Prime Rib Roast

[Marlene]

I'm not Dave, but heck I'll take a stab at this. If you know how to cut meat, then by all means, separate the bone and tie it back on. It certainly makes for easier carving when it's done. Otherwise, leave it alone and slice the bone off after the roast has rested.

You should also definately bring the meat to room temp before sticking in the oven. I've never actually let a roast dry in the fridge overnight, but why not? You could rub it with some kosher salt too at that point.

You're going to love convection roasting. I promise. and I've always liked Costco's meats so you should have a nice roast there.

One more thing. If you've got a 7 lb roast, there is no need to do the high heat thing first, although some say it gives a better malliard reaction. With convection, and a roast that big, you're going to get a beautiful crust at a steady 300 degree convection anyway.

Edited December 23, 2006 by Marlene (log)

[toni]

You are so nice to help by giving your advice, Marlene. Thank you, and I will follow that advice. I think I will let my husband carve the meat from the bone after it cooks. Sounds too daunting for a novice beforehand. Thanks again.

[HKDave]

One more:  Do you believe in cutting the meat from the bone and then setting roast back on the bone and tying?  Because I got a 7 pound prime rib from Costco for $76.00, I couldn't ask for a butcher to cut it.  It is a beautiful piece of meat...versus over $170.00 at another meat store.

I am going to try your idea of letting roast dry in refrigerator...maybe about overnight like I do the turkey?  Do you let it set out of the refrig. to come to more of a room temp. before putting in oven?

I am very excited to make a prime rib in the convection oven, and I thank you for your input.  Toni

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I prefer to cook on the bone and carve after, especially if I'm presenting the whole roast; it looks so good on the bone. It's not hard to carve the bones off after cooking; just use a long knife, smooth strokes, and follow the inside curve of the ribs. Don't forget to retrieve the intercostal meat from between the ribs. It's very good.

The roast surface will dry in a few hours in the fridge. Overnight won't hurt. I'm not sure about the scientific basis for doing this for a big roast, but I like to do it. It certainly does help if you're pan-searing (less water near the surface = less splatter and better sear) and it's also a good thing to do if you're using vacuum-bagged meat (to get rid of the funky smell from the anaerobic bacteria in the bag).

At home I let the roast sit out for an hour or so before it goes in the oven. In restaurants this isn't usually allowed and there's no space, so they usually go straight in the oven from the fridge.

I suspect Marlene may be right about there being little benefit to oven-searing on a big roast, but my feeling is that it doesn't hurt. If nothing else, it helps the oven maintain temperature at the start when the big cold roast slides in.

[toni]

Thank you, again, so much! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

[Marlene]

I suspect Marlene may be right about there being little benefit to oven-searing on a big roast, but my feeling is that it doesn't hurt. If nothing else, it helps the oven maintain temperature at the start when the big cold roast slides in.

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I have two large roasts to do this week, a 9 lb and a 13 lb. Maybe I'll oven sear one to see if there's any noticeable difference

[Allura]

EDIT: Crisis averted. One of her cookbooks says to pull at 120 *rolls eye*. I personally think it's times are too long for the 5lb roast she has, but I'm loaning her my thermometer so we'll know when to pull it. I don't know why she even asks my advice on things; she never listens to me anyway. The curse of being the daughter instead of the mother.

Help! My mother is making a "prime" rib tomorrow (choice, likely, but she was very insistent on getting first cut), and I'm trying to convince her to pull it at 120. She's insisting on 140!!!! Part of the problem is she's very much a time oriented cook; using a thermometer is new, and all of her cookbooks are old ones with the old overdone numbers in them. Can someone give me an approximate time per pound to cook it? The current plan is 450 for 15 min, turn it down to 350, and then...what? I'm leaning towards 15 minutes/pound, leaning more towards medium-rare than rare.

Oh, and the longest she'll leave it out on the counter is the length of time it takes for the oven to heat up. She went crazy trying to even find a decent rib roast yesterday; I want it to taste good!

Edited December 24, 2006 by Allura (log)

[ChefCrash]

Allura

You don't mention how big your mom's roast is.

