Roast Beef

Prime Rib Roast of Beef has always been a huge challenge for me. It is so easy to overcook, we like it in between rare to medium rare. The process became slightly easier when my son appeared with a thermometer that could stay inside the oven measuring the temperature of the meat, the  reader was attached to a wire outside the oven so we didn't have to open the oven door. We would take the meat out when it read 105 - 110 degrees F.  While the meat rested on the counter, it would continue to cook.  But the uncertainty was stressful.
This year we had a large crowd and we needed a whole standing rib roast. It was 21 lbs. I bought it at Nichols Supermarket in Liverpool, I love their meat department. They slapped on a little label that said Nichols Prime Rib Roast Secret Roasting Method.
Since I could barely lift it, someone from Nichols offered to help carry it to the car. He mentioned that he had tried the secret roasting method the week before and the meat had been delicious, lovely and tender and moist, but would it work on such a huge roast? The label said it works with any size roast.
Uncertainty, family discussions, nobody thought it would work.
In the end, I took a leap of faith and tried this method and it was the best roast beef I've ever made! So easy this way..................

Nichols Prime Rib Roast Secret Roasting Method

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees F.
Salt and pepper roast (I did not salt)
Place roast in an open and shallow
pan in preheated oven for
EXACTLY ONE HOUR

After one hour, turn off oven
DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR
FOR ANY REASON!
After 2 hours, turn the oven back
to 300 degrees F. to allow the roast to
finish cooking.
45 minutes for rare
50 minutes for medium
Take out of oven and let rest for 30 minutes.

Serve with Yorkshire Pudding
(recipe posted on January 4, 2012)

When buying prime rib,
have the butcher cut off the chine bones from the bottom of the roast and the rib bones from the meat just along the bone line but do not discard them. Have the butcher place them back on the bottom of the roast and tie them in one piece with string wrapped around the roast. This makes it easier for carving. Just before carving, remove the chine and rib bones, there is a nice lot of meat attached to the bones that is delicious, also good for shepherds pie. I use the chine and rib bones to make a nice beef stock.

Gravy for a Prime Rib Roast

After the rib roast is done roasting and has rested, remove from roasting pan and place in a large silver foil dish if not carving right away.
If there is a lot of excess fat, skim and discard.
Place the roasting pan over two burners on the stove, using a heavy spoon scrape all the dark dripping and any crunchy bits from the sides and bottom of pan. (always make the gravy in the same pan you roasted the meat in) These bits on the bottom give the gravy a nice dark color and a rich taste.
For every 2 cups of gravy, use 3 tablespoons liquid fat (the best are the drippings left in the bottom of the pan)
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups of liquid - this could be a combination of red wine, beef broth/homemade beef stock, vegetable broth or and water. I would say 1/2 cup red wine and 1 1/2 cups beef broth or homemade beef stock is best.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour and 2 cups liquid first before adding to the pan.
The flour can lump up quickly if added to the hot drippings.
Once combined, gently pour in the flour and liquid, stirring all the time over medium heat. Keep stirring until it starts to thicken. If it’s too thick, add additional liquid until you have the consistency you desire. Taste.


Homemade Beef Stock



Ingredients

Chine and rib bones left after the prime rib is done.
12 cups water
1 onion quartered (skin left on)
3 carrots, skin left on chopped into 3 sections
4 celery stalks cut in half
8 peppercorns
fennel bulb cut in half
4 sprigs parsley

Directions

Place the bones in a large pan, cover with 12 cups water and bring very gently to a simmer, do not boil, skim any foam off top. Add all the other ingredients and simmer with the lid not completed on to allow some steam to escape, simmer very gently for 5 hours.
Leave in fridge overnight and next day remove any fat that may have congealed on top of the liquid. Strain the liquid.
Put into sandwich bags, measuring 2 cups in each and freeze what you are not using right away. This way you can use what you need and know how much is there. I once made the mistake of putting the lot in a large bag to freeze, thank you Jason for a great idea!