Perfect Prime Rib

Ah yes- Prime rib, the king of all cuts, the envy of every holiday dinner, it's what you choose to have on the table for only the best occasions. At $10.99 a pound or higher, it's a little pricey for the average Sunday night dinner, but when on special it can be a real treat any time.

Here's the way to make perfect prime rib:

1. Choose the right cut.
Prime rib usually means that the meat is USDA Prime graded. It is the designation given to less than 2% of all American beef and is the most tender and flavorful of all of the grades. Prime is also very hard to find and is the most expensive. During Christmas and Thanksgiving you can usually find USDA prime rib roasts at Costco for around $11.99 a pound. Even if you can't splurge for Prime, Choice, the grade below prime, will work just fine and is usually available for $7-$10/ lb or cheaper on sale. I would not use USDA "Select" or a roast that is not graded- as it just doesn't have the quality you'll need.  Make sure that the beef is well marbled and has a thick "cap", (The outer top layer of the roast opposite the side of the bones). The cap will melt away and tenderize the meat during cooking.

2. Age it in the fridge
I love to buy a roast a couple of days before cooking, wrap it in cheesecloth and let it sit in the coldest part of the fridge, removing the cheesecloth and replacing every day. Although not necessary, the controlled aging will help to break down connective tissue and enhance the flavor of the meat. Check to see if your roast has been aged already as it won't need additional aging, but these days roasts purchased at most grocery stores are only aged for 7-14 days with most premium grocers like whole foods or Harmon's having a dry aging chamber with meat aged 28 days. Aging in your fridge needs to be done carefully because if it's not done right, it could produce harmful bacteria. Please check resources on the USDA site for proper meat handling.

3. Let it sit before cooking
Once you've purchased the meat, spray with Olive oil and let if sit on the counter and warm to room temperature until cooking later that afternoon. You might be thinking to yourself- Um but what about bacteria and e-coli?
E-coli is a surface contaminant and as long as the meat isn't pierced, any bacteria will remain on the surface and will be killed during cooking. Getting it to room temperature will ensure more even cooking and it will cook quicker.

4. Season
Seasoning the roast before cooking will combine with the melting "cap" and penetrate into the meat as well as form a yummy crust. For a quick dry rub try combining 2 tablespoons rosemary, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 2 tablespoons Paprika, 1/2 tablespoon crushed black pepper. Combine in and crush in a mortar and pestle. You could also try Chef Paul's blackened steak magic as it adds some fennel seed instead of rosemary for a really unique flavor.

Perfectly Seasoned Prime Rib Roast ready to go into the oven

5. Cook it slow and low
I like to cook the roast at 225F-250F for 50-55min per pound (The cooking time will decrease the closer the roast is to room temperature when you start). This slow cooking process creates even cooking where the meat will be cooked to the same done-ness from end to end. USE A MEAT THERMOMETER to ensure a correct temperature reading as cooking times vary by oven size, altitude and other factors. For a medium rare roast cook to between 125F-130F and remove from the oven to let stand- the exact temperature varies from thermometer to thermometer but I've found that removing from the oven at anything over 135F will result in a medium well roast. Keep in mind that the the roast will continue to cook an additional 5 degrees once removed from the oven. You'll notice very little fat and moisture in the bottom of the pan...that's because it all stayed in the meat! You can't get that from cooking at 350F!

6. Let it rest
Once the desired done-ness (minus 5 degrees) is reached, pull it out of the oven and cover loosely with foil wrap and a towel. Let it sit 30 minutes MINIMUM. An hour is better. This is a crucial part of the process. If you cut into the roast too soon, all of the juices will escape. Letting it sit lets the roast relax and the juices reabsorb back into the meat. This will be the tenderest juiciest cut of meat you'll ever have!

7. Carve and enjoy
Now it's time to carve and enjoy. Use a sharp knife to slice into desired size. Serve with aus jus or gravy, Yorkshire pudding, creamed spinach, horseradish and a big bold glass of wine like a zin or cabernet.

ENJOY!