Prime Time!

I really don’t like turkey. I think that most turkeys that are cooked for Thanksgiving are butchered the first time at the slaughter house, and then they are butchered again on Thanksgiving in the kitchen, and that is not counting the actual carving of the turkey at the table.

I have been married for 15 years, and I know that I have made 3 turkeys that have been perfect. The white meat was juicy and not dry, and the dark meat was still juicy, it was flavorful and tasted like seasoning as well as turkey and it was cooked thru. Every year that I was successful I had brined my turkey. It is time consuming and then there are the leftovers. If you don’t like turkey, then leftovers really aren’t all that fun to be creative with.

Last year I forwent the turkey, which I understand is sacrilege to some. But if you recall my post from yesterday, if it doesn’t make the list of favorites, then it doesn’t have to be made just because it is traditional. Make new traditions! Last year we did a country ham, and this year I am doing prime rib. I made my first prime rib last year at Christmas and my husband is still talking about it, so I thought it was time to go there again. And the best part - leftovers, if there are any, are eagerly awaited.

I strongly advise that if you are intending on roasting any meat, including turkey and prime rib, that you invest in a digital thermometer that can be left in your meat that you can program for the internal temperature that you are looking for.  If you have a thermometer that is circular that has general reads of rare, done, well done, you are going to be sorely disappointed with your finished product. If you have a thermometer that is not oven safe, then you will have to keep poking at your meat, putting more holes in it letting all the good juices run out. If you buy it at a specialty cooking store this gadget will run you upwards of $60.00 but if you go to a restaurant supply store, you can get it for around $25.00. That’s a deal!

Prime Rib (serves 10) (Printable Recipe)

1 – 10 pound prime rib roast (bone-in if preferred)

Kosher salt 2-3 tablespoons

Fresh ground black pepper 1-1.5 tablespoons

Garlic powder 1 teaspoon

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 sprigs rosemary

4 sprigs thyme

3 cups red wine

6 cups beef broth

4 tablespoons softened butter

1 tablespoon corn starch

Take the roast out of the refrigerator and let it sit for 3-4 hours to come to room temperature. A cold roast will not heat through evenly.

Mix the salt pepper, garlic, and olive oil together to make a wet rub and liberally rub the roast, use all the rub.  It may be more than you think is needed but you are not just seasoning the outside, you’re seasoning the inside as well. Put the roast in a roasting pan on a rack. Place ¼ cup water, the rosemary and ½ the thyme in the pan so that the drippings will fall on the bottom without burning.

Position your thermometer into the center of the roast and set the timer to alert you when the roast reaches an internal temperature of 135^oF for medium rare, 140^oF for medium, 145^oF for medium well and 150^oF for well. You really should only cook it to medium rare or medium at the most, but if you are afraid of color, then go ahead and push it up to the higher temps. Depending on the wellness it should take 2-3 hours to roast.

When your thermometer reaches the set temperature, remove the roast from the oven put it on a warmed serving dish and immediately cover it with foil.  The roast will then continue cooking until it gets anywhere form 5-10 cooking until it gets anywhere from 5^o to 10^o higher and then it will come down to well rested.  Do not touch the roast for at least 15 minutes.

In the meantime, pour the pan juices into a sauce pan with the beef broth, wine and the rest of the thyme and simmer until reduced by half then season with salt and pepper if needed. Mix the butter with the cornstarch until completely incorporated. Then stir in the butter to the sauce to thicken. Slice the roast and serve topped with the sauce.