Men's Journal

au jus

Full of flavor and juice, prime rib deserves another look.

by Daniel Duane

Here’s a question every meat-loving man should ask himself: Do I know what prime rib is? We’re not talking about the trend-spotter answer, which is that it’s the old-fashioned slab of beef that’s now showing up everywhere from high-end meat shops like Lobel’s, in New York, to hip restaurants, like San Francisco’s Universal Cafe. Even the steakhouse trend toward monster cuts for two or three is a move back to prime rib. The real answer is that prime rib is the ne plus ultra of hardcore beef cookery. To be precise, butchers cut cows into nine parts that later get sliced into retail cuts. The prime rib is the big part of the rib cage (cut away the ribs, trim off the fat, and you’ve got rib-eyes). Roasting prime rib whole makes use of that “fat cap,” forcing moisture inward; ditto for the bones, which lend flavor and protect the meat from the oven’s drying effect. “There’s such moisture during cooking that the flavor is amazing,” says Robert Moore, executive chef at Prime Steakhouse in Las Vegas. But the proper venue for standing rib roast is your home: This staggering hunk of heat-seared animal is perfect for a bunch of friends, a few bottles of red wine, and a very long night.

The Basics
Choose a roast with anywhere from three to five rib bones and a total weight of up to 12 pounds. When it comes to seasonings, use freshly ground whole peppercorns and kosher salt, which is preferred for its coarse texture.

Essential Gear
A digital probe thermometer will let you monitor the meat’s temperature from outside the oven. Pyrex makes a good one for $20.

Tip
For a rarer roast, set the thermometer to go off when the meat’s internal temperature hits 115 degrees.

Reminder
“Resting” the meat is critical. High heat drives moisture toward the middle of the roast, drying the exterior. Foil and time allow the meat’s juices to redistribute through the prime rib.

Ingredients

One standing rib roast of beef
Kosher salt
Cracked black pepper

Recipe

Step one: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Step two: Sprinkle the roast liberally with salt and cracked black pepper.
Step three: Set your thermometer to beep when the meat hits 119 degrees (for medium-rare).
Step four: Set the beef on a roasting pan, bones down and fat cap up. Place the pan in the oven.
Step five: After 15–20 minutes, reduce the oven’s heat to 350 degrees and cook another 8–9 minutes per pound of meat.
Step six: When the meat’s interior hits 119 degrees, remove it from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 30 minutes.
Step seven: You can either slice the roast between each bone or cut away the bones by sliding a knife perpendicularly between them and the meat.
Step eight: The roast will be cylindrical. To carve it, slice quarter-inch-thick circles off the end. Serve with an excellent sea salt.

Three sauces to serve with prime rib

Beef Jus
Roast 2 lb beef bones at 400 degrees with 2 tbsp oil for a half hour. Add a chopped onion, carrot, and celery stalk and cook for another half hour. Pour a cup of water into the pan to help scrape up the brown bits, then simmer with sprigs of thyme and rosemary for four hours, skimming occasionally. Remove the bones and vegetables, and boil the liquid until reduced by half. Add salt and pepper.

Creamed Fresh Horseradish
(adapted from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage Meat Book)
Peel 3.5 oz of fresh horseradish root, and grate it finely. Combine the horseradish with 2 tsp white wine vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, and a pinch of sugar; stir well. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of crème fraîche or sour cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Port Wine Reduction
Chop an onion, carrot, and celery stalk, and simmer with a bottle of port, 2 sprigs thyme, 1 sprig rosemary, 1 bay leaf, 1 halved head of unpeeled garlic, and 1 oz dried porcini mushrooms, until the wine has been reduced to 1/2 cup of syrupy glaze. Strain to remove the herbs and vegetables and add 1/2 cup beef jus. Add salt and pepper (plus 2 tbsp butter, for a richer sauce) to taste.

This article first appeared in the March 2009 issue of Men’s Journal.

Print this article