As evident in all the posts on this thread (and others), depending on how long you want to tie up your oven, you can cook the roast at any temperature you choose, as long as you pull the roast out at around 120* to 130* internal temperature.

A probe thermometer is a must.

If the roast is a large one, compromise with your mother. Cook it in two pieces. One to 140*, the other to what ever you desire.

Merry Christmas.

[woodburner]

This morning I ordered a 5 bone in Rib Roast for cooking New Years Day, so I'll pick it up next Sunday. My local market is offering standard choice grade and Certified Angus for about $1.00 more per pound . I opted for the CAB but have yet to notice any appreciable difference between either one.

I have a conventional oven and plan on cooking it low temperature method. Probably 200ºf then sear at the end if needed.

woodburner

Edited December 24, 2006 by woodburner (log)

[alanamoana]

well, here's what i did with my first roast (sounds like a children's book..."my first roast"):

bought a roast last week at costco, no bones. i didn't want to deal with bones. there wasn't too much fat on the roast, but it looked decently marbled. it was labeled choice.

i opened it up, salted it well with kosher salt and put it in my fridge for about five days. i turned it every day and re-salted it after two days or so. i don't have a cooling rack, so i put it on a little sheet pan on paper towels and changed the towels every day.

today, i got it out of the fridge, trimmed off some of the really dry pieces and tied the roast then rubbed it with oil, salt and freshly ground pepper.

i followed alton brown's method for roasting:

1) 220*F (i think he recommends 200*, but i don't trust my oven) until internal temp is 119*

2) remove from oven, tent loosely in foil

3) heat oven to 500*F (i did 525*, again because i don't trust my oven, but i do have a pizza stone), wait for ten minutes after oven registers temperature and then put roast in oven for about ten minutes to get a crust

4) remove from oven and allow to rest

while the roast was resting and the oven was hot, i put my prepped potatoes in to roast

when potatoes were done cooking, i sliced into the roast...it was beautiful. i would say it could have gone a little less...maybe 117* internal before the blast as i'm sure the temp rose during the first rest. it was a perfect medium-rare throughout with a nice crust on the outside. i'd have to do a side-by-side with a non-dry-aged roast to see if it made a difference, but it was really tasty and extremely tender. i don't own steak knives and didn't need them to eat this. barely needed a knife at all.

it was pretty funny, because i've never really dry aged anything before. i realize this is hardly dry aging (in the fridge) but i've read bryanz's posts about it and thought i'd give it a try. right before roasting after looking up alton brown's method in his book, he recommends the exact method that i used...

at any rate, i think any combination of long-low-n-slow with blast heat involved somewhere is perfect as long as you monitor the internal temperature of the roast. i've certainly learned a thing or two from this post! thanks for a great meal everyone.

Edited December 25, 2006 by alanamoana (log)

[budrichard]

Didn't the salting draw out the water from the roast?

BTW for a chuckle, read this article http://www.insidebayarea.com/bayarealiving/ci_4871601

I'd venture a guess that sooner or later his home will explode and that his meat thermometer is FUBAR among other things.

From USDA http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/larc/Polici...ok_082005_3.pdf

Definition of 'Prime Rib'...."These products do not have to be derived from USDA prime grade beef" so legally it appears that a 'Prime Rib Roast' does not have to be USDA Prime! -Dick

Edited December 25, 2006 by budrichard (log)

[woodburner]

Good Article Dick, thanks for sharing.

I'm wondering now, what makes 200ºF cooking medium temperature a magic number?

I suspect it's probably the universal lowest temperature setting on most residential ovens. If that scenario is true, if one were to have the ability to go lower, would there be any benefit?

woodburner

[alanamoana]

Didn't the salting draw out the water from the roast?

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not noticeably. i just thought it would sort of seal the surface...no real scientific background or anything, just messing around. the crust on the roast was very tasty!

[Ling]

I just read through the entire 4 pages...lots of good info here.

I pre-salted and dry-rubbed a 18 pounder overnight in the fridge, and plan on doing the low heat cooking + high temp sear at the end, only because I've always done it the other way around (high temp sear first) and want to see if I prefer one method over the other.

