Standing Ovation

Tired of turkey? After Thanksgiving, most of us are all turkey-ed out. Last Christmas, my mom suggested we do a standing rib roast instead of turkey.  It was a nice change to the traditional Christmas meal. One small problem, her roast turned out to be a little over cooked. I think I have found a recipe that will solve this problem, because the last thing you want is to overcook such a pricey cut of meat. She has enlisted the help of us at Everyday Re-Creations to try to locate a recipe to produce a no-fail delicious prime rib.

Most standing roasts will cost you about $7.99-$8.99/lb. I know it may seem like a lot, but consider this: If you order the Prime Rib dinner at Outback, you’re look at $20.00 per person. By cooking it at home, you are saving over half the cost of eating out. Plus, it’s Christmas, so splurge a little.

Sounds good to me! But, what is a standing rib roast? A whole standing rib roast is also known as a prime rib roast. ‘Standing’ means the bones are included in the roast, and can stand by itself. The bones lend a lot of flavor when cooking anything, so keep that in mind when you are tempted to reach for a roast sans bone. Nervous? Me too!

After reading all the different ways to cook a standing roast; Tied? Untied? Salted? Unsalted? I’m starting to think I’m in over my head. Then, like the North Star guiding me home, I come across a recipe on http://whatscookingamerica.net. It recommends tying the roast, no salt, and only buttering the cut ends of the roast. (I did not have kitchen twine available, so I did not tie the roast.) Sounds easy enough, so I’m in!

This site also contains lots of helpful tips including what size roast to buy depending on the crowd, letting the roast come to room temperature before cooking (who knew that?), how to carve the roast, and even how to make gravy from the pan drippings. The recipes from this site are the exact recipes I used, so let’s get started…

First, be sure to let your roast come to room temperature for a couple of hours. This helps for even cooking. While your oven is preheating, smear about 1 tablespoon of butter or margarine on the cut ends of the roast.

NOTE: Do not, I repeat, do NOT attempt to cook a roast this size in a disposable aluminum pan! Approximately 3 minutes into cooking time, I could hear a sizzle coming from the oven. I thought it was just the butter melting off the roast. To my surprise, there was a small hole in the pan, and the juices were dripping into the bottom on the oven. Panic sets in!! After the smoke cleared, and I transferred the roast to a large roasting pan, the cooking could continue.

Place your roast in a 450 degree oven for 15 minutes, uncovered.  This helps to sear the meat. After searing, turn the oven down to 325 for the remainder of the cooking time, basting the ends of the roast with pan drippings every 30 minutes.  This will vary depending on what size roast you have.  For my particular roast, total cooking time was about 2 hrs and 15min. You generally are looking for a true ‘rare’ when cooking prime rib. This falls between 120-135 degrees, so begin checking internal temp about 45 minutes before estimated end time.

Once you have reached your desired internal temperature, remove roast from oven. I transferred mine to a cutting board so I could go ahead and make the au jus.  Cover with foil and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute into the meat, leaving you with a juicy roast.  The meat will also continue to cook while it is resting.  The internal temperature will rise approximately another 10 degrees, so be sure to keep that in mind.

To make the au jus, you will need:

2 Tbsp pan drippings, try to scrape out any bits stuck on the bottom.

2 cups Beef Broth

Splash Red Wine

Whisk all together, bring to a boil and reduce for about 5 minutes. You can add more or less of any of these 3 ingredients, depending on your taste.

To carve the roast, I enlisted the help of my dad. We decided to carve with the bone still in the roast. The website I used for this recipe gives you a step by step on how to remove the bone before carving.  A sharp knife is also a must for carving.

Let’s Eat!!

Another well known sauce to accompany prime rib is a creamy horseradish sauce. This includes:

¼ cup prepared horseradish

1 cup sour cream

1 Tsbp Lemon Juice

Dash of salt

Mix together and serve along with the au jus.

NOTE: Although, prime rib is best when served rare/medium rare, individual slices can be placed under the broiler for a few minutes to cook a little more, if desired.

The standing rib roast was served with a side salad and a yummy broccoli & cheese casserole. You can find the casserole recipe under our ‘recipes’ tab.

I am very pleased with the way the Standing Rib Roast turned out. Just like most recipes, the more you cook it, the easier it becomes. Don’t be afraid to try something new. It just may become your family’s Christmas tradition.

Anna