Perfect Holiday Prime Rib

An excellent basic recipe for perfect prime rib, every time! -Or-, try an easy variation on the standard Prime Rib with a rub of olive oil, chopped fresh thyme, minced garlic, and freshly grated lemon zest along with a generous dousing of salt and pepper. Gorgeous! Serve Perfect Prime Rib in the au jus style with just the pan drippings, along with the requisite creamed horseradish on the side, plus your favorite potato and veggie dishes. Great paired with my Alsatian Style Baked Potatoes and Cheese - Bibbelskase. Here's some helpful info..."Prime Rib 101": Serving holiday prime rib doesn't have to be a chore. It is actually easy, basically put it in the oven and forget about it. The most important step is searing the roast first on top of the stove. This keeps it pink, juicy and tender inside, and it looks more attractive. The perfect temperature for cooking a prime rib is 200 degrees F, although some recipes call for cooking for a shorter time at a higher temperature. Mostly, prime refers to the grade of meat sold to restaurants, customers in grocery stores usually will find "choice", and the cut may go by "rib roast", "eye of rib roast' or "standing rib roast". If it is boneless, it may be called "eye of the rib"; if ribs are still attached, it's a "standing rib". A boneless roast is easier to carve and serve. If the roast has ribs attached, you can ask the butcher to remove the backbone. It's a good idea to order the type and size roast you need in advance. Ask for the more desirable cut: ribs 10 to 12, sometimes called the "loin end", "small end" or "first cut". It is more desirable because it contains the large, single rib eye muscle and is less fatty. Be sure to purchase a roast that will fit in your oven. Usually plan on at least 6 ounces of cooked, trimmed meat per adult. A boneless roast gives about 2 servings per pound, while bone-in provides 1 to 1 1/2 servings. A roast wrapped in transparent film may be refrigerated three to four days or frozen up to two weeks without rewrapping. If the roast is frozen, let it thaw in the refrigerator four to seven hours a pound for a large roast and three to five hours a pound for a small one. Do not defrost at room temperature. Be sure you also have a meat thermometer to test for doneness. Information is courtesy the National Live Stock and Meat Board, and recipe is courtesy cooking teacher Barbara Tenney, by way of the newspaper.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 7  lbs  standing rib roast, first cut (3-rib with ribs No. 10 to 12, and tied at both ends running parallel to the bone)
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Allow the roast to sit at room temperature for an hour. Adjust oven rack to low position and heat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. On the stove top, heat a large roasting pan (not glass) over two burners set at medium-high heat. Place roast in hot pan (do not grease pan) and cook on all sides until nicely browned and about a half cup of fat has rendered, 6 to 8 minutes (or longer).
3. Remove roast from pan. Set wire rack in pan and then set roast on rack. Generously season with salt and pepper.
4. Place roast in oven; do not cover it and do not add water to the pan. Insert an ovenproof meat thermometer so the tip is centered in the thickest part of the beef, not resting in fat or touching bone. Roast until meat registers 130 degrees (medium) rare) on meat thermometer, about 3 1/2 hours (or about 30 minutes per pound). If you want it medium, roast to 145 to 155 degrees. Remember that the roast's temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after it comes out of the oven.
5. Slices at the ends of the roast will be the most done, and slices in the middle will be more rare.
6. Transfer roast to a carving board; tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 20 minutes or longer before carving and serving with the pan drippings.
7. A sharp knife is a must for carving. For uniform slices, hold the knife at the same angle for each cut. The more tender the roast, the thicker the slices can be.
8. Variation: Also good with a rub of olive oil, chopped fresh thyme, minced garlic, and freshly grated lemon peel along with a generous dousing of salt and pepper.