Merv's Holiday Prime Rib
A couple times throughout the year, I ask Helen to step aside and let me take over the kitchen. It ususally happens around the holidays, because that's when I have a hankerin' for Prime Rib. What I'm about to show you is a simple, mouthwatering recipe that is so easy you'll have plenty of time to relax and maybe even crack open a PBR.
This thing almost cooks itself! We like ours on the rare side, but you can adjust cooking time to taste.
Now keep in mind, there's a lot of fat on a Prime Rib roast. And that's by design. It's basically a collection of ribeye steaks all stitched back together. And we all know fat plays an important part in making ribeyes so tender! So if you're not not a lover of such meats and you don't care for your meat on the pink side, I really don't think Prime Rib is the meat for you.
So go on now. Git! Go enjoy your shoe leather.
For the rest of you, here's what I did this year in order to achieve the most delicious Prime Rib I've ever made:
INGREDIENTS:
-PRIME RIB ROAST with bones sliced off by the butcher, and then re-attached with string.
(Size is up to you. Remember a 6 lb roast cooks down to about 4.25 lbs)
I DO NOT CUT OFF THE FAT. I know this sounds gross, but you really need that fat to cook properly.
-COARSE KOSHER SALT (particle size matters, so don't use regular table salt)
-PEPPER TO TASTE (Fresh ground is best, but not mandatory)
-2 BUNCHES OF ROSEMARY
-A BUNDLE OF TIME
-4 WHOLE BULBS OF GARLIC
-3 BAY LEAVES
-2 LEMONS
-OLIVE OIL
-1 TBSP MUSTARD
EASY PREP - 2 DAYS PRIOR
48 Hours ahead of time, I dab my meat until it's good & dry, then I season it with generous amounts of COARSE KOSHER SALT and PEPPER to taste. It's really hard to over-salt these things so I am not shy. As an example, I used 3 tablespoons of coarse salt to cover my 6 lb roast. Then I hit it with a flurry of pepper.
Finally, I put it in the fridge, uncovered, for 48 hours. Or 2 days, whichever comes first.
PRO-TIP: BEFORE YOU THROW AWAY THE PACKAGING. WRITE DOWN THE EXACT WEIGHT OF
YOUR ROAST. YOU'LL NEED IT LATER.
ROASTING DAY
-Pull the roast out of the fridge 3 hours head of time so it can warm up to room temperature.
-In the bottom of a roasting pan, I arrange my herbs and seasoning: A bed of THYME, 3 -4 sprigs of ROSEMARY, 3 bulbs of GARLIC (cut in half), LEMON PEEL slices from one of the lemons, 3 BAY LEAVES.
Also, adding about an inch of water will help prevent the herbs from burning.
-After 3 hours or so, when the Roast and the Water have reached room temperature, I popped it into an oven at 450º F degrees and let it cook for 30 minutes to jump start the crisping of the fat.
While the roast is crisping, I use the remaining ingredients to prepare my special Mervlicious Mixture:
SPECIAL MERV-LICIOUS MIXTURE
Mix together the following:
2 sprigs of ROSEMARY, finally chopped.
3 huge gloves of GARLIC, finally chopped. (not bulbs, just cloves).
1 heaping tablespoon of MUSTARD (don't worry, it won't taste mustardy when it's done cooking)
4 tablespoons OLIVE OIL
FINAL OVEN PHASE
I remove the roast when it's done with its first 30 minutes of cooking and it's already got a nice crispy covering on the outside. Next, I reduce the oven temperature to 325º, and while the
oven is cooling down, I paint my meat with the special MERV-LICIOUS MIXTURE. Plus, I insert my temperature probes.
I return the Prime Rib to the oven at cook for approximately 11 minutes per pound at 325º F , or until the internal temperature reaches 120º - 125º. Monitoring the internal temp in some way is critical.
FOIL TENT
After correct internal temperature has been reached while inside the oven, the final cooking of the roast takes place OUTSIDE the oven. Many people forget this important fact, and then wonder why their roast is dried out.
But not me, so I cover my beauty with an aluminum foil tent for about 30 minutes. During this time, the internal temperature will rise to 130º - 135º. Then, she's ready to slice!
To make it look like a real fancy-pants meal, I display it on a bed of kale and add some color & zesty flavor with my famous Chimichurri.
A SPECIAL TOUCH - MERV'S CHIMICHURRI
Simply mix together the following ingredients and spread artistically on your prime rib. It's also great on ham. Adds a refreshing, mouthwatering zest!
1 CUP FINELY DICED PARSLEY
ZEST FROM 1 LEMON
4 CLOVES DICED GARLIC
1/3 CUP OLIVE OIL
1 TSP SALT (add more, based on taste)
1 TABLESPOON diced green onion
