Beef Prime Rib

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With the holidays upon us I have begun thinking of rich, but comforting recipes as well as special wines that I may not enjoy every day, to add to my party planning menus.  While we will not be entertaining at home this Christmas, if we were, I would be serving this Beef Prime Rib recipe alongside a rich and indulgent Cabernet.  To me a Cabernet says special and is meant for evenings that mean a little more.

The wine I would serve this holiday season would be the Francis Ford Coppola Diamond Collection Cabernet.  The complexity of this mature wine is the perfect companion with the richness of beef prime rib and the sides that go along with the menu.  This bottle of wine is rich in flavors of ripe, jammy fruits such as plums and very ripe cherries, and the tannins are smooth and silky, which made me want to linger over a glass of the wine while enjoying dinner.  I liked that there was not a heavy oak base which some cabs tend to have.  Instead, it is very soft and pleasant on the palate.

The first bottle we sampled, we immediately tasted and enjoyed while deciding what to serve with it.  The next bottle we opened and let sit for 30 minutes before enjoying, and this is when it really mellowed and became velvety smooth.  We knew we wanted to enjoy it with roasted meat and rich sides dishes.

While beef prime rib may be intimidating to make, I know it was for me the first time I tried my hand at it, do not let be afraid as it is fairly simple.  It can mostly be left unattended while you prepare all the wonderful sides to share alongside the meal.  Ideal for a large dinner party.

For a special meal such as Christmas, I splurge on the best cut of beef prime rib, also referred to as standing rib roast, that is available to me.  Prime is the best USDA grade of beef and it has the most marbling in the meat which creates all that great flavor.  Most supermarkets only sell Choice cuts, as Prime can be pricey, but for a special occasion it is a wonderful addition to the menu and worth the splurge.  The quality of Choice will still be good but may be a bit fatty, and you will need to trim the excess fat before roasting.  I prefer a bone-in cut as I find them more flavorful, and I like the meat to be tied, which a butcher can do for you.  This tends to hold the meat and the juices together while cooking.

The higher quality the meat, and preferable grass-feed, the fewer seasonings are needed.  I use Maldon salt as the flakes are more delicate and the flavor is very clean when seasoning prime rib,  as well I use freshly ground black peppercorns.  After generously seasoning I roast the prime rib at a high heat to lock in the juices, then I continue roasting at a low heat until rare (125 on a meat thermometer).  Definitely use a meat thermometer when cooking the prime rib, as well do not go over, dare I say, 150.  This cut of meat should be enjoyed rare or medium rare.  After the temperature reaches 125, I remove from the oven, cover with foil and let rest before slicing the meat and serving.

Definitely a “wow factor” recipe that will impress your friends and family.

Happy Holidays!

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Recipe:  Beef Prime Rib

Ingredients:

5 lbs Beef prime rib with bone in
kosher salt
fresh cracked black pepper

How To:

Take the meat out of the refrigerator at least 1 hour before roasting. I do prefer to take it out 2 hours before. Doing this will bring the meat to room temperature, therefore the cooking time will be less than if it was cold. Otherwise the meat will be well cooked on the outside and raw on the inside.

Season generously the prime rib with salt and pepper as soon as you take it out of the refridgerator. 

Preheat the oven to 450.

Place the prime rib bone side down on the rack in a roasting pan.

Roast for 15 minutes.
Lower the heat to 350 and continue roasting until the internal temperature of the meat is 125.

I begin testing after 45 minutes in the oven. I usually takes up to an hour.

Remove from the oven, cover with foil and let sit for 10 minutes to rest.

Slice into serving sized pieces.

Serve.

Eat.

**disclaimer:  This post is brought to you in collaboration with Francis Ford Coppola Winery, for which we are being compensated for the work done with them.  All content, photos and opinions are of our own, and were not influenced by other parties.  Thank you for supporting sponsors that allow us to create new and exciting content like this for Chez Us.