Sous Vide Prime Rib...I know its a sin

[Adamsm83]

So I did a quick search for a SV whole prime rib and everything I found just turned into, "why waste your time? Just roast it!" Which I would generally agree with, but the kitchen I work in only has one oven that can't be tied up long enough to do the prime rib, so I found a couple of recipes out there and I think my recipe will be as follows...

Cut a 10# prime rib in half and salt and pepper the outside.

Vaccum seal each 5# roast and SV at 137 degrees for 10hours.

Remove from the bags. Pat dry, rub all over with roasted garlic puree, chopped rosemary, thyme & pepper.

Roast in a 500 degree oven until dark brown.

 

Now here is where things get tricky, I want to hold it under a banquette heat lamp during service and cut to order (like you used to see at every home town restaurant in the 90's) So my questions are, 1, is it safe? I realize that the SV and the oven should be safe, but then it sits out , although under a heat lamp, lets face it, they aren't great. Still if it sits from 5 to 9 and is gone by 9 then its okay to be in the danger zone since it will be gone in 4 hours anyways (assuming we sell out or throw out left overs. 2, what would my expected yield be after SV. I read you have a loss of approx. 20% when roasting, less if its bone-in, so SV w/ bones what are your opinions? And lastly, what are peoples opinions about the flavor profile of SV beef on the bone. 

 

Other info to consider, i will be using a very fresh, very local beef that is grass fed up to 600# and finished on brewers grains. The meat has a very rich flavor, not overly irony, but still much more "meaty, beefy" flavor than the crap at the super markets. 

Anyways, I would like to get this thing rolling next week, so any helpful tips, tricks or advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Edited June 4, 2016 by Smithy
Added tag (log)

[weedy]

I'd do the sous vide part at a lower temp...130-132ish,

especially as you're following with a high temperature roasting.

[btbyrd]

Bones don't matter with respect to flavor on a roast. As far as heat lamps are concerned, there's no difference in safety between SV beef that's been finished in the oven and conventionally roasted beef. If anything, the SV beef would be marginally safer because it will have been pasteurized during the cook step.

 

[Adamsm83]

8 hours ago, weedy said:

I'd do the sous vide part at a lower temp...130-132ish,

especially as you're following with a high temperature roasting.

How long would you SV it for at that temp?

[gfweb]

1 hour ago, btbyrd said:

Bones don't matter with respect to flavor on a roast. As far as heat lamps are concerned, there's no difference in safety between SV beef that's been finished in the oven and conventionally roasted beef. If anything, the SV beef would be marginally safer because it will have been pasteurized during the cook step.

 

 

And why should bones matter?  Just passed-down nonsense without a speck of sense or truth.

[daveb]

I do banquet/carving station tenderloins at a charity event every year.   Bath at 131F for 3 hours for Tloin.  (1 hr/inch)  I would do, have done, prime rib 5-6 hours.  I would not have bones attached for SV, any value they add would be negligible.  Be careful on sear to not overcook the inside.  If stored in hot box, ensure the box temp is 130 or  less to not overcook the inside.  (I won't tell).

 

A small number of your guests will probably ask for slices that are "more done".  Easiest way to accomadate is to divide your 10# into a 5# bag, and two 2 1/2 # bags.  At the end of the bath bump it up to 135ish and leave one of the 2 1/2# bags in for another hour.  Sear everyone at once. 

 

Pic of inside of tenderloin, 3 hours @ 131F.

 

Edited May 24, 2016 by daveb
Stupid smart phone. (log)

[paulraphael]

The only issue with cooking prime rib s.v. is the size. The process suits itself better to rib steaks. If you try to s.v. a large roast, by the time the center reaches final temperature, the meat on the outsides will have been cooking long enough to lose moisture and to get mushy. For a cut this tender, you generally want to cook until done and hold for as little time as possible (or until pasteurized). I think 10 hours is way too long for optimum texture. This cut doesn't want to be sv'd for much longer than 2 or 3 hours.

 

What size cut are you talking about? Is there a possibility of cutting it down to more steak-sized portions (under 2")?

 

If it has to stay whole, I'd be inclined to roast. You can't get the perfection of s.v., but doing in two stages ... long and low, followed by browning at 500 or 550, you can come quite close.

[Adamsm83]

Well, I could cut it in to thirds I suppose, but at that point I might as well just roast it. Besides, once you cut it in to thirds and then roast to sear the outsides, you'll have 6 end pieces instead of 2. I guess if I want to do Prime Rib, then I need to stick to tradition.

[rotuts]

nothing wrong with individual PrimeRib 'steaks'v SV

 

there is a lot to say for this as they can be done in advance, and that delicious cap meat  ( hopefully a nice thick slab on each 'steak' ) does not get over cooked.

 

I love Rare Cap.  Id even buy just Cap Flap meat if I could.

[Anna N]

14 minutes ago, rotuts said:

nothing wrong with individual PrimeRib 'steaks'v SV

 

there is a lot to say for this as they can be done in advance, and that delicious cap meat  ( hopefully a nice thick slab on each 'steak' ) does not get over cooked.

 

I love Rare Cap.  Id even buy just Cap Flap meat if I could.

I think the problem is that the OP wants to serve sliced prime rib  and I totally agree with you there is nothing wrong with prime rib steaks I don't think they meet the requirements here.