Some of the diners tonight (like my mom) want their meat medium, while others prefer it rare. Does pulling it at 120 degrees still sound good? (It's a pretty big roast--should I let it cook to 110 instead, with the thought that the ends would be medium?)

How long will it take for it to cook to 110=120 degrees? (I'm cooking it at 200 degrees. It's 9:40 a.m. here and I'd like dinner to be served around 7pm.)

Does a 45 minute resting time sound about right? (I usually let it rest for 1/2 hr. for a 12-14 pounder.)

Thanks!

Edited December 25, 2006 by Ling (log)

[Ann_T]

Ling, I always do the high heat method and I'm always happy with the way my beef turns out. But I thought I would try the low heat on a 4 pound Ribeye roast that I'm cooking tomorrow. I just want to see if there is any noticeable difference in the two methods. I pre-salted it yesterday.

I was thinking of browning it first and then roasting it at 200°F. I'm assuming that the roast still has to rest when it comes out of the oven for 20 minutes or so, so I thought I would take it out of the oven around 110 to 115.

Can someone please advise approximately how long it will take a 4 pounder to reach 115°F? Thanks.

Ann

[hjshorter]

We did a 4 rib, 8 pounder yesterday. Salt and pepper, then chucked it in a 500F convection for 20 minutes, then turned down to 300 and roasted to 120 degrees inside. Rested for 30 minutes. Medium on the very edges, shading to medium rare with one very rare slice in the center for my brother. Something for everyone. And excellent drippings for yorkshire pudding.

Edited December 25, 2006 by hjshorter (log)

[Pontormo]

I made a smaller roast last year using Bittman's advice (high heat to sear, then turn temperature down, though not as low as recommended in this thread).

In reading the beginning of this thread I noticed a post, that to paraphrase, went something like this:

"It's not rocket science. Jacques Pepin and other chefs have succeeded for years by...."

Ling's question is answered in final words: rest for at least an hour.

Now, back to making tortellini. Happy Christmas, and re Ann and her roast, Boxing Day/Feast of Stephen.

[alanamoana]

Some of the diners tonight (like my mom) want their meat medium, while others prefer it rare. Does pulling it at 120 degrees still sound good? (It's a pretty big roast--should I let it cook to 110 instead, with the thought that the ends would be medium?)

How long will it take for it to cook to 110=120 degrees? (I'm cooking it at 200 degrees. It's 9:40 a.m. here and I'd like dinner to be served around 7pm.)

Does a 45 minute resting time sound about right? (I usually let it rest for 1/2 hr. for a 12-14 pounder.)

Thanks!

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ling, since we know that you prefer your meat "blue" ....actually, i don't think the ends will be medium pulling it at 110, it'll still be med-rare to rare. my ends were still medium rare at 119*...and after blasting in 500*+ for ten minutes.

i know i didn't rest long enough, but 45-60 minutes sounds good. i probably only rested for 20-30 minutes

I was thinking of browning it first and then roasting it at 200°F.  I'm assuming that the roast still has to rest when it comes out of the oven for 20 minutes or so, so I thought I would take it out of the oven around 110 to 115. 

Can someone please advise approximately how long it will take a 4 pounder to reach 115°F?  Thanks.

Ann

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Ann, the searing seems to be a wasted step (please see my post on alton brown's method). the final blast at 500*+ really gave a good crust. no need to dirty another pan/pot.

it took mine (closer to 5 pounds, but i didn't weigh and i threw away the wrapper right after buying) about three hours to get to 118* roasting in a 220* oven.

[Ann_T]

Ann, the searing seems to be a wasted step (please see my post on alton brown's method).  the final blast at 500*+ really gave a good crust.  no need to dirty another pan/pot.

it took mine (closer to 5 pounds, but i didn't weigh and i threw away the wrapper right after buying) about three hours to get to 118* roasting in a 220* oven.

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Alana, my concern is if I roast it at 220° to 118°F and then jack the heat up to 500°F, then the internal temperature is going to go up, and by the time it rests for 20 or 30 minutes it will be up over 135°F. We like our beef on the rare to medium rare side so I usually like to keep the internal temperature below 130°F after it has rested.

The small standing rib roast that I cooked on high heat last week, went from 115° out of the oven to 129F after resting.

I guess my new question is, do I just roast to maybe 110° before upping the temperature to 500°F. so it doesn't go up over 130°F?

Ann

[Ling]

Thanks for your help, Alana. I'll take the roast out when it reaches 120 degrees. (If it's not blue, it won't matter too much, since the meat is so fatty. ) Merry Christmas!

[alanamoana]

Ann, the searing seems to be a wasted step (please see my post on alton brown's method).  the final blast at 500*+ really gave a good crust.  no need to dirty another pan/pot.

it took mine (closer to 5 pounds, but i didn't weigh and i threw away the wrapper right after buying) about three hours to get to 118* roasting in a 220* oven.

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Alana, my concern is if I roast it at 220° to 118°F and then jack the heat up to 500°F, then the internal temperature is going to go up, and by the time it rests for 20 or 30 minutes it will be up over 135°F. We like our beef on the rare to medium rare side so I usually like to keep the internal temperature below 130°F after it has rested.

The small standing rib roast that I cooked on high heat last week, went from 115° out of the oven to 129F after resting.

I guess my new question is, do I just roast to maybe 110° before upping the temperature to 500°F. so it doesn't go up over 130°F?

Ann

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ann, you actually take the roast out of the oven while you heat it up to 500*. so the roast has a bit of a rest and then you chuck it back in the oven for ten minutes to get the crust once the oven has heated up. then it rests again afterward. seemed to work okay.

[alanamoana]

oh, and i forgot to add my disclaimer:

it was my FIRST roast last night

it came out well, but it could have been beginners luck. take anything i've written with a bit of fleur de sel.

happy holidays everyone!

[BryanZ]

Tried the super low method of 200F. I thought it was fine and certainly yielded pretty results but the meat didn't seem as tender this time around. I think it was more to do with the quality of the meat than the method itself.

Just for reference, it was 4 lb. boneless rib roast, dry-aged in-house for five days, trimmed, then seasoned with S/P, garlic, and thyme. Roasted at 200 for a few hours until I hit 118. Rested for about an hour, if not more, while I was throwing together the rest of the meal. The temperature stablized at 129/30 for quite a while. This method seemed to result in less rendered fat for Yorkshire puddings, which I guess makes sense since there's less harsh heat to render out the fat on the outer layers of the rib eye. After the 500+F blase for about eight minutes I rested about another ten minutes more while I was getting everything on the table.

Again, the doneness was very even thanks to the low temp, gentle cooking process, but for some reason this roast wasn't as tender as I would have liked. The flavor was on though.

Edited December 25, 2006 by BryanZ (log)

[UnConundrum]

Quality of the meat is such a variable.... there seems to be a total lack of consistency. Dealing with the same butcher, I had 6 or 7 stupendous rib roasts in a row.... been making them for years, and then the last one, from the same butcher, made the same way was just trash. I had 10 people for dinner, and I was so embarrassed. Fortunately.... no idea why, but I had a 30# chuck roll smoking on the BGE, that saved the day. I think I put it on just to show them what it was like... not something I'd normally think of for a formal dinner..... but I was quite happy it was there.... No question we're at the mercy of the cow gods.

[Fat Guy]

The best rib roast I've had in the past few years was slowly spit-roasted using a gas rotisserie (flame behind not under the meat). If you like crust, I can't imagine a better method.

[Allura]

The end result for us was gorgeous. There was no way I was going to get Mom to even try a low heat method, nor would she sear on the stove (she uses a disposable pan for goodness sake). Anyway, it was 3 ribs, 5.5 pounds or so, 450 for 30 min, then 350 till it hit 120. We let it rest for 15 minutes (it could have gone longer, I think). The final cooking time was about 2 hours total. Cooked just right, and an excellent piece of meat, particularly since it came from plain ol' Acme.