People my age love Prime Rib. The main reason is, of course, that it is a delicious and satisfying dish especially when paired with a dry red wine and potatoes. A second reason, I think is because folks born around the time that I was grew up during what I call “The Golden Age of Pompous Dining” in America. It spanned from the early 1960s through the end of the ‘70’s and it was a heady and wonderful, if not, slightly bizarre time for both the restaurant business and the customers they served. Prime Rib, more than most other dishes served as the gateway drug to the exotic culinary delights that were newly emerging. I’m working on an essay that discusses it for my next Chef Hacker Kitchen newsletter. Sign up now so you don’t miss it!
But back to the ribs……
Today people seem to love serving prime rib to dinner guests especially around the holidays but I have found that many are a bit intimidated by the thought of preparing it. This is understandable as cooking beef is not as forgiving as cooking other large roasts like turkey or ham. Still with a little planning and with the application of a few techniques, most home cooks can get great results.
There are many ways to cook ribs and they mostly work well. One of the oldest ways that I have used is what I refer to as, “The Warm / Sear / Roast / Rest Method”. It outlines 4 simple steps that will always produce a great meal. This is what is detailed in the images and video below. We even added the steps needed to produce a darn tasty Jus Lei’ so that your guests can enjoy Prime Ribs Of Beef Au Jus. I and my fellow participants in the Golden Age Of Pompous Dinning will certainly be impressed!
If you are thinking that the Warm/Sear/Roast/Rest Method is not for you then you may want to consider the Closed Oven Door Method. It is even simpler to use and it is very popular in professional kitchens.
If you make this, or any version of Prime Ribs Of Beef please let us know how it turns out and don’t be afraid to send us a few pictures!
Prime Rib Au Jus
Ingredients
- 1 Each Prime Rib (2 lbs or larger)
- 1 Cup Onion Trimming
- 2 Cups Beef Stock Or Broth
- 1 Tbsp Dry Red Wine
- 1 Tbsp Tomato Ketchup
- 1 Tbsp Corn Starch
- 2-3 Tbsp Salt
- Ground Black Pepper To Taste
Instructions
Mis En Place
- Two to 24 hours prior to cooking, cover the top of the roast with salt and return to refrigerator. Salt will remove excess moisture and ensure a crisp crust.
- Prior to cooking allow roast to come to room temperature. It takes about 15 minutes per pound.
Preparation – The Roast
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Season roast with salt and pepper and place in a low sided roasting pan atop of a bed of the sliced onion.
- Sear roast by placing it in the 450 degree oven for 15 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 325 degrees and roast ribs. Cooking time in minutes will be equal to the weight of the roast times 15. So a 2 pound roast would need 30 minutes of roasting. A 4 pound roast would need 1 hour. Use a meat thermometer and remove roast when internal temp reaches 112 to 120 degrees for rare to medium rare.
- Allow roast to rest on counter for 30 minutes while Jus Lei’ is prepared. Roast temperature will rise while resting.
Preparation – The Jus Lei
- Mix together one tablespoon of the stock with the red wine and ketchup and then mix in the cornstarch.
- Use beef stock to deglaze the font in the bottom of the roasting pan and taste and adjust salt & pepper as needed.
- Add the cornstarch mixture to the stock and deglazed font mixture & bring to a boil. Jus Lei’ is a light sauce but if you prefer a thicker version add additional cornstarch that has been dissolved in water. Strain the Jus Lei’ into a sauce pan and keep warm over low heat.
- Slice prime rib and serve with a small amount of Jus Lei’.
Billy, I like your choice of a rib cut from the center of the rib. I used to work in my Dad’s butcher shop so I know my around beef. A full-rack rib roast is 7 ribs or bones. The so-called small end of the rib is largely the center piece of the meat, which is the same muscle as what you find in a NY strip steak. It has a wonderful texture. As you move toward the larger end of the rack you get more of the cap meat, which wraps around the center. The cap meat has a distinct flavor all its own. The so-called large end of the rib has much more cap meat and less of the center. The perfect balance between the two end would be found in the 3rd through 5th bones of the rack. Ask your butcher for that cut for the best prime rib.
Thanks for the tip Ken! My training at the CIA way back during “The Golden Age of Pompous Dining” included only one 6 week class in meat cutting. We studied just about every cut from just every beast so, as you might imagine, we didn’t cover any single cut in much depth. Of course, since then, my education has continued on the consumption side as indicated by my ever increasing waist size! So I appreciate your participation and your perspective.
Awesome recipe!
Thanks! If you give it a try lets us know and send us a picture if you like.
Chef
I followed you recipe for prim rib and it was AWSOME!! my entire family enjoyed it, even my grand kids.
Great recipe, looking forward to following more of your delicious recipes!.
PANDA
Thanks for the feedback! I’m happy that you were able to serve a dish that your family enjoyed!