rack, roast and all, in aluminum foil. Just push the foil through the thermometer probe and blanket the meat. Let it rest for thirty minutes while you finish the au jus.
You're going to have a concoction of fat, over-cooked vegetables and the remnants of the wine and beef stock left in your roasting pan. What you want is some of the liquid with not a lot of the fat. Depending on how much fat has accumulated, you can skim it off with a ladle or a spoon, or you can pour all the liquid into a fat separator. A fat separator looks like a pitcher, but the spout is much longer and originates from the bottom instead of the top of the pitcher. When you put your drippings in this contraption and allow it to sit for a couple of minutes, the fat rises to the top, allowing you to siphon off the liquid without capturing any of the fat. Click here to see one from Amazon. Pour 1 to 1-½ cups of this siphoned liquid into your saucepan where you have kept the red wine and beef stock warm. Discard the rest of the the drippings, the fat and the over-cooked vegetables. They have done their job.
Finish the au jus by adding the tablespoon of Kitchen Bouquet and bringing it all to a vigorous boil, reducing by about a third.
Remove the roast to a carving board after it has rested for thirty minutes. The thermometer should register between 140-145 degrees. You can remove the probe at this time. Find the butcher's twine that has been holding the bones to the roast and cut with a knife or scissors. Remove the bones and set aside. Carve the roast into one to 1-½ inch slices and serve au jus, that is, with juice.
As an additional accompaniment to the meat, mix equal parts of prepared horseradish and sour cream. Serve on the side.
Warmed-over prime rib for lunch is great. Just zap in a microwave and serve au jus with Dijon mustard.
Au jus freezes well, by the way, and I generally have some left long after the prime rib is gone. Allow the au jus to refrigerate. Any remaining fat in the sauce will solidify and rise to the top so it is easily removed and discarded. Then, pour the au jus into a couple of those old-style ice cube trays. Freeze, then remove the au jus ice cubes to a plastic freezer bag. You now have a very quick means to beef up sauces, gravies, soups and stews. Whenever we prepare prime rib, I return these au jus ice cubes to the new au jus. It gives unparalleled depth to your new batch of au jus that can't be put into any recipe, so that is my sixth and absolutely final tip for great prime rib.
Oh, and that rack of bones? Freeze 'em. After accumulating a couple, I make beef broth with them. Just thaw and carve them up, cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer them for about an hour. If there is any meat left on the bones, well that's lunch. Strain the resulting broth and freeze in small containers. It can be used as a base for gravies, stews and sauces, or as a base for your next batch of au jus.
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