This Christmas I decided to cook a standing rib roast. With this being my first attempt, I spent a lot of time researching different recipes and cooking methods. Let’s say it was a stressful process because a rib roast is an expensive piece of meat.
I used the reverse sear method and it produced the perfect roast. Reverse-seared meat starts in a low oven and ends with a short cook time in a very high temperature. By searing at the end, you’ll get tender, perfectly cooked meat with a crisp, burnished crust every time. It worked for my rib roast and also the pork shoulder I cooked a few days after.
Ingredients
- 1 (3- to 4-bone) standing rib roast, preferably from the loin end, with the fat cap in place, 7 to 10 pounds. For this recipe, I used a 9 pound standing rib roast.
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Procedure
- Remove any plastic wrapping or butcher’s paper from the roast. Season well with salt and pepper, and let it rest, uncovered, on a rack set inside a half sheet pan in the refrigerator for at least overnight and up to four days.
- When you’re ready to roast, let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Set the roast on the lower middle rack in a cold oven and turn the oven to 250°F. Roast until the meat hits its target temperature, about 4.5 hours for a 4-bone roast to hit 135 (medium).
- When your roast hits the target temperature, move the roast from the oven and cover with foil. Let the roast rest for 30 minutes.
- At this time you can prepare a Yorkshire Pudding using the drippings from the pan. Alton Brown has an excellent Yorkshire pudding recipe.
- Raise the oven temperature to 500°F.
- After 30 minutes, return the roast to the rack, then return to the oven. Cook until the exterior of the roast is browned, about 15 minutes.
- Place the roast onto a cutting board, carve, and serve with Yorkshire pudding.
Other good reads (plus a video) on Standing Rib Roasts:
Alton Brown’s Standing Holiday Rib Roast
Serious Eats: The Food Lab’s Definitive Guide to Prime Rib
Serious Eats: Prime Rib Roast
Serious Eats: The Reverse Sear is the Best Way to Cook a Steak, Period.
Fine Cooking: 5 Ways to Make Your Holiday Prime Rib Even Better
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