Prime rib, or standing rib roast, has long been a mainstay at the holiday table (where it is often paired with Yorkshire pudding, a British specialty made from the pan juices and a simple batter of flour, eggs, and milk). As it is expensive, prime rib should be handled with extra care. It is imperative that you have an instant-read thermometer for determining the internal temperature; if allowed to cook too long, the meat will no longer be a rosy pink inside, the optimal color for any high-quality roast. Remove the roast when still rare, as it will continue to cook as it rests, rising as much as 10 degrees in 20 minutes. Rubbing meat (as well as chicken and fish) with herbs, spices, and a bit of oil will add tremendous flavor. Here, the beef is coated with a mixture of bay leaves, sage, and orange zest, all familiar holiday flavors. Allowing the meat to “marinate” in the rub overnight deepens the flavor even more. A similar result is achieved by simply salting the meat a day or two before roasting, whereby the salt will have penetrated the meat much like a brining solution (page 126). Larger roasts such as prime rib, crown roast, and a whole turkey are started at a high temperature (450°F) to sear the meat, then the temperature is lowered after 30 minutes to prevent the outside from burning before the meat is cooked through. The exterior won’t develop a crust right away, but the initial high heat gives the outside a head start so that it will be perfectly browned in the end.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
For rub
For roast
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare meat Stir together crumbled bay leaves, sage, the oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the orange zest in a small bowl. Season with pepper. Rub herb mixture all over the beef, coating evenly. Refrigerate overnight, covered. About 2 hours before you plan to cook the beef, remove it from the refrigerator. Place beef, fat side up, in a roasting pan and allow it to come to room temperature. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 450°F.
Step 2
Roast Cook beef for 30 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350°F and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into meat (away from bone) registers 115°F to 120°F (for rare), about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes longer. Let rest 20 minutes.
Step 3
Carve and serve Slice meat away from ribs, cutting along the bones. Then, slice meat crosswise to desired thickness. Serve, garnished with whole sage leaves.
OVEN-ROASTED POTATOES
Step 4
Potatoes make a delicious accompaniment when roasted with the meat, soaking up some of the flavorful juices and forming a crisp, golden crust. Before putting the roast in the oven, halve and peel 3 pounds russet potatoes. Place in a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Salt generously and cook potatoes for 5 minutes, then drain well. Score lines lengthwise in potatoes using the tines of a fork. Then roast the meat as directed, adding potatoes to roasting pan after the meat has been in the oven 15 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil if there is not enough in bottom of pan to lightly coat potatoes. Proceed with recipe, roasting the meat with potatoes for another 15 minutes before reducing heat to 350°F; roast until meat is cooked through, turning potatoes after 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Step 5
Prime rib is available at butcher shops and many large supermarkets. Ask for the first cut, which comprises the first three ribs in the short end of the beef, and have the butcher trim the roast and French the bones for you. The word “prime” in the cut’s name is not to be confused with the Prime designation of quality from the USDA (page 101).
