Prime Rib

I recently attended a work Christmas party that took place at a “Wassail” dinner at a local country club. Apparently a wassail is an old English tradition of drinking out of a giant pot of mulled cider/wine. In this case, it was drinking egg nog with colleagues, eating too much at a never-ending buffet and being serenaded by Christmas carolers. Not a bad way to spend an evening. As is usually the case at an upscale buffet, the piece de resistance was the prime rib. In this case, it was cut into giant slabs in front of you, ceremoniously plopped onto your plate by a waiter in a tall chef’s hat, while he declared to everyone “Merry Christmas”. It was all very Dickens-esque!

You don’t need culinary training or a fancy white hat to pull off an impressive prime rib this Christmas. Patience is all that is needed to ensure a delicious, evenly and perfectly cooked roast. They key is to cook it extremely low and slow, to ensure that it is cooked medium-rare, evenly through. Like the reverse-sear steak (recipe soon!), searing the roast in a hot oven at the very end ensures that flavourful crust.

I have not included instructions for cooking your meat above medium rare. This is an expensive, delicious cut that should not be butchered (pun intended) and rendered the consistency of leather.

When deciding how large of a roast you need, plan on 1 pound of bone-in roast per person, and each rib adds 1 1/2 to 2 pounds.

Note: the cooking times will vary significantly depending on the size of your roast. Err on the side of starting early. If your roast is done well in advance of dinner, let it rest until an hour before dinner. Reheat it back in the low oven for 30 minutes or so, until warmed through and proceed to sear as directed.

Prime Rib

The Food Lab, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt
Serves 3-12, depending on the size of the roast

1 standing rib roast (prime rib), 3-12 pounds
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

At least 3 hours before, and preferably the night before, cut the ribs from the roast in a single slab (or ask your butcher to do this for you). Using kitchen twine, tie the bones securely to the roast. Season the entire roast with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Leave the roast uncovered in the fridge until ready to cook.

Preheat the oven to the lowest possible temperature setting, 180-200F. Place the roast, fat cap up, on a V-rack set in a large roasting pan. Place in the oven and cook until the center registers 120F (for medium-rare). Note: this will take up to 6 hours in a 150F oven, and up to 4 hours in a 200F oven.

Remove the roast from the oven and let it rest for at least 30 minutes, and up to 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, heat the oven to the highest possible temperature, usually 500F.

Ten minutes before you are ready to serve, place the roast in the hot oven and cook until well browned and crisp on the exterior, about 6-10 minutes.

Remove the roast from the oven, remove the butchers twine and the bones. Carve the meat and serve immediately.