Standing Rib Roast

Sunday Dinner Idea

There’s nothing new about today’s dinner idea except that it is a favorite for Christmas day too. I remember back when my friend Kathy did a post on dry aging beef at home and at the time I thought how brilliant it sounded. All you need is a good cut of meat, a cold spot in the fridge and a few days to have yourself a prime tasting piece of meat aged just as good as your butcher. She tells you all about it and gives a wonderful way in cooking a standing rib roast and that is what today’s Sunday Dinner Idea is all about – Enjoy!

If you have a choice, buy a large rib roast with 3 or more ribs from the loin area of the rib section, it will be more flavorful and will have a greater marbling of fat than that from the shoulder or chuck area. This is what makes meat tender and palatable. This size will yield 2 servings per rib. If there is an excessive amount of fat on the top, trim some off to about a quarter of an inch thickness. Kathy likes to tie hers up to hold its shape and that’s fine with me.

Now for the seasoning – there are so many interesting ways to season meat but when you are talking about the pièce de résistance, you’d better get it right. Kathy uses a brown sugar & soy rub that sounds really wonderful. You know me, I like a little more kick to assist the sweetness of the meat and then there is the French rub that uses the whole herb garden. Here are both:

Spicy Brown Sugar & Honey Paste for Roasts

1/2 cup cumin seeds
1/4 cup brown sugar
8 cloves of garlic, minced
3 to 4 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika

Toast the cumin seeds in a single layer in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir often until light brown, about 4 minutes. Place in a food processor with a metal blade; add the garlic, salt, cocoa, cinnamon, paprika and process to a powder. With the motor running, add the honey and then the brown sugar. Process until smooth.

Herbes de Provence Rub
1/2 cup dry plain bread crumbs
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried fennel

Process all in a food processor with a metal blade until blended.

Now let’s get to cooking. Make sure the roast is at room temperature by leaving out of the refrigerator at least 2 hours. Rub the roast with the paste or the rub, or which ever seasonings you prefer, and place fat side up in a shallow pan or in a roaster if you are also cooking vegetables. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place in the oven and reduce heat to 325 degrees F. Cook the meat to the desired temperature of choice. Some folks like Kathy serve it rare – 125 degrees. I prefer medium rare – 130 degrees F. Remember, when you take it out of the oven, it will still cook a bit longer. Be sure to cover with foil and let it rest 30 to 45 minutes.

Some folks serve a standing rib roast with Yorkshire pudding but I like it with vegetables. Be sure to have a good horseradish sauce on the side. Kathy does a great job in explaining horseradish and offers a couple of recipes too. Likewise, here is one of my recipes for Horseradish Cream.

To cook your roast with vegetables, be sure to cut them up in equal sizes. Place in a bowl and toss with olive oil and seasonings. Arrange them around the roast in a single layer. My favorite vegetables for this type of cooking of course are potatoes, onions and carrots but I also enjoy a medley of parsnips, turnips and rutabaga.