Every year my husband and I ask each other: How should we cook the rib this year? The answer is always different. Sometimes it's as simple as, just like we did last year and other times it's a new method. It's always a mystery. Let me just say... If it has been suggested, I'm sure we have attempted it.
I got an email from The Food Lab's Definitive Guide to Prime Rib. I respect Mr. Kenji Lopez-Alt and though I have read his other prime rib post. This year he suggested the method that my husband used, which was opposite to the one before. It was a last minute decision and a good one. Thanks, Kenji!
Back in 2010 I posted what I thought was the perfect prime rib. And at the time I truly thought that was the best and only way to cook a no fail prime rib.
Four years later... I must take that back. Well, not totally back. The 2010 recipe is still delicious and has been a go-to method for years. However, I think Kono's 2014 Prime Rib was exceptional and because I already titled the 2010 rib as the Perfect Prime Rib I can't give it the same name. So, I decided to title it Kono's Exceptional Prime Rib!
The differences...
2010 - HIGH heat, then LOW
This method works well and gets a nice crust. The downside is that it releases a lot of moisture from the roast and has a mystery jump in temperature depending on the oven. 120 can climb to 160 really fast producing an over cooked roast. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr been there, done that!
2014 - LOW heat, then HIGH
This method allows the roast to start slow and gradually rise in temperature eliminating the fear of the rapid rise in temperature like the high, then low method brings. Another plus is that there were almost no drippings in the pan. Bad if you want to make au jus, but great for keeping all the juices in the roast.
Do you need to buy the most expensive roast to get a delicious prime rib?
In my opinion: NO.
What you do need to do, is be friendly with your local neighborhood butcher. Prime rib is expensive. So look for sales. I saw that Albertson's (our local big box grocer) had bone-in (always buy bone-in) prime rib on sale for $6.97# (ridiculous, right). Which means that they will be selling a lot of them. Which also means that there will be a diamond in the rough somewhere in those cases of ribs that they will cut and trim. That's when you personally ask the butcher... I need a 5 bone (or however many bones you want) prime rib. Can you look for one that has a nice fat cap and marbling?
They then write your request into their log book and when they are prepping the roast for the day, they look for that perfect roast for you (through all those cases) and call you when it shows up. Think ahead because you can buy your roast a week ahead of time. It will hold up well in your fridge and it will give your butcher a week to search out the prefect roast for you. Ours showed up a couple days after our request.
I wish I had thought to take a picture of the roast before we cooked it because it was a beauty. The cooked version doesn't show how well the whole roast was marbled (if you want to know what marbling looks like click here).
Cook your prime rib to your desired taste.
Very-RARE - 120 - 125 degrees
(120 is a bit too rare for me)
(120 is a bit too rare for me)
MEDUM - RARE - 130 - 135 degrees
(130 is perfect for my taste, pinkish red all the way through)
(130 is perfect for my taste, pinkish red all the way through)
MED-WELL - 140 degrees
(140 - I've never gone this far, so I can't say)
(140 - I've never gone this far, so I can't say)
New NOTE's: December 2019
This year I cooked a bone in (3 bones total) 7 pound roast to 130 degrees, before letting it rest. The temperature only climbed to 133 degrees as it rested. This roast was pinkish red all the way though and resembled what would be a med-rare plus in a restaurant (I was told that the plus meant, a little more cooked than med-rare) and it was perfect for my family's taste.
I'm jotting this note to remind myself that the temperature will not jump dramatically with this method of cooking. That means, whatever temperature you stop cooking your roast at, will be pretty close to the actual done-ness. However, the larger the roast the bigger the jump.
2014 - 14# roast, stopped cooking at 120 degrees and it climbed to 133 out of the oven.
2019 - 7# roast, stopped cooking at 130 degrees and it only climbed to 133 out of the oven.
There always seems to be more testing to do :) However, I can assure you that you will end up with an incredibly tender and juicy prime rib roast if cooked low and slow.
I'm jotting this note to remind myself that the temperature will not jump dramatically with this method of cooking. That means, whatever temperature you stop cooking your roast at, will be pretty close to the actual done-ness. However, the larger the roast the bigger the jump.
2014 - 14# roast, stopped cooking at 120 degrees and it climbed to 133 out of the oven.
2019 - 7# roast, stopped cooking at 130 degrees and it only climbed to 133 out of the oven.
There always seems to be more testing to do :) However, I can assure you that you will end up with an incredibly tender and juicy prime rib roast if cooked low and slow.
Kono's Exceptional Prime Rib
Generously (don't be shy) season with granulated garlic, kosher salt and black pepper. *** If time allows, season your roast the night before and leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight.
Place the thermometer in the roast - make sure the probe is not touching the bone.
Roast in a 200 degree oven until temp reaches 120 degrees or your desired temperature (see notes above). Our 14 pound bone-in roast took 5 1/2 hours to reach 120 degrees.
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| This is our Prime Rib at 120 degrees |
Our roast climbed to 133 degrees out of the oven.
15 minutes before you are ready to eat. Place the roast into a preheated 500 degree oven for 10 -15 min. or until it has a beautiful dark brown crust.
Then slice and eat! Ours was perfect!
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| The Prime Rib was so moist and tender!!! |